The Group Travel Leader November December 2020

SIGHTS FROM THE BOW

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NEBR ASK A HORIZONS

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O U T S TA N D I N G I N D I A N A

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TRAVEL LEADER

Keep

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IN YOUR

heart holiday season!

THIS

TRAVEL

ALLIANCE

PARTNERS 2021 PREVIEW ISSUE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

Real Flavor . Real History. Real Adventure.

Groups of all sizes will delight in discovering our history in the heat of our gumbo pots, the waters of our lakes and bayous, and with the compelling and authentic experiences waiting to be had at the landmark homes that line the Great River Road.

Le arn m o re at L A Ri ve rPa r i s h e s . co m /g ro u p s

L A Ri ve rPa r i shes.co m

See all that Oxford, ms has to offer • Over 1,300 hotel rooms

• World class dining

• Over 25,000 sq ft of meeting space

• Unique shopping experiences

• Historical & Cultural Landmarks

• Home of the University of Mississippi

#VisitMSResponsibly 1013 Jackson Ave. East | Oxford, MS | 800.758.9177 | visitoxfordms.com

CONTENTS

GROUP TH E

TRAVEL LEADER

CHARTING THE EVOLUTION OF GROUP TR AVEL

COLU M NS

N EWS

6 Editor’s Marks

8 Family Matters

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O N T H E COV E R

Snow falls over the Christmas market in Munich, Germany.

Photo by Davide Erbetta.

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Indiana Spotlight

Nebraska Adventures

VOL 30 | ISSUE 9

Road Map to Recovery

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TAP TR AV EL G UI DE

Enjoy the view from the water on these dining and entertainment excursions.

Discover American icons, historic destinations and bucket-list experiences with Travel Alliance Partners.

K E LLY T Y N E R 888.253.0455

MAC T. LACY CHARLES A. PRESLEY BRIAN JEWELL HERBERT SPARROW DONIA SIMMONS KELLY TYNER

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SI G HT SEEI N G C RUIS ES

Founder and Publisher Partner VP & Executive Editor Senior Writer Creative Director VP, Sales & Marketing

KYLE ANDERSON ASHLEY RICKS ELIZA MYERS MELISSA RILEY CHRISTINE CLOUGH

kelly@grouptravelleader.com

Director of Advertising Sales Graphic Design & Circulation Associate Editor Accounting Manager Copy Editor

The GROUP TRAVEL LEADER is published ten times a year by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High St., Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for groups of all ages and sizes. THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER serves as the official magazine of GROUP TRAVEL FAMILY, the organization for traveling groups. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and other travel-related companies may subscribe to THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER by sending a check for $59 for one year to: THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (859) 2530455 or (859) 253-0503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

Photo by: Jason Barnette

Experience • explore • savor When you’re ready to travel, we’re ready for you! Your group will have a blast making biscuits and cocktails, dancing the Virginia Reel, and devouring fine southern delicacies like BBQ and catfish. If that’s not enough fun, we might throw in a little magic.

(We’ll definitely throw in masks and hand sanitizers.)

Call or email today and we’ll start planning a trip your group will never forget.

frances@visitclarksvilletn.com • VisitClarksvilleTN.com • 931.245.4345 25 Jefferson Street, Suite 300 Clarksville, TN 37040

EDITOR’S MARKS

I

BY BRIAN JEWELL

’ve never been so happy to stay in a hotel.

After six months without traveling anywhere, my family and I drove from our home in Kentucky to the North Carolina coast at the end of September.

This beach vacation with my wife’s family had been on the books since the beginning of the year.

There were moments during the worst of the pandemic restrictions when I feared the trip wouldn’t happen. But as the summer went on, it became clear that we could travel safely. So off we went.

It took about 10 hours of driving to reach Southport, North Carolina, where we boarded a ferry and sailed 20 minutes to Bald Head Island.

We didn’t want to risk missing our reserved ferry departure, so we broke the drive up over two days.

In between, we spent the night at a Hampton Inn on the outskirts of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

There was nothing particularly remarkable about this property — it had the same layout, design and amenities as thousands of other Hampton Inns around the United States. But this was the first hotel I had stayed in since the coronavirus pandemic swept the world in March. And that made it remarkable to me.

I’ve probably spent about 1,000 nights in hotel rooms during my career in travel journalism. Those hotels have varied widely, but some parts of the experience have remained constant. I’ve found a way to make any hotel room feel like home. That means arranging my things in the same way when I arrive and packing in the same order before I depart.

I always sleep on the same side of the bed. I always use the fitness center but never the pool. I always give myself about 10 minutes for breakfast

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on my way out the door, and I usually grab the same items from the breakfast buffet.

When I travel for work, I’m alone in my hotel room. When I’m on vacation, though, my wife and kids stay in the hotel with me. That throws a wrench into my process. I don’t get to arrange things the way I like; my breakfast routine is upended; and I don’t get to choose which bed to sleep in.

I’ll admit this: Sometimes sharing my hotel room with the family leaves me a bit grumpy. I don’t like changes in routine, especially my hotel routine.

But when we checked into the Hampton Inn a few weeks ago, there were a lot of changes. Everyone had masks on; the housekeeping staff had left a fixed seal on the door after they finished cleaning the room; and there was no breakfast buffet, only to-go bags.

Normally, these changes wouldn’t sit well with me. But after being grounded for six months, I found it easy to overlook these small inconveniences. I was simply excited to be in a hotel again. I remembered everything I love about the hospitality experience, and even though the details felt different, the heart of it felt the same.

I missed that feeling. And I was thrilled to feel it again.

Travel has always come with its share of hassles. But the pleasures have always outweighed the inconveniences, and they’ll outlast the pandemic.

As people return to travel, they’re rediscovering those pleasures.

I’m betting you will too.

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Restart Your Travel Plans with Tourism Navigator

I

f you’re ready to plan group trips again, Tourism Navigator is the place to start.

The coronavirus pandemic and resulting government regulations have made group travel planning a complicated mess. Tourism Navigator helps you find critical information to plan successful trips to the places you want to go. And best of all, it’s 100% free.

Created by The Group Travel Leader, Tourism Navigator is a one-stop source for important opening and operational information from hundreds of destinations, hotels, attractions and restaurants around the country.

The coronavirus crisis brought a lot of upheaval to the tourism industry. Many sales professionals who worked at CVBs, hotels and attractions for years are no longer there, and the tour operators and group leaders who relied on them for help planning group trips are not sure who to turn to now.

Additionally, pandemic-related restrictions have been implemented at state and local levels, which means there is no uniformity for travel planners. And for those organizing trips to multiple destinations, finding current information on what is open and available is difficult, if not impossible.

“We’ve been talking closely with tour operators and other travel planners since the crisis began in March,” said Kelly Tyner, vice president of sales for The Group Travel Leader.

“Many of them are interested in restarting their travel programs, but they’re having trouble finding current group sales contacts or deciphering which destinations are open or closed. Tourism Navigator solves both those problems.”

When you visit Tourism Navigator, you’ll be able to search for information from the leading group tour destinations and attractions in the country. For each one, you’ll get current contact information, including the

name, phone number and email address of the person there responsible for group sales.

The Tourism Navigator listings also have up-to-date information on openings, closures and travel restrictions that apply to destinations, attractions, cruises lines and other travel companies. In addition, many detail the steps they are taking to keep visitors safe.

“The organizations that have uploaded information on Tourism Navigator are the ones who are most eager to welcome groups back,” Tyner said. “They have done a lot of work to put health and safety protocols in place, and they want to make sure you have all the tools you need to start bringing your travelers back to visit them again.”

To access this critical information and begin planning your group’s return to travel, visit Tourism Navigator at grouptravelleader.com/navigator.

Travel industry representatives who want to include information to Tourism Navigator can submit information at grouptravelleader.com/listing.

Search for information from the leading group tour destinations and attractions in the country.

Plan your group’s return to travel at:

GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM/NAVIGATOR

FAMILY M AT T E R S

S E L E C T T R AV E L E R C O N F E R E N C E E A R N S D E L E G AT E S ’ P R A I S E SALEM, Ohio — Travel industry deleis important that while delegates conduct gates recently met with bank, alumni and business, they also need to have fun,” said upscale group travel planners at the Select Ferguson.

Traveler Conference in a gathering of netSeventy-eight percent of delegates said working, education and business appointthey found the event extremely or very enjoyable, with another 17% rating the ments to book group travel for 2021 and beyond. The conference was rated as the event as enjoyable. “We are pleased the most successful event in the 30-year history 95% found Select Traveler Conference as Delegates meet for a masked of The Group Travel Family, which manages an enjoyable event,” said Ferguson. appointment at the Select Select Traveler staff scored a home run the meeting.

Traveler Conference.

Select Traveler Conference delegates unheard of in the travel industry with a COURTESY FRENCH LICK RESORT reported that it met or exceeded their expec100% approval rating by the delegates.

“The staff that operate this conference are members of The tations, with an 89% approval rating.

Group Travel Family, and it shows that we are a family,” said “We are always interested in whether we met or exceed expecCharlie Presley, founder of the organization. tations,” said Jennifer Ferguson of The Group Travel Family. “We The most telling statistic is, when asked if they would attend are overwhelmed that almost everyone had their expectations met.”

Delegates also approved of the marketplace, with 91% rating the Select Traveler Conference 2021 in Panama City Beach, it a satisfying event. And 84% of the delegates said they made Florida, 78% of delegates said yes, 22% said very probably and not a single delegate responded with a no. important contacts they would have missed if they had not To reserve your spot at the Select Traveler Conference 2021 attended the conference. Business appointment sessions rated an all-time high with a 95% approval rating. in Panama City Beach, February 28-March 2, 2021, call “We also ask how enjoyable the conference was, because it 800-628-0993, or register online at selecttravelerconf.com.

GROUP TR AVEL FAMILY COMMITS TO FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS SALEM, Ohio — The travel industry needs a leader to help show the way out of the black hole that COVID-19 has dug into American freedom of travel, and The Group Travel Family seems to be stepping up in that position. The Group Travel Family has operated three safe and successful group travel conferences this fall in the face of COVID-19.

“We feel it is important to keep the spirit of people traveling together alive,” said Charlie Presley, founder of The Group Travel Family.

“That is the simple reason we operated Select Traveler Conference, Going On Faith and Small Market Meetings Conference.”

The Group Travel Family is an organization that serves 25,000

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volunteer travel planners with education, networking and destination planning.

Travel planners within the Group Travel Family circle provide packaged travel for over 5 million people annually and are the grass roots organizers in thousands of towns and cities across America.

“We hear from group travel leaders on a daily basis who say their people are ready to travel,” said Presley. “It’s just a matter of which destinations are open and welcome groups.”

By pushing ahead and operating travel conferences, The Group Travel Family believes that it accomplished a mission of bringing together destination, hotel and attraction professionals

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who are ready to welcome group bookings with the community organizations wanting to travel.

“Group travel is so much more than simply a trip,” Presley said. “It’s really all about human interaction, traveling with friends and enjoying life.”

That is why group travel will lead the way in the tourism rebound and why The Group Travel Family is on schedule to operate the Select Traveler Conference, the Going On Faith Conference, the African-American Travel Conference, Boomers In Groups, the Small Market Meetings Conference and AgriTourismWorld in 2021.

If you would like to attend one of these travel events, call 800-628-0993 or visit grouptravelfamily.com.

CAPPUZZELLO BECOMES SERVICE/SAFETY DIRECTOR FOR SALEM, OHIO SALEM, Ohio — Travel industry veteran Joseph Cappuzzello has been named to the position of service/safety director for the city of Salem, Ohio. Cappuzzello recently served as president of The Group Travel Family, a nationwide organization of 25,000 group travel planners.

“Joe brought great value to the group travel industry, and while his insight will be missed, we wish him the best in his new direction,” said Charlie Presley, founder of The Group Travel Family.

Cappuzzello spent the past 15 years in group travel and helped develop programs including the Small Market Meetings Conference and Boomers In Groups.

The offices of The Group Travel Family are in Salem, Ohio.

“I’m going to miss working alongside Joe,” said Jennifer Ferguson of The Group Travel Family. “However, I will probably see a lot of him now that he is overseeing a major part of our city.”

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Support these tourism industry initiatives

BY BRIAN JEWELL

Travel will make a comeback. The only question is when.

It’s no secret that the travel industry — and especially the group travel industry — has born more than its share of the economic hardship inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic. Government restrictions shut down travel through much of the spring and early summer. And even as some intrepid travelers began to venture out again in the late summer and fall, continued uncertainty has led many people to postpone their planned trips until 2021or later.

There is widespread hope that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine will be available early in 2021.

If that proves true, it would help turbocharge travel’s comeback.

But even before a vaccine arrives, government leaders, tourism professionals and travel planners can take some strategic steps to set the stage for a 2021 recovery.

Here is a roadmap of smart policies and proactive steps for bringing the travel industry back to prosperity.

Policy Priorities Government regulations in most states severely limited travel early in the pandemic, and federal regulations kept cruise ships docked through much of the fall. Although many of those regulations have been loosened, governments still have an important role to play in tourism’s recovery.

Here are four policy priorities that everyone involved with tourism should support.

• CERTS Act Passage — Among the most critical problems facing tourism is the lack of government relief for motorcoach operators. Federal stimulus and bailout funds helped airlines stay liquid during the worst of the crisis, but no similar assistance has been made available to motorcoach companies. The CERTS Act would provide $10 billion in relief to struggling coach operators.

• Expanded PPP — The Payroll Protection Plan enacted with the first round of stimulus payments helped many small businesses stay afloat during lockdown. But most destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and tourism nonprofits didn’t qualify. A second round of PPP funding should include those overlooked entities.

• Targeted Support — Economic hardship during the crisis has not been evenly distributed; and tourism, hospitality and events have been especially hard-hit. Instead of another round of checks for taxpayers, the next stimulus program should strategically support the industries that have been affected the most.

• Vaccine Deployment — No other development will aid tourism more than the delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine. State and federal governments should make plans to fund and distribute vaccines en masse as soon as they are available.

DMO Decisions

Early in the pandemic, DMOs faced a funding crisis and had to make many difficult decisions about staffing and marketing to ride out the storm. But with clearer skies on the horizon and a palpable demand for travel, DMOs should take the following steps to begin filling the pipeline with group travelers.

• Release Funds — Many DMOs retain emergency funds to support their communities in times of crisis. Some DMO leaders, however, have chosen not to release those funds during the pandemic, preferring instead to hold on to them in case of natural disasters. This strategy is

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misguided, though, and will leave these destinations starved of staff and resources. Organizations with emergency funding should tap into it now to begin a successful comeback.

• Retain Personnel — The group travel industry runs on relationships, but many DMOs and tourism companies eliminated their group sales professionals when the funding crunch hit. Without those sales professionals in place, groups will find other places to travel. It’s time to bring these team members back to work.

• Reveal Plans — Recent surveys have shown that groups are ready to begin traveling again, but planners are unclear about where they’re allowed to go. Destinations and attractions must work much harder to spread the word about what is available and how they’re keeping travelers safe.

• Resume Promotion — Since it often takes six months or more to plan a tour, group travel buyers are shopping now for trips they’ll take in 2021.

Travel industry organizations need to resume marketing to these planners, or they’ll risk missing out on the travel rebound.

Travel Planner Playbook

Tour operators and other group travel planners have a role to play in the industry’s comeback. Here are practical steps to ramping up to a full slate of tours in 2021.

• Modify Procedures — Until the pandemic has completely passed, group tour operators will need to take steps to keep travelers safe and make them feel comfortable. Planners can refer to guidelines published by the American Bus Association for a comprehensive set of safety protocols.

• Build Confidence — Travel companies can restart their operations by offering short programs, such as day trips and one-night departures, that will demonstrate that travel can still be safe and fun during the pandemic.

• Scale Up — As health conditions and passenger demand allows, group operators should ramp up their operations to include longer trips and more diverse destinations.

• Bounce Back — Travel operators can use this time to prepare for the flood of pent-up demand that is likely to hit once a COVID-19 vaccine begins to suppress infection numbers.

Travel’s comeback is going to happen. By taking smart steps now, policymakers, destination marketers and travel planners can speed its coming.

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e d i s Top

TRAVELS

The Georgia Queen sails under the Talmadge Memorial Bridge in Savannah.

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SIGHTSEEING CRUISES ARE SAFE AND SURGING

BY BRIAN JEWELL

“T

here’s nothing better than sitting on the outside deck and riding a boat down the river.”

Nancy Wilhoite, director of business development for BB Riverboats in northern Kentucky, believes sightseeing cruises are the perfect antidote for anyone tired of sitting inside at home. And she has a point: With dramatic scenery, delicious food and delightful entertainment, sightseeing cruises offer distinctive experiences for travelers ready to hit the road again.

Sightseeing and dining cruise excursions are often the highlights of group tour itineraries. Consider adding one of these cruises to your 2021 travel plans.

BB Riverboats

COURTESY SAVANNAH RIVERBOAT CRUISES

N E WPO RT, K E NTU C K Y

You may not know much about Newport, Kentucky, but you’ve probably heard of its neighboring city just across the Ohio River: Cincinnati.

On a sightseeing cruise with BB Riverboats, groups get to experience the best of destinations.

“We cruise through the port of Cincinnati, between northern Kentucky and downtown Cincinnati,” Wilhoite said. “We’re located directly across the river from Cincinnati, so we start off with the Reds stadium and historic Mount Adams.

We cruise up the river and talk about the history of the city and how it was founded by the steamboats of years past. Then, when we turn around and come back through the harbor under the Roebling Suspension Bridge, which was the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge, you see the hills and beautiful homes of northern Kentucky.”

Groups can enjoy the scenery and history of the area on the numerous different excursions offered by the company on its two Victorian-style riverboats: the 1,000-passenger Belle of Cincinnati and the 400-passenger River Queen.

Lunch and dinner cruises prove popular with groups, thanks to the company’s emphasis on high-quality cuisine.

“Our owners were a restaurant family before they started a riverboat company, so food is very important to us,” Wilhoite said. “You can get a boat ride anywhere, but we want you to have a boat ride with good food.”

The signature dish on dinner cruises is roasted, crusted beef sirloin. Other favorites include roasted chicken, whipped potatoes and cheesecake.

After suspending operations at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, BB Riverboats reopened over the Memorial Day weekend. Currently, the company sails at 50% capacity or less, with several social distancing and cleaning measures in place.

Scheduling is based on demand.

“We do have some tour groups that are coming back, and they are the reasons we start up cruises,” Wilhoite said. “We’re willing to go out even with a 30-passenger tour group.”

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Gateway Clipper PIT T S B U RG H

For more than 60 years, Pittsburgh’s Gateway Clipper has been treating travelers to gorgeous views of the Steel City.

“We’re at the point where the Alleghany and Monongahela and Ohio rivers join together,” said president and owner Terry Wirginis, whose grandparents started the company in 1958. “I’ve been to pretty much every port city in the U.S. over my 40-year career, and I’ve actually operated companies in several other cities. But there’s no city that’s more suited to be seen from the river than Pittsburgh is.”

The Gateway Clipper fleet consists of five passenger vessels that can accommodate from 300 to 600 passengers. From April through October, the

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Taking in the view with BB Riverboats

A paddle-wheeler cruise on Lake Tahoe

to get approval for 50% capacity soon. Crew and passengers are required to wear masks, and each vessel is thoroughly cleaned and fogged between sailings.

fleet operates a schedule of nine one-hour sightseeing cruises daily, though the company reduced the schedule to five daily cruises this year to allow for cleanings between departures. There are also dinner cruises, including special holiday cruises.

No matter which cruise they choose, group travel planners will treat their passengers to beautiful views of this dynamic and historic city.

“Vegetation grows right down to the water’s edge,” Wirginis said. “The Pittsburgh skyline feels so close that you could almost reach out and touch it. And the 600-foot-high Mount Washington gives a beautiful green vegetation background across the river from downtown and the skyscrapers. We have really nice architecture that we describe on all the cruises. And on the evening cruises, when you make the turn back toward the city, you’re looking at the sunshine reflecting off the beautiful skyline and the fountain at Point State Park. We always stop the boat there and watch the sun set toward the West.”

Per state guidelines, the Gateway Clipper is now operating at 25% capacity, although Wirginis hopes 14

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Savannah Riverboat Cruises SAVA N N A H, G EO RG IA

There are many ways to see Savannah, Georgia, including horse-drawn carriages, trolley tours and leisurely strolls around its numerous public parks.

But none of those offers the variety of scenery, food and entertainment that passengers get aboard the Georgia Queen.

The 1,000-passenger vessel has three enclosed decks and one open-air deck, which is the perfect place to catch the sights and sounds of River Street.

“Cruises depart from River Street and go under the historic Talmadge Memorial Bridge toward the Georgia port,” said Kayla Boston, cruise and event manager for Savannah Riverboat Cruises. “Then they turn around and come back past Hutchinson Island and Old Fort Jackson. Most days during our lunch or sightseeing cruises, there’s a live cannon firing at the fort when we sail past.”

The daytime cruises last 90 minutes and feature historical narration. During evening dinner or sunset cruises, which last two hours, guests enjoy a live band playing a mix of songs from the 1950s through the 2010s.

Many groups opt for the meal cruises, which feature a menu of classic Southern staples.

“For lunch, we have things like shrimp and grits, our signature Southern fried chicken and prime rib.

We’ll also have mac and cheese, sweet potato souffle and collard greens. At dinner, we’ll also have a fresh

MS Dixie II

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COURTESY ARAMARK

COURTESY ARAMARK

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MS Dixie II on Lake Tahoe

ZE PH Y R COV E , N E VA DA

Ask anyone who has visited Lake Tahoe, and they’ll tell you that it’s among the most beautiful spots in Nevada and California. Groups can take in that beauty during a two-and-a-half-hour cruise of the lake’s Emerald Bay aboard the M.S. Dixie II, a 500-passenger paddle-wheeler that departs from Zephyr Cove Marina on the Nevada side.

Emerald Bay is one of the most photographed areas on Lake Tahoe. During the cruise, guests have the opportunity to take their own photos of the scenic bay, with the Sierra Mountains in the background. Along the way, they’ll see waterfalls and wildlife, as well as several historic sites.

Groups love the Tea House perched on top of Fannette Island in the middle of the lake, as well as Vikinsholm, a castlelike structure that is considered one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States.

During the sunset dinner cruise, guests get the same scenic tour, with the added bonus of a picturesque sunset. There’s also a plated dinner, cocktails and live entertainment. After the sun sets, many passengers make their way to the open-air outdoor deck for stargazing.

For a high-end, private experience, the company also operates the Tahoe Paradise Yacht, with a window-lined dining room, a full bar and an open sundeck.

Groups can charter the yacht and arrange live entertainment and customized menus.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Aramark, which operates the cruises, has employed numerous enhanced health and safety procedures. These include reduced seating, plexiglass shields in public areas, social distancing and mask requirements.

Z E P H Y R C OV E .C O M /C R U I S E S

The original Gateway Clipper in 1958

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COURTESY GATEWAY CLIPPER

COURTESY BB RIVERBOATS

catch of the day, lemon and artichoke chicken, roast potatoes, squash casserole and dessert. And our Sunday brunch is traditional brunch food — fried chicken, shrimp and grits, ham, quiche and breakfast items like eggs, sausage and cinnamon rolls — served to the table. You can also add an unlimited mimosa package.”

The company offers numerous special-event cruises, including a holiday gospel river cruise in December complete with Christmas decorations.

Currently, the Georgia Queen is sailing at 50% capacity. The crew wear masks at all times, and passengers must also wear masks when not eating or drinking.

Like other sightseeing cruise operators, the company has switched from self-service buffets to staff-served meals, with several items served tableside.

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S TAT E S P O T L I G H T

INDIANA

By Eliza Myers

T

he neighborly state of Indiana is always ready to welcome visitors.

Whether travelers are looking for an elegant reception or a warm down-on-the-farm hello, Indiana can accommodate them while living up to its friendly reputation. The Hoosier State invites guests to see the authentic side of the state with high-class historic attractions like the French Lick Resort and simple Amish-focused sites like the Barns at Nappanee. Groups can discover why the state is known for its interactive attractions, farm-fresh cuisine and natural beauty on a tour of the state.

A trail winds through the woods at Brown County State Park, the largest park in Indiana.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY IOTD

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Indianapolis Museum of ArtNational at Newfields WWII Museum

POPULAR DEMAND NEWFIELDS

Tupelo’s “Elvis Homecoming” statue A covered bridge at Conner Prairie

COURTESY TUPELO CVB

From giants in the art world like Vincent van Gogh to pop culture favorites like Robert Indiana’s original Love sculpture, Newfields in Indianapolis celebrates a wide range of artistic styles. General admission lets groups wander through a 152-acre campus dedicated to art and nature with a park, gardens, performance areas and a historic home. The cornerstone of the campus remains the Indianapolis Museum of Art with its 54,000 artworks spanning 5,000 years of art history. Groups can book customized tours to view works

by Rembrandt, El Greco and Caravaggio.

BROWN COUNTY STATE PARK

Autumn sets the hills ablaze in yellow, red and orange leaves at Brown County State Park. The largest park in the state, the Brown County park protects 16,000 wooded acres with scenic drives threading the hilly landscape.

Groups can hike, ride horseback or drive through the natural splendor. The park’s lodge offers 88 rooms and an on-site restaurant. Nearby, groups will enjoy the walkable town of Nashville as they window shop for locally made products and art.

Visiting Conner Prairie safely

CONNER PRAIRIE

BY TOM ADKINSON

A historic balloon at Conner Prairie

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Visitors can see Indiana from above at Conner Prairie in Fishers. The outdoor museum offers several unusual experiences, such as the 1859 Balloon Voyage, which allows guests to soar in a helium-filled, tethered balloon to learn how manned flight moved from imagination to reality. The Treetop Outpost is another centerpiece of the museum, where visitors can climb a four-story treehouse to view the White River, scenic woods and prairie terrain.

Created in 1934, the attraction combines history, science and Indiana’s cultural heritage with hands-on experiences throughout its 800-acre property. Other exhibits include the Makesmith Workshop, 1836 Prairietown, Lenape Indian Camp and 1863 Civil War Journey. Parts of Conner Prairie are temporary closed, so groups should check before traveling.

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Indiana Dunes National Park

UP AND COMING INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK

Established in 2019, Indiana Dunes National Park in Chesterton is the United States’ newest national park. Fifteen miles of beaches, impressive sand dunes and preserved wilderness offer postcard-worthy scenery. Though smaller at 15,000 acres than some national parks, the park keeps visitors busy with trails through marshes, wetlands and forests and up Mount Tom, the tallest of the park’s dunes at 192 feet. Groups can arrange a day of kayaking Lake Michigan or birdwatching or take a ranger-led walk.

French Lick Resort

BARNS AT NAPPANEE

Formerly known as Amish Acres, the Barns at Nappanee opened in May 2020 in Nappanee. The current owners updated the Amish farm attraction with renovations and new offerings. The site holds tours of the historic Amish home, blacksmith shop and one-room schoolhouse. Groups can take buggy rides across the 80-acre property of rolling hills and preserved buildings. Barns at Nappanee’s 400-seat family-style restaurant is now open at 50% capacity.

‘THE BOB ROSS EXPERIENCE’ AT MINNETRISTA

A soft-spoken artist who became a hit television personality is celebrated at the Minnetrista museum in Muncie. “The Bob Ross Experience” exhibit will remember Ross’ life and his beloved “Joy of Painting” television show that was filmed in Muncie. The exhibit showcases Ross’ refurbished studio, objects from his life and immersive features that illustrate his message of fearless creativity.

Minnetrista is a 40-acre museum campus that offers changing exhibits, a historic home called Oakhurst and themed gardens.

O V E R N I G H T S E N S AT I O N S FRENCH LICK RESORT

Hidden away at the edge of the Hoosier National Forest, the French Lick Resort in French Lick preserves two upscale century-old hotels: French Lick Springs and the West Baden Springs Hotel. Now restored to their original splendor, the hotels were built to accommodate wealthy travelers desiring a soak in the local mineral springs. Guests can still warm up in the springs at the resort’s two luxury spas. Resort offerings keep guests busy with activities such as golf, gaming, hiking, bowling and horseback riding.

POTAWATOMI INN RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Those wanting more time to take in the views at Pokagon State Park in Angola can settle in at Potawatomi Inn Resort and Conference Center.

The park’s inn offers boat rentals, hiking trails, bike rentals, an indoor pool and a beach on Lake James.

Winter visitors can also enjoy a refrigerated toboggan run. Groups can dine at the on-site restaurant and cafe while staying in any of the inn’s 138 rooms.

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MEMORABLE MEALS DAS DUTCHMAN ESSENHAUS

Indiana’s largest restaurant, Das Dutch Essenhaus in Middlebury, serves Amish-style cuisine. Groups love the restaurant’s signature dishes, among them roast beef and ham noodles, and its other homecooked specialties. While on-site, groups can also ride in an Amish buggy, shop for handcrafted items and watch a stage performance.

BEEF AND BOARDS DINNER THEATRE

Das Dutchman Essenhaus Whitefish Mountain Resort

Opened in 1973, the Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre in College Park combines Broadway-style shows with quality dining. The theater offers a dinner prepared by an in-house chef, a full-service bar and gourmet desserts. Its name, Beef and Boards, refers to the hand-carved roast beef served before each performance.

VISITINDIANA.COM

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And, you’ll gain the direction, networking, tools and skills required to shape a more resilient and sustainable future for the destinations and communities we all sell and rely upon. Join us and unite with your industry colleagues to harness the transformative power of travel.

Visit TourismCares.org. See the possibilities.

Join these companies in seeing the possibilities.

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The dramatic Scotts Bluff was a landmark on the Oregon Trail.

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BY ELIZA MYERS

ictures never quite capture the full majesty of a Nebraska sunset. But visitors always try.

The state contains one vista after another, with vast prairies in the east and towering cliffs in the west. The wideopen spaces act as a tonic for city dwellers. Many enjoy the Cornhusker State’s wilder side at stunning parks such as Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock National Historic Site. However, photo ops also await in the state’s cities at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha and the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.

These Nebraskan attractions with a view will appeal to groups looking to escape the crowds and share some envy-inducing photos.

SCOT T S BLU F F NAT IONA L MON U M E N T GE R I NG

After days and days of flat prairie, Scotts Bluff National Monument seemed an otherworldly landscape to early pioneers. The striking bluffs of the area are the first significant rock formation as the Great Plains start to give way to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Rising 800 feet above the North Platte River, the formations are a treat for the eyes that also once served as a natural landmark for those traveling the Oregon, California, Mormon and Pony Express trails. History mixes with geology at the site, which local Native Americans referred to as Me-a-pa-te, or “the hill that is hard to go around.”

Today, groups can admire this protected outcropping and its surrounding 3,000 acres of protected mixed-grass prairie, rugged badlands and historic trail remnants. Visitors can drive to the top of Scotts Bluff via the Summit Road for a view from above.

Groups must make reservations to visit the site, since the park must clear Summit Road before motorcoaches can ascend the 1.6-mile drive to the top.

The park’s staff can also help set up guided ranger programs.

Currently, the site is not offering the Summit Shuttle, a narrated drive up Scotts Bluff, although the service is expected to resume in the summer. Visitors who want to use the shuttle should contact the park’s office.

The on-site Oregon Trail Museum and Visitor Center provides background on the area’s human and natural history. The museum also has on display a collection of watercolor paintings by frontier artist William Henry Jackson.

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L AU R I T Z E N G A R DE NS OM A H A Whether groups prefer wildflowers or carefully crafted Victorian gardens, beauty abounds at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha. The 100-acre gardens near Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium are an urban oasis in the heart of the city.

Groups can either stroll the grounds on a self-guided tour or request a guided garden tour. The one-and-a-half-hour tours highlight garden areas of seasonal interest.

Although temporarily suspended, narrated tram tours are another way for groups to explore the gardens. The gardens themselves remain open with social distancing measures in place, including a timed ticketing system.

The four-season gardens feature impressive visual displays at the site’s rose garden, children’s garden, model railroad garden and Victorian garden. The 17,500-squarefoot Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory features a wilder look with acres of native grasses and trees.

Groups that want to stay longer can dine at the ConAgra Cafe and shop at the gardens’ gift shop.

Lauritzen Gardens is located inside Kenefick Park, home to two historic locomotives. The park celebrates the impact of the Union Pacific Railroad on Nebraska with signage, sculptures and Big Boy No. 4023, one of the world’s largest steam locomotives.

L AU R I T Z E N G A R D E N S .O R G

C H I M N E Y ROC K NAT IONA L H IS TOR IC SI T E BAYA R D Northwest of Scotts Bluff, another memorable spot on the Oregon Trail stood the test of time. Chimney Rock National Historic Site centers around one massive yet slender spire-shaped formation. The iconic formation rises 300 feet above the North Platte River Valley.

Described as “towering to the heavens” by one pioneer, the landmark has come to symbolize the great migration westward for many. The park’s visitor center features exhibits and a short video that introduces Chimney Rock and its impact.

The area around the monument remains well preserved, with the visitors center and Chimney Rock Cemetery as the only two modern developments near the spire.

Though the site does not permit hiking on the rock itself, the park contains multiple historical hiking trails; one, the Oregon Trail Pathway, allows guests to walk on the same ground as the pioneers did 150 years ago. Groups should also keep a look out for wildlife, since the area is home to the endangered whooping crane, peregrine falcon and black-footed ferret.

While touring, guests can try their hand at guessing their current distance from the spire, since the geological marker is an optical illusion that appears extremely close to some and far off in the distance to others.

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Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park

N EBR ASK A STATE C A PITOL L I NCOL N When laying out the architectural plans for Nebraska’s third state capitol, Bertram Goodhue felt “impelled to produce something quite unlike the usual.” The imposing, 400-foot domed at the Nebraska State Capitol does stand out as a creative architectural marvel.

The 1932 structure in Lincoln was the first state capitol in the country to incorporate a functional tower in its design.

Goodhue wove art and symbolism throughout the interior and exteriors of the building. Atop the dome, a statue called The Sower adds 32 feet to the building’s gold-tiled dome to represent the state’s commitment to agriculture and growth within its borders.

Guided tours reveal the history behind the $10 million structure and the meaning behind its intricate mosaics.

Guides point out the Classical architectural elements that Goodhue mixed with Byzantine, Gothic and Romanesque.

Other details include marble mosaic floors, stone carvings that represent 3,000 years of human history and murals that depict Nebraska’s Native American and pioneer cultures.

Adult and student groups can book customized tours.

Student groups sometimes add a visit to the legislative balcony when the Legislature is in session. Groups can also visit the 14th floor observation decks for a photo op of Lincoln.

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Chimney Rock National Historic Site The Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln

Omaha’s Lauritzen Gardens

ASHFA LL FOSSIL BEDS STATE HISTOR IC A L PA R K ROYA L In prehistoric times, a massive volcanic eruption covered the Great Plains in ash. As a result, visitors can view fascinating fossils preserved through the centuries at the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park.

Under a structure called the Hubbard Rhino Barn, groups can examine an active excavation area. The barn’s most famous find is the fossil of a Teleoceras, a native, hippolike ancestral rhinoceros. Ancestral horses are also on display. The structure leaves the skeletons uncovered where they were found.

The 360-acre park also has a visitor center with interpretive stations and a working fossil preparation laboratory.

Declared a National Natural Landmark, the site captures a moment in time and serves as an ecological snapshot of the area’s fossilized organisms. Known as the Pompeii of prehistoric animals, the paleontological site offers educational programs and experts ready to answer questions from visitors. Groups can also walk along the site’s nature and geology trails to explore the larger park.

School and tour groups can book guided experiences from April 1 to October 20 with advance reservations. A tour leader provides an orientation and a full description of the fossil bed exposed in the Hubbard Rhino Barn.

The site is open with social distancing precautions, such as face masks, one-way traffic routes and advance ticketing.

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Staff Sound-off

WHAT’S A PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE HOTEL YOU’VE ENJOYED STAYING AT? WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL?

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PUBLISHER MAC LACY

im and I love the Beausite Park Hotel in Wengen, Switzerland.

We were there once as part of a group and fell in love with its elegant simplicity. A Swiss family, the Leemanns, own it and make a point of personally greeting their guests throughout their stays.

They serve a wonderful breakfast each morning and post a dinner menu for the evening, which is included in the room plan. Evening mealtimes are filled with travelers from across Europe and the world, and everyone seems at ease. We took our sons back there several years later as teens and put them on their best behavior.

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GRAPHIC DESIGN & CIRCULATION ASHLEY RICKS

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DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES KYLE ANDERSON

t’s kind of random, but I loved the Marriott in downtown Indianapolis when I went there a few times as a kid. We would go for University of Kentucky basketball games, and I remember thinking it was so awesome because of the decor and how big it was. Now I know a lot of hotels are also that big, but at the time, I thought it was massive.

few years ago, during a trip down the coast to celebrate my husband’s 30th birthday, we stayed in the Mansion on Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia. Everything about the hotel was a wonderful experience.

The ambiance and food were just what you’d expect from a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, but what really made it special was the beautiful surroundings and the hospitality. The level of service made our stay carefree so we could focus on enjoying our time in Savannah.

VP & EXECUTIVE EDITOR BRIAN JEWELL

’ve been fortunate to stay in many memorable hotels over the years, but one of my favorites was in the mountains of northern Mexico. The property had been converted from a monastery to a small inn, and the entire place still exuded a sense of peace. The historic architecture, understated furnishings and fresh mountain air put me at ease and filled me with serenity. I was only there for one night, but I wish I could have stayed a week.

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR DONIA SIMMONS

he Brown Palace in Denver, Colorado, was the most memorable hotel for me. I enjoy staying at historic hotels and have stayed at many, but the beauty of its lobby and the treatment by the staff left an imprint on me.

EDITOR’ S NOTE Welcome to Staff Sound-Off, the monthly column where our staff members answer questions about their travel practices and preferences. We hope you enjoy these tips. If you have a question you’d like to see us answer, send it to me and it may appear in a future issue.

BRIANJ@GROUPTR AVELLEADER .COM

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TRAVEL

ALLIANCE

PARTNERS TR AVEL GUI D E

PUBLISHED BY THE GROUP TRAVEL LEAD ER

FORWARD TOGETHER TAP OPERATORS ARE POISED TO RECOVER IN 2021

N

“All of our tour operators are still in business,” said Lisa Doerner, TAP’s

executive director. “They’re planning for 2021. In some cases, their travelers just pushed their 2020 trips to 2021. In other cases, they’re creating new tours and trying to come up with creative itineraries.”

The whirlwind of cancellations, closures and government-imposed

restrictions imposed since March have left travel providers worldwide

scrambling. TAP’s operators have leaned into their relationships to navigate these uncharted waters.

“TAP is working harder than ever on collaborating with our suppliers,”

Doerner said. “That’s really big for the coming year. We’re collaborating as much as we can to create itineraries and work with smaller destinations.

We feel like that’s going to be the key to a successful recovery.

“Because of where

travel is right now,

ow in its 20th year, Travel

more diversification

of their products,

(TAP) has proven that

they have to accom-

ration help travel buyers

Much of that col-

our tour operators are

Alliance Partnership

because they have to

cooperation and collabo-

leaders want.”

and sellers succeed. That point is especially powerful in 2020.

Founded in 2001, TAP is a consortium of tour

companies around North America, each with its own

at TAP Dance, the

looking for more and do smaller trips. So

modate what group

LISA DOERNER

laboration took place organization’s annual

conference. Since the event takes place each June, the 2020 edition was one of the first tourism industry gatherings to move to a virtual format.

“People were very skeptical because it was new to everyone,” Doerner

area of specialty or regional expertise. The partner-

said. “But based on the survey feedback, the event exceeded everyone’s

other’s tours. The partnership allows TAP members

higher attendance than we anticipated in the networking activities. People

gives each TAP partner a wider network of poten-

The organization’s board is now evaluating its options for next year’s

ship consists of 26 members who buy and sell each

expectations. The business meetings were more productive, and we had

to offer their customers a wide array of products and

were so eager to see each other.”

tial customers from around the country. The TAP

TAP Dance, but other elements of its operations are already back on track.

tours, safaris, cruises, sporting events and other travel

Atlantic Tours, have begun operating trips again. And the popular TAP

TAP’s collaborative approach was groundbreaking

“We’ve certainly seen webinar attendance increase since March,”

catalog is large and diverse: It features motorcoach

Several member companies, including Southwest Adventure Tours and

experiences.

Into Tuesday webinar series has continued.

when the organization was launched, and it led to

Doerner said. “People are eager for information on tours.”

two decades of growth and profitability for its tour

To learn more about TAP and its tour products, visit tapintotravel.com.

operator members, as well as the destinations and attraction suppliers that support them. Now, during

a year of crisis no one could have anticipated, that team spirit has helped TAP’s member companies remain strong.

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2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

Let Oklahoma Strum Your Heartstrings Oklahoma’s musical roots run deep. In Oklahoma City, marvel at the American Banjo Museum’s 400+ banjos. Refuel at the Rock Café in Stroud, a Route 66 diner that once served Led Zeppelin front man, Robert Plant. Another fun fact? Its zany owner, Dawn, inspired a Cars character. At the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, pay homage to the legendary folk musician and political activist. Then, treat yourself to a plate of chicken and waffles at the original Ole Red bar and grill in Tishomingo, country superstar Blake Shelton’s hometown.

Browse more attractions and itineraries at TravelOK.com/Group.

ICONS AWAIT

POMPEY’S PILLAR NATIONAL MONUMENT

BY R AC H E L C A R T E R Courtesy NPS

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TA P PA RT N ER S PU T A M ER IC A FRON T A N D CEN T ER

ewis and Clark set off on an expedition to explore America’s newly acquired and completely uncharted western territory. New York’s Hudson Valley drew Gilded Age tycoons of American business. Whether they were giants of American industry, stars of America’s pastime or heroes of American wars, these Travel Alliance Partners itineraries showcase some of the most influential icons in American history.

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LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL SHEBBY LEE TOURS

Lewis and Clark. Those two names conjure an expansive tale of exploration and adventure, of trailblazing, groundbreaking and place-making. Meriwether Lewis and his close friend, William Clark, have become legend, though their exploits were real. President Thomas Jefferson chose the pair in 1803 to lead the Corp of Discovery expedition to cross the nation’s newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory.

American schoolchildren are weaned on the story, but international travelers who take Shebby Lee Tours’ Lewis and Clark Trail trip often say the same thing: “It’s a great story.”

The itinerary appeals to history buffs, and tour operators can sell into an already scheduled departure by ones and twos.

Though the itinerary includes museums and other attractions, the tour retraces the expedition’s actual route, starting in St. Louis and continuing to Oregon.

“One of the things we stress is that we go where history happened,” Lee said.

That includes a stop at Pompeys Pillar National Historic Landmark, where Clark carved his name in the rock on the return trip in 1806.

One of the best “they stood here” places is at the beginning of the trip, the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers where the expedition started. Lee then takes the group to the Missouri Historical

2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Courtesy MARS

Society annex, where a historian takes out special items, including the actual Lewis and Clark journals and some original maps, “things that they touched.”

The group will also climb the path to the top of Spirit Mound in South Dakota, though today’s travelers will likely have a much easier time of it than the expedition did.

The itinerary is also dotted with re-created forts and trading posts, many of which were built in those locations because of the expedition’s work to find sites to further the fur trade. Lee also hires many re-enactors “to make it come alive even more all along the trail,” she said.

AMERICAN VALOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND MID ATLANTIC RECEPTIVE SERVICES

They may not be famous, but the names of veterans who have given their lives in service to this country are carved in the hearts of their families and descendants, and America pays tribute to them every Memorial Day. Mid Atlantic Receptive Services (MARS) operates the American Valor Memorial Day Weekend itinerary in Washington D.C., to “honor those in every branch of the military and obviously those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedoms,” said MARS president Kate Scopetti.

WWW.TAPINTOTRAVEL.COM

The itinerary takes groups to Arlington National Cemetery, where they witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The trip is packed with memorials and monuments: the Marine Corps War Memorial (the Iwo Jima Memorial), the United States Navy Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Park, the Air Force Memorial and the Eisenhower Memorial.

The memorials are personal to each traveler — perhaps it has to do with their experiences growing up or with family members who served — but the Vietnam and WWII memorials seem to resonate the most.

Depending on the group’s interests, Scopetti has also arranged a wreath-laying ceremony, a flag ceremony or a bagpipe ceremony at a memorial.

The Air Force Memorial overlooks the Pentagon and sits on a knoll, “so it has a fantastic view of the city,” Scopetti said. MARS added the newly opened Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial to the itinerary, and the Navy memorial has a small museum where visitors can watch a film.

The National Memorial Day Parade is the highlight of the trip, and MARS partners with the American Veterans organization to be the only tour group with seating at the event. MARS groups sit by the troops, so they have an unobstructed view of the parade and performers.

The trip also includes reserved seating at the National Memorial Day Choral Festival Concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME SPORTS TRAVEL AND TOURS

The National Baseball Hall of Fame inducts new members annually, but every year is different — and every year is a once-in-a-lifetime dream for die-hard baseball fans.

“We tap into a traveler’s passion; we’re hitting a nerve,” said Jay Smith, president and owner of Sports Travel and Tours. “It could be from childhood or from playing or from life, but there’s a passion and a love of seeing someone you grew up with doing something special.”

The 2020 Hall of Fame induction event was postponed until 2021 due to the pandemic, but with Derek Jeter being in the class of 2020 and his induction happening in 2021, “this will be the event of a lifetime,” Smith said.

Sports Travel and Tours starts with a core package and offers several itinerary options that build from

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ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S VAL-KILL COTTAGE Courtesy NPS

FORT OSAGE

there with nicer hotels, more time and greater access.

Cooperstown, New York, fills up for the annual inauguration, so Albany serves as a hub, and travelers stay in surrounding towns.

Visitors spend Saturday in Cooperstown, touring the Hall of Fame and exploring the quaint downtown, where they may run into Hall of Famers walking around. On Saturday night, the Parade of Legends includes a chronological promenade of Hall of Fame members by inductee year, starting with the oldest and ending with that year’s inductees.

The induction ceremony takes place Sunday on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center. As the Hall of Fame’s official licensed travel company, Sports Travel and Tours has reserved seating for its VIP travelers, giving them access to the sectioned “infield” area alongside players and media.

On Monday, travelers can attend the Legends of the Round Table, an intimate Q&A with the just-inducted players. During one of its receptions, Sports Travel and Tours offers the Ump’s Eye View program with stories from a retired MLB umpire.

ROCKEFELLER TO ROCKWELL TWIN TRAVEL CONCEPTS

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER Courtesy MARS

Courtesy Jackson Co. Parks & Recreation

TOURING COOPERSTOWN

Courtesy Sports Travel & Tours

KYKUIT, THE ROCKEFELLER ESTATE

The “three Rs” has a different meaning for Twin Travel Concepts: Rockefeller, Rockwell and Roosevelt. The company’s Rockefeller to Rockwell itinerary takes groups through the Hudson Valley and Berkshire Mountains to the Gilded Age-mansions and country retreats of some of the nation’s most notable names.

The FDR Presidential Library and Museum is a national park where the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt is better known simply as Springwood. Groups can explore the library and museum during self-guided tours, but a guided tour of FDR’s home includes stories about many of the leaders of the day who visited.

Another Roosevelt stop is Val-Kill Cottage, Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal home about two miles from Springwood. Though she lived at Springwood, so did FDR’s mother, and Eleanor decided she wanted her own place.

Kykuit is the Rockefeller Estate along the Hudson River that was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, starting with John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. A tour leads groups through the main rooms of the six-story stone house and into the gardens that are dotted with Gov. Nelson Rockefeller’s sculpture collection.

At the Norman Rockwell Home and Museum in the Berkshires village of Stockbridge, groups spend most of their time exploring the museum and Rockwell’s studio.

Rockwell was famous for his Saturday Evening Post illustrations, and groups can see all the covers at the museum along with many of his larger pieces. But visitors will also learn that Rockwell was an intense man and a meticulous artist who used models and mockups, and elaborate sets and photographs, rather than draw from his imagination alone.

By Jaime Martorano, courtesy Historic Hudson Valley

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2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

REDISCOVER ATLANTIC CITY

The Story Continues Entertainment and excitement await in Atlantic City, including our world-famous Boardwalk, the ultimate in tax-free shopping, award-winning dining, live entertainment, and great attractions, like the Absecon Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey. Experience an exciting getaway and create a lifetime of memories in Atlantic City.

Atlantic City Expert Heather Colache is available at 609-318-6097 or hcolache@meetac.com to make sure you enjoy Atlantic City as it was meant to be experienced. Call today to book your Atlantic City Experience.

Meet AC received funding through a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.

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OUT THERE A PUFFIN LANDING IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

BY R AC H E L C A R T E R Courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism

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BUCK ET LIST JOU R N E YS AWA I T W I T H TA P I TI N ER A R I E S

eople often call them bucket-list trips or dream vacations, but no matter what they’re called, these journeys are the kind of voyage that travelers will do only once in their lifetime — or that people may wait a lifetime to do.

What each person wants to tick off his or her bucket list is highly personal. Some want to go on safari in Africa to see the “big five”: lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, elephants and Cape buffaloes. Others want to see whales and puffins and icebergs in the northern Atlantic. Some want to cruise through Europe on one of its great rivers, and others want to take a helicopter tour that lands on a glacier in Alaska.

Check out these Travel Alliance Partners itineraries for your group’s next bucket list adventure.

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CIRCLE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR ATLANTIC TOURS AND TRAVEL

In Newfoundland and Labrador, visitors will find quaint communities, family-owned accommodations and fresh local fare. And in Newfoundland and Labrador, “you’ll never meet more friendly people,” said Chris Rose, product and sales manager for Atlantic Tours and Travel.

People sign up for the Circle Newfoundland and Labrador itinerary for abundant wildlife, expansive scenery and unique culture, but the itinerary offers plenty of history as well. There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Newfoundland, “and we’ve got three of them,” Rose said.

L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site is a Viking or Norse settlement dating to A.D. 1000 where visitors can see original Viking mounds and watch for passing icebergs and moose. There, costumed actors dress as Vikings, and “you can actually see impressions in the ground where their huts were,” he said.

Gros Morne National Park is one of the few places in the world where the Earth’s mantle is exposed. In the park, travelers can choose between two boat tours: one on Bonne Bay or another on Western Brook Pond.

Red Bay National Historic Site is the location of a 16th-century Basque whaling station on Labrador’s southern coast. Visitors can

2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

ON SAFARI IN TANZANIA

Courtesy Sun Tours

wander through the former whaling town that dates to the 1500s and explore the whalers’ cemetery.

Summer is the best time of year for whale watching and puffin-sighting, and June through early July is prime iceberg season.

“It would be very rare not to see a humpback breach on the boat tour in St. Anthony,” Rose said.

Throughout the trip, the group stops in a number of quaint fishing villages and cozy inlets, like Port au Choix to learn about the area’s earliest settlers and the scenic outport of Twillingate, where they’ll visit Long Point Lighthouse.

The itinerary wraps up in St. John’s, a bustling seaport with colorful row houses lining steep streets. At Cape Spear National Historic Site, travelers can stand on the easternmost point of North America.

MAGNIFICENT ALASKA SOUTHWEST ADVENTURE TOURS

Alaska is the proverbial final frontier of American adventure.

“Alaska is a place where you can drive for hours at a time and there’s nobody around,” said Jason Murray, owner, founder and guide at Southwest Adventure Tours. “Alaska is still very much what it was 100 or 1,000 years ago; you can just disappear and not see people for hours and days at a time.”

That sense of exploration draws people to the Magnificent Alaska

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itinerary, which is capped at 10 passengers to ensure a small-group experience as travelers explore a vast array of wildlife and wilderness.

In Seward, the group visits Exit Glacier, where they can hike the Harding Icefield trail. Travelers can also take an optional helicopter flight-seeing tour of Godwin Glacier that lands at a dog camp. There, they visit the kennel, meet the mushers and take a dog sled ride on the glacier.

“They get that iconic Alaska frontier experience,” Murray said.

Those who don’t do the optional excursion will visit a kennel in Seward and go dog-sledding in a wheeled cart. Travelers can also go deep-sea fishing with “whales right next to you.” In Homer, a seaplane takes the group to Katmai National Park, where they’ll be 100 yards from bears fishing in the river for salmon and fighting each other for the best fishing spot. Also in Homer, travelers will take a sea taxi to Kachemak Bay State Park, where they’ll hike to a glacier-fed lake to kayak at the base of a glacier.

A scenic Alaska Railroad GoldStar Dome train ride takes the group back to Anchorage for the northern half of the itinerary. The group will stop in Talkeetna for a two-hour narrated river float before heading to Denali National Park. A bus tour takes the group to the park’s visitor center, and travelers can explore on their own from there.

The capstone of the trip is either a high-altitude flight around Denali, formerly Mount McKinley, or a glacier-landing experience on one of Denali’s glaciers.

TANZANIA-SERENGETI ADVENTURE SUN TOURS

Going “on safari” conjures images of trekking through rugged terrain, sweating under a beating sun and batting away unimaginable bugs. But five-star lodges, tented camps and Land Rovers provide plenty of comfort during Sun Tours’ Tanzania-Serengeti Adventure.

Travelers visit during migration season to experience as much wildlife as possible at several national parks.

“We’ll see thousands of zebras and tens of thousands of wildebeest and hundreds of giraffes and elephants and lions,” said owner Frank Fine.

The group travels in land cruisers that seat six passengers, and each vehicle features a pop-top roof for unobstructed — and safe — views. It’s common to have elephants or lions walk by within 10 feet of the vehicles, Fine said.

The itinerary includes game drives in Arusha National Park and Tarangire National Park, where

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wildlife gathers at the area’s only permanent river.

Serengeti National Park is home to the greatest concentration of large mammals in the world, including migratory herds of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles.

Tanzania’s highly trained, college-educated guides are extremely knowledgeable about the animals, the culture, the flora and the fauna, Fine said, and Sun Tours’ guides adjust each day’s route depending on where they know the animals are.

“One day, we got up at 4 in the morning to go see the hippos,” he said. “It was an extraordinary experience.”

The group visits Ngorongoro Crater, a

TAKING IN THE ALASKAN WILDERNESS

Courtesy Southwest Adventure Tours

A EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS MARKET

Courtesy Grand View Tour and Travel

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR’S GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK Courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism

CHRISTMAS TREATS AT A EUROPEAN MARKET

100-square-mile crater that’s home to elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes and rare black rhinos. Travelers will also see Olduvai Gorge, where the prehistoric skeleton known as Lucy was discovered.

But the trip is not wholly focused on nature; the group will also get to learn about and experience Tanzanian culture. Travelers will visit a market where residents shop for their daily needs, a local art collective and an authentic Maasai village, one that’s not staged for tourists.

“It’s a very personal experience,” Fine said. “They take us to their homes, and you really get to see how they live. It is the real thing.”

RHINE GETAWAY CHRISTMAS MARKETS GRAND VIEW TOUR AND TRAVEL

The European tradition of Christmas markets dates to the late Middle Ages in the German-speaking part of Europe and the eastern regions of France. Today, these holiday street markets are held in nearly every city, town and village across Europe; they range in size from a handful of humble stalls to massive, annual festivals.

Each has its own personality, but at every market, visitors will find holiday treats like cookies, cakes and other local specialties along with French chocolate chaud, Rüdesheim coffee or Glühwein, the German mulled wine. Hundreds of stalls showcase handmade items, from toys and trinkets to ornaments and ornate artwork, along with traditional folkcraft like nutcrackers, prune dolls and German smokers, wooden-figurine incense burners.

“It’s where the spirit and romance of Christmas comes alive,” said Denise Hay, owner of Grand View Tour and Travel. “And the best way to move from one market to the next is the rivers.”

Grand View will take travelers on a Viking Cruise to explore cities and their Christkindlmarkts along the Rhine River. The December 2021 itinerary includes the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland. The cruise begins in Amsterdam, sailing south on the Rhine to Basel, Switzerland.

The cruise stops in Cologne and Koblenz before arriving in Rüdesheim, which boasts one of the best Christmas markets on the trip, Hay said. The picturesque medieval town welcomes over 120 vendors who set up stalls throughout the famous Old Quarter and pedestrian-only Drosselgasse area. A local favorite is Rüdesheim coffee, made with locally distilled Asbach Uralt Brandy, whipped cream and sugar and served in a special coffee cup.

The market in Strasbourg, France, is another highlight, Day said. Located on the Grande Ile near Strasbourg Cathedral and Place Kléber, the market draws some 2 million visitors each year, and many vendors feature traditional Alsatian goods.

The trip offers plenty of Christmas cheer but also delivers classic European history with tours of churches and castles. Travelers can tour the Dom, Germany’s largest cathedral, as well as Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and the 700-year-old Marksburg Castle.

Courtesy Grand View Tour and Travel

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2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

A DATE WITH

HISTORY A MONUMENT ON NORMANDY’S UTAH BEACH

BY R AC H E L C A R T E R

By Fred Pot, courtesy Image Tours

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TA P M EM BER S OFFER I NSIGH TS ON WOR L DW I DE E V EN TS

istory often gets chalked up as dusty and dull: antiques behind velvet ropes and artifacts in glass cases. But historic tours give visitors the chance to stand in the very spot where the course of the country shifted or the fate of the world’s future was decided.

Visit a step pyramid in Egypt, the oldest construction of stone in the world. Stand on the beaches of Normandy where Allied troops stormed the shores on D-Day. Drink a beer in the same tavern George Washington frequently visited. Take in views of Lake Huron while rocking on the front porch of one of America’s great railway hotels.

Along with providing an authentic glimpse into history, these historic sites also deliver thrilling experiences.

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WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL TOUR IMAGE TOURS

Every day, memories of World War II disappear to history: its sites and scenes, its terrors and triumphs, its heroes and heroines. But it’s not the people who fought in Europe during World War II that sign up for Image Tours’ World War II Memorial Tour. They don’t want to return to the beaches of Normandy or the camps in Germany. They already lived it. Many want to forget it.

It’s the younger generations that wants to know what their parents or grandparents saw “because they didn’t talk about much of that — and there’s a reason they didn’t talk about it,” said Justin Osbon, sales director for Image Tours. “They [younger people] want to see it with their own eyes to get an idea of what they [older people] experienced.”

Image Tours leads groups through World War II history in Germany, France, Austria, Belgium and Holland, while also ensuring that travelers see iconic European landmarks and enjoy quintessential European experiences.

In Nuremberg, Germany, the group explores the Nazi party rally grounds where Hitler staged his propaganda rallies and the Palace of Justice, where the War Trials were held.

A deeply sobering visit to Dachau Concentration Camp begins at the entrance, where the guide translates the German phrase over the iron gate: “Work Sets You Free.”

2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

EGYPT’S ICONIC SPHINX

Courtesy Ed-Ventures

In Austria, travelers can take an optional excursion to the Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s hideaway perched high atop a mountain peak.

The group will explore the Belgian Ardennes Region where soldiers fought in the infamous “Battle of the Bulge” and can even see the foxholes used by Easy Company.

Image Tours spends an entire day exploring the Normandy landing beaches, which “everyone wants to do; that’s something that’s very high on the list,” Osbon said.

The itinerary also includes visits to the Lorraine American Cemetery in Saint-Avold, France, and the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial — all meticulously maintained in honor of “our boys and what they did during World War II.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF EGYPT ED-VENTURES

Egypt attracts travelers who want adventure, who value history and who seek to understand some of civilization’s oldest roots. Ed-Ventures’ Highlights of Egypt itinerary goes beyond the pyramids to immerse travelers in a world that is both modern and ancient, steeped in centuries of culture and millennia of recorded history.

“It has that majestic feel; it’s an exotic destination; and people gravitate toward that,” said Shannon Larsen, co-owner of Ed-Ventures.

People are always blown away by the size and precision of the pyr-

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amids of Giza; and with the iconic Sphinx in front of them, “they get that double whammy,” Larsen said, not to mention taking a camel ride to get different panoramas or enjoying views from the new visitors center.

At the necropolis of Saqqara, the group will see the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest construction of stone in the world. The group visits the Valley of the Kings, where they’ll enter burial chambers of kings and pharaohs and see nearly perfect hieroglyphics in Luxor temples. At the Temple of Hatshepsut, travelers learn about Egypt’s first female ruler.

But the trip is not all ancient ruins. The monumental Grand Egyptian Museum will be completed this year and is scheduled to open in 2021, offering access to 100,000 artifacts, including thousands of items from the tomb of Tutankhamun. An enormous statue of Ramses the Great towers in the atrium, and 87 statues of pharaohs and Egyptian gods line the grand staircase.

Travelers can also barter in the markets, explore a Nubian cultural village and visit Old Cairo’s ancient church crypts where the Holy Family stayed during their exile.

The itinerary includes three nights aboard a Nile River cruise, and guests can swim, snorkel or dive in the Red Sea, “one of the best places in the world to scuba dive,” Larsen said.

HOMES OF THE PRESIDENTS MID ATLANTIC RECEPTIVE SERVICES (MARS)

Mid Atlantic Receptive Services’ Homes of the Presidents itinerary “can be very rich because there’s so much content in the area,” said Kate Scopetti, MARS president. In addition to Washington, D.C., memorials and monuments, the itinerary features the homes of six presidents, and MARS can add additional programming like Woodrow Wilson’s boyhood home or Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s villa retreat.

The program begins at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. During a guided tour, groups will see the bedroom where Washington died in 1799 and the key to the Bastille that hangs in the hallway.

Travelers explore Virginia’s Old Town Alexandria, where they tour Christ Church and can have a beer at Gadsby’s Tavern, just like Washington used to.

Groups may tour the White House, though that can be canceled at a moment’s notice; but a trip to the White House Visitor Center “is the next best thing,” Scopetti said. Visitors can watch a film, explore exhibits and interact with a touch-screen table that lets them virtually explore any room in the White House.

The group will go inside the President Woodrow Wilson House and visit the National Portrait Gallery,

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CRUISING THE NILE

THOMAS JEFFERSON’S MONTICELLO Courtesy Ed-Ventures

Courtesy MARS

which houses U.S. presidents’ official portraits.

During a tour of President Abraham Lincoln’s cottage, visitors learn that he spent sumers there during his presidency. During the Civil War, Lincoln observed an active battle and he was shot once through his top hat.

James Madison and his wife, Dolley, lived at Montpelier in Virginia.

Groups take a docent-led tour of the home, but the site has also updated its programming to represent generations of enslaved people who lived on the estate.

At Monticello, Jefferson’s home and mountaintop estate, the visitors center features a museum and film that acclimates guests to Jefferson’s world. Shuttles then take the group to the house, which is riddled with Jefferson’s inventions that are still in use. Guests will see the slave quarters and farmland and stop at the 1784 Michie Tavern for a tour and “the best fried chicken in the world.”

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN SHENANDOAH TOURS EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY Courtesy Ed-Ventures

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It’s not difficult to feel like you’ve traveled back in time on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. No automobiles are allowed on the island, so there’s no traffic or congestion. People get around on foot, on bicycles and on horseback. Groups can arrange horse-drawn carriage rides to explore the island’s coastlines or bike into town to get some of Mackinac’s famous fudge.

Most of Mackinac Island in Lake Huron is a state park, but the 3.8-square-mile island is also home to the Grand Hotel, which has been

2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

welcoming guests for 133 years. Railroad and steamship companies opened the hotel in 1887 as a resort destination, and the tradition is alive and well today.

Shenandoah Tours’ Mackinac Island itinerary takes groups on a horse-drawn carriage tour of the island, past preserved Victorian houses perched high atop the bluffs to the Grand Hotel. The hotel’s tradition of luxury and leisure is alive and well thanks in large part to being owned by the same family since 1933.

After having lunch at the hotel, travelers can shop along the town’s quaint Main Street or visit Fort Mackinac, an 18th-century French, and later British, fort and trading post overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. There, visitors learn about soldiers’ daily lives during the era as costumed re-enactors march, shoot rifles and fire the cannon.

When the group ferries back to the mainland, they’ll travel south to Frankenmuth, a German village known as Michigan’s Little Bavaria, which boasts Bavarian-style architecture and Bavarianstyle shops lining the streets. Travelers can stroll over Holz-Brucke, a 239-foot-long replica of a 19th-century covered bridge, and visit Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store.

In Dearborn, the group will learn more about the history of the American automobile. A behind-the-scenes tour of the Ford Rouge Plant delves into American car manufacturing, and the Henry Ford Museum houses historically significant vehicles and artifacts, like the limousine in which President John F. Kennedy was shot and the chair in which Lincoln was assassinated.

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MACKINAC ISLAND’S GRAND HOTEL Photos courtesy Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

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TRAVEL ALLIANCE PARTNERS We are a full-service receptive tour operator for the Midwest, and a custom tour planning operator for all the US and Canada. Our specialty is customizing that one-of-a-kind, off the beaten path, outside the box itinerary that is exclusive to only one group. We try to AdVance beyond the ordinary to extraordinary group travel. Each itinerary we write is hand-crafted to best fit the specific needs of the travelers.

With offices in AK, AZ, MO, NY, PA and TX, All American Tours operates the perfect all-inclusive tour package for groups of 25 persons or more. We offer a collection of domestic tours throughout North America that are affordable and include 3, 4, and 5 star accommodations, attractions, sightseeing, meals, entertainment and a full-time local guide. In addition, receptive services are offered throughout the USA.

ADVANCETOURANDTRAVEL.COM

ALLAMERICANTOURS.US

Choose your adventure, on your terms. Anderson Vacations takes pride in surpassing the expectations of travelers with top-value escorted motorcoach tours, small group tours of distinction, custom groups, self-drive trips, and independent travel options to hundreds of destinations across Canada, New Zealand and Australia. In Canada, we travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic coasts and set the standard for flexible, immersive, experiential travel.

Canada’s premier tour operator of custom designed group programs, scheduled guaranteed departures, professional step-on-guides, destination management services, cruise shore excursions, motorcoach and specialty vehicle chartering and daily sightseeing tours. Core touring products include escorted vacations of the Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland & Labrador, while also operating tours throughout Canada, the USA and overseas.

ANDERSONVACATIONS.CA

ATLANTICTOURS.COM

With a full scope of tours, we offer touring at its finest. From preplanned, hosted, group motorcoach tours across the United States, to air, rail, and cruise tours, we help travelers fulfill their dreams, to discover and explore the world. A multitude of hosted, high-quality group tours are offered annually, ranging from one-day tours to multi-day adventures, designed with exciting and unique attractions, great dining opportunities and a friendly atmosphere.

TRAILWAYSTRAVEL.COM Custom Holidays serves all of southeastern Michigan with local, long-distance, and worldwide tours. Personalized service is coupled with the best available components of a tour to make it cost effective, entertaining, and educational.

As a small tour operator, clients enjoy very personalized service and we have a good number of repeat travelers.

CUSTOMHOLIDAYSONLINE.COM Durgan Travel is primarily a group travel promoter of tours to Europe and a full-service retail travel agency. Our primary market is social groups, senior citizens, and fraternal and religious travel. Italy is our number one destination, along with Israel, some domestic destinations and ocean and river cruises.

DURGANTRAVEL.COM 40

CTN Travels is a tour operator specializing in custom group tours to domestic and international destinations. Our primary market is bank travel clubs with a focus on senior and boomer travelers and we market to about 150 banks nationally. CTN Travels offers inbound receptive services to most all southern states.

CTNTRAVELS.COM

We are a family-owned Canadian company with over 60 years of experience developing interesting itineraries for our customer base and custom groups. Our unique long-stay programs in sunny destinations such as FL and SC set us apart from the competition. Our newest specialty is a range of guided hiking tours that combine traditional sightseeing with the chance to get out and explore the area on foot.

DENURETOURS.COM Ed-Ventures’ skilled and multi-lingual staff will embrace travelers’ journeys and dreams to create life-changing and memorable travel experiences. Whether it is to a neighboring city or across the ocean, we understand that every tour is different and strive to create the perfect, customized itinerary and experience for groups on nearly every continent. We are known for journeys of faith and special events to Europe and the Holy Lands.

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W W W.TA P I N T O T R AV E L .C O M

Fancy-Free Holidays, a member of the Legacy Travel Group, has been a TAP Partner since 2006. We offer unique and memorable tour and travel experiences to some of the most sought-after, as well as distinctive destinations. We combine stellar customer service with exceptional traveler-focused quality. With a focus on providing a memorable and unique travel experience, customers continue to travel with Fancy-Free Holidays year after year.

FANCYFREEHOLIDAYS.COM

Image Tours is a third-generation family owned and operated escorted Europe Tour Specialist and has been offering tours in Europe since 1939. We offer our signature 15-day HEART OF EUROPE Circle tour. This provides an excellent panoramic view of Europe for first time travelers to Europe, or anyone looking for a great vacation value. Other tours include World War II and Heart of British Isles, plus many more.

We are a fully accredited travel agency and an expert group tour operator with over three decades of success in the industry. What sets us apart is our unfailing commitment to create a oneof-a kind travel experience, designed specifically for our client’s preferences and budget. Each trip is meticulously planned for travelers to have a worry-free and memorable experience. We look forward to partnering with you in creating the trip of a lifetime.

GRANDVIEW.COM We have been fulfilling travel dreams since 1985, specializing in customized group travel for the mature adult market.

Joy offers unique, exciting and affordable itineraries for group travelers. Many tours present adventurous options and culinary experiences, with some free time built in for independent exploration. Additional options include independent leisure products, as well as cruises and custom trips for couples and families.

IMAGETOURS.COM

JOYTOURS.COM

We arrange travel packages for groups, offer receptive services and provide tour guides for Colorado and the Southwest.

Working with historical groups and museums has allowed us to provide tours with strong educational components. Experiential tours for birding and geology have been among the most popular. We enjoy the challenge of finding unusual opportunities and venues and custom-design tours for general sightseeing, high adventure, railroads, geology, eco-tours, agri-tours and just about any other special interests.

Sweet tea and sweet magnolias laced with all genres of music, history and adventure served up with southern hospitality is just a smattering of what the South is all about. We know the south like no other. Tennessee from the Mississippi to the Great Smoky Mountains, Memphis to New Orleans, Alabama and Atlanta through Savannah to Charleston. The possibilities for tours are endless, Come on y’all bring your groups big and small, let’s explore the South… Let’s Experience the South…Let’s Go Travelin’.

LEISUREWESTTOURS.COM

LETSGOTRAVELIN.COM

We have been packaging tours for older Americans for more than 35 years. We are always looking to incorporate interesting experiences into itineraries, in hopes of connecting customers to new cultures and cuisines, fascinating people and out of the way places. We are dedicated to the idea that tours should go beyond just sightseeing -- that it’s all about having an experience that you will never forget.

MARS, is the nation’s leading inbound operator to the Mid-Atlantic Region, providing group products and services to Tour and Motorcoach Operators visiting the East Coast including Washington DC, NYC, PA, VA, MD, DE, WV, NJ, NC, SC, GA, and FL. Our outbound company – Mid Atlantic Travel Tours, LLC – provides custom group travel and promotes TAP Guaranteed Departures, as well as other TAP travel throughout the world. Other companies include Go Student Tours, Go Performing and Go Sports Tours.

MAINSTREETEXPERIENCES.COM

TAKEAFUNTRIP.COM

Shebby Lee Tours is a receptive operator specializing in the historic and cultural heritage of the Great American West. Our signature program is a six-day hub-and-spoke Black Hills Destination tour in late September, featuring the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup. In addition, we offer a schedule of retail tours to the public at commissionable rates, and custom-design tours of the western United States for pre-formed groups.

We are a full-service tour operator and travel agency, serving the needs of travelers near and far. Our goal has always been to offer a memorable journey filled with unique treasures. We are embarking on our 49th year of providing tours to destinations filled with life- enriching experiences, combined with personalized service. From the historic East Coast to New England’s autumn colors to the wondrous beauty of the West, a unique journey awaits our travelers.

SHEBBYLEETOURS.COM

SHENANDOAHTOURS.COM

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TRAVEL ALLIANCE PARTNERS We are a full-service sports travel company run by sports fans that strive for all-star performance with every package or tour offered. Travelers can choose from Baseball Road Trips that cover all of the Major League Parks, Gridiron Getaways for pro and college football fans, major sporting events, or Hall of Fame travel packages. Sports Travel and Tours has custom trips and prepackaged tours or FIT’s for nearly every sport.

SPORTSTRAVELANDTOURS.COM

Sun Tours was founded with a vision of sightseeing tours with excellent quality and great value. Travelers from around the country join their local New Mexicans to see the world in worry-free comfort. Our tour directors take care of every detail of the trip. They are carefully chosen for their genuine warmth and caring and they create an atmosphere of congeniality and security, in which travelers can relax and enjoy themselves. “We’re with you all the way!”

SUNTOURSUS.COM

We are a multi-dimensional company with 80 years of experience in the travel industry, offering deluxe motorcoach transportation throughout the Midwest and other parts of the lower 48. We offer an assortment of multi-day escorted vacations throughout North America by coach, air, rail and cruise. We also provide escorted packages for a wide variety of private pre-formed groups throughout the Midwest, both domestically and internationally and receptive services out of Chicago and the Great Midwest.

TRISTATETRAVEL.COM

We are a full-service receptive Tour Operator that has the knowledge and capabilities to provide travelers with unique and personalized experiences. Multiple small group active vacations that are guaranteed departures easily provide travelers with opportunities to create memorable experiences that will last a lifetime. Tours cover a vast area with a variety of activities, from the National Parks and houseboating on Lake Powell, to Pacific Northwest travel, birdwatching and wildlife photography.

SOUTHWESTADVENTURETOURS.COM Talbot Tours specializes in tours and cruises for groups and individuals. We offer tours to the 11 western US states and Canada, along with international destinations to Europe, South America and Asia (most of which are guaranteed departures). Talbot Tours also wholesales several tours, including Costa Rica, Kenya Safaris and New Year’s Eve programs. Receptive services for meetings and conventions in Northern California are also offered.

TALBOTTOURS.COM

Twin Travel Concepts custom-designs group tour programs throughout North America. We are currently rolling out a Small Group Getaway program to smaller, less populated destinations in the East.

Unique and creative is what inspires us. Our Heartland office offers group trips out of the Cleveland area. It’s only through listening carefully to you that we can create exciting and unique tours.

TWINTRAVELCONCEPTS.COM

LISA DOERNER

866-373-0790 WWW.TAPINTOTRAVEL.COM MARKETING@TRAVELALLIANCEPARTNERS.COM

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2021 TAP TRAVEL GUIDE

WE’VE GOT THE CURE. Because being cooped up inside can cause a real case of cabin fever and the 2020 Blues, it’s time to start planning a trip where you can get a dose of the good kind of blues.

Begin at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center— where social distancing is easy—and understand the tough road B.B. King traveled before becoming one of the most beloved musicians of all time. Ranked by Trip Advisor in the Top Ten Percent of all listed properties, the museum features films and exhibits that weave the inspiring and heart-swelling story of young Riley B. King who followed an unlikely dream to becoming a world-revered blues icon.

This journey can be a true immersion into the culture of the Mississippi Delta, from its food to music and welcoming hospitality, so go ahead and crank up some B.B. tunes to get primed for this trip of enjoying fabulous meals from unique restaurants as well as shopping for locally produced gourmet food items. We can almost guarantee that the real blues is just the prescription you need.

400 Second Street • bbkingmuseum.org We are following adapted tourism practices to promote responsible Travel / Best Practices from the CDC on COVID-19 for the Tourism Industry.