Travel Inspiration for 2024 (and beyond)
This week I had the opportunity to join my host agency’s annual Partner Lounge.
This event started during the pandemic when everything was virtual - and the event continues on as a way to connect with many of the Gifted Travel Network preferred partners in a virtual, speed-dating way. It’s an opportunity for us to deepen our knowledge about our partners, get insider information on what is trending, and how to work together to deliver incredible travel experiences for our clients.
I’ve written about the benefits of our partner relationships in the past - these connections are really so important. Following my Tuesday session I was already messaging partners I had met with about recent client inquiries that could be a fit for them. And having the chance to connect virtually, even for just ten minutes, is helpful in starting a more meaningful relationship or finding new ways of working together.
With four days of partner meetings and more than ten partners each day, there’s a lot to take in! Here are some of the highlights:
Africa
As you know, Morocco experienced a devastating earthquake last week, primarily affecting the Atlas Mountains and in Marrakech. Areas outside of this region were not affected. While there is much rebuilding work to be done and a lot of lives lost to this disaster, our partners at Experience Morocco joined our sessions to let us know how things have been in their country just recently. And, more importantly, they wanted to stress to us the importance of tourism for their country, particularly for the affected area. This is a place that relies heavily on tourism so while some things are closed until September 22 or perhaps longer, they do not want visitors to cancel their trips or not consider coming to Morocco in the coming months.
Outside of traveling to Marrakech, you can support the relief efforts in Morocco in the following ways:
Fondation Orient Occident Fundraiser: A local NGO, will coordinate with the regional authorities and local associations to help the populations affected by the earthquake through its network of psychologists and humanitarian assistants.
Fundraiser for Education for All Boarding Houses: Education for All, an NGO that runs boarding houses for girls from rural families to continue their schooling, faced severe damages from the earthquake. They are fundraising both to repair their boarding houses and for emergency medical supplies and food for the rural communities.
Banque Alimentaire Fundraiser: The Banque Alimentaire is a local food bank that works to distribute donations to populations in need. The money fundraised will go to providing food and supplies to communities who have been impacted by the earthquake.
If you’re interested in visiting a different part of Africa, particularly for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience, I had the chance to meet with two partners that specialize in these trips, Hills of Africa and Live Life African Safari Getaways. I saw images of some of the most stunning luxury safari camps you can imagine and started dreaming about my own future trip for safari. Seriously, this is glamping on a whole other level! These partners specialize in the destination and can help advise me and my clients on best options for safari, timing, and accommodation based on what the clients want to experience. Working together, we can create a custom African safari itinerary with impressive accommodations, incredible wildlife opportunities, and perhaps a few extras like wine tasting in South Africa.
South America
For more adventure in another part of the Southern Hemisphere, I spoke with Tropic, a partner specializing in Peru, Chile, and Ecuador - their team is based in these countries and can create tailored travel experiences for couples, families, or groups. Their relationships with local artisans, craftspeople, and the indigenous communities in these countries allow Tropic to add unique experiences to your trip that you won't find anywhere else. And they work with a collection of ecolodges in these destinations, ideal for travelers looking for accommodations with a sustainability focus.
Cruising
You may not have heard of Explora Journeys before - they are a brand new luxury cruise line that launched in August 2023. Currently they have just one ship, but have plans to add five more to their fleet in the next few years (including one in 2024). Think of Explora’s ships as a floating luxurious European boutique hotel - they have the largest space to guest ratio of all cruise ships and their entry-level suite is 377 sq. ft. The ship is all suites, all oceanfront, and all inclusive with luxe touches throughout. I was really impressed with the look of the ship, the suites, and amenities. This is definitely one to consider if you are interested in luxe cruising with a different kind of vibe!
