The Group Travel Leader September 2024

IT’S A SHORE

THING

Immerse yourself in culture through a variety of diverse community events. Indulge in local cuisine, from upscale to casual, even dine lakeside. Hand-feed giraffes, take a ferry ride to a Lake Erie island, explore miles of natural beaches and trails, enjoy quaint downtowns and museums, and experience the beauty of the changing seasons in Shores & Islands Ohio

Make memories that’ll last a lifetime. Find your Lake Erie Love yearround at Groups.SHORESandISLANDS.com. Contact Joe Sugalski at joe@shoresandislands.com or 419-624-6926 to plan your adventure today!

Photo by Karine Aigner

Our ancestors got their first glimpses of Nebraska from the rock-hard seats of buckboards, buggies, and Conestoga wagons. They also probably perspired heavily or froze half to death. Thanks to the modern-day motorcoach, today’s travelers enjoy distinct advantages. Luxurious comfort, for example. And by bringing them to Nebraska, you enjoy advantages, too. With everything from frontier trails and unspoiled nature to small-town charm and the lights of the big city, Nebraska has adventures galore. Let us help you plan your next one. Go to VisitNebraska.com/Group Travel.

BY BRIAN JEWELL

Seasons always change. September is a fascinating month in Kentucky, where The Group Travel Leader is based. At the beginning, it often feels the same as August — hot and languid. Labor Day, for us, is a summer holiday. But despite the warmth, there’s a lingering sense that fall is coming. Even though the temperature may be the same, something about the air just feels different.

Over the years, I have noticed two common reactions to the coming change. Some people try to hold onto summer as long as possible, almost in denial. They insist on wearing shorts and sandals even when nights turn chilly. Others look forward to fall and speed its coming. You’ll find them wearing sweaters and sipping pumpkin-spice drinks while the temperature is still in the mid-80s.

I’ll admit I have found myself in both these camps at different times. But the older I get, the more I have come to accept that seasons change on their own terms. The change will happen, I know, but nothing I do can affect its pace. Trying to delay it or accelerate it only leaves me feeling foolish. The best I can do is stay nimble and dress for each day’s weather as it comes.

As I think about that, it makes me glad we publish our annual Buyer’s Guide for the Group Travel Industry in our September issue. With change literally in the air, September feels like the right time to tackle the changes and challenges happening in the tourism industry as well. That’s what we have done again this year, collecting expert insights on topics ranging from overtourism to the intersection of travel and mental wellness. You’ll find it all in this issue, starting on page 31.

EDITOR’S MARKS

Working on these articles, I can’t help but notice some areas of our industry that seem ripe for change. Affordability is one of them. For a couple years now, I’ve been saying the intense pace of price increases in tourism can’t be sustained for long. And while prices in many places remain stubbornly high, there are indications that the increases are leveling off. A few major travel companies have even hinted they may adjust prices to meet what they see as a softening demand.

Another change that seems imminent to me is the widespread adoption of tech tools for tour promotions and operations. A growing ecosystem of software, apps and websites is poised to become the standard toolkit for professionals who want to thrive and grow in group tourism. And I’m afraid that travel planners who fail to adopt them may soon find that the world — and their customers — have passed them by.

These and other changes will affect everyone differently. For some people in our industry, these trends represent massive opportunities. For others, they bring significant challenges.

Wherever you sit, though, know that what you’re experiencing now is a season that will someday change. Perhaps you can do to some things affect the timing of that change. But there are likely to be some factors you can’t control, as well as one or two nobody can even anticipate.

Maybe, then, the best any of us can do is look for signs that the seasons are changing — and learn how to change with them.

STACY BARRY

Insights from our best podcast episodes

SHARIN’ THE SOUTH TOURS

AN INSIDER’S SECRET TO SEAMLESS TOUR PLANNING

Knowing the right people can save you a lot of money — and a lot of headaches — when planning group tours to popular destinations. The insider’s secret to planning seamless tours is to let local experts do the planning for you.

Stacy Barry shares all the details in this episode of the Gather and Go podcast. As the second-generation owner of Sharin’ the South Tours, she and her family have been helping groups discover the best of Nashville, Memphis and the Smokies for decades. Today, she’s pulling back the curtain on the world of receptive operators and sharing the secrets she uses to plan exceptional group trips.

Stacy talks about how her local network gives her special access to exclusive experiences, how her services can help tour planners save money and why familiarization trips are a key part of her strategy for launching an outbound tour division.

KYLE ANDERSON kyle@grouptravelleader.com

1 2 3 GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM/PODCAST 859.253.0455

On a receptive operator’s built-in advantages:

“A lot of partners give me receptive rates. I’m getting receptive rates most places, and you are not. I have that with hotels and vendors. I have contracted, negotiated rates that never change, even if it’s busy season. I’m still going to get that same rate. And they’re rates that would never be for an outbound tour operator. So even if I’m planning it all for you and putting the work in, and even if I add a markup for my time, it’s still not what you would think, because my rates for things are lower than yours. It may be the same cost, but you’re not going to have to put any of the work in.”

On the economics of receptive operators:

“A lot of vendors here, the group discount is 10%. Well, they give me 20%. And depending on where they’re staying, I can get hotels sometimes $100 per night cheaper per room. That then pays for my service in itself.”

On taking advantage of FAM tours:

“I’m very careful about choosing FAMs that I will actually send groups to. I don’t want to waste anyone else’s time, resources or money, but also my time. But it’s been really advantageous going on FAMs with The Group Travel Leader. After you go yourself, and you run through the itinerary, it makes everything so much easier and so much clearer.”

To sponsor an episode of Gather and Go contact: To listen to the full episode, go to: TELISA RECH telisa@grouptravelleader.com

Join Us for a Trip to Louisiana’s Capital City Region

The Group Travel Leader is taking a trip to Louisiana’s Capital City region, and we want you to come along!

Our friends at Louisiana Office of Tourism are arranging a familiarization tour of Baton Rouge and surrounding communities, and they’re inviting our travel planner readers to attend. The tour will take place March 20–24 and will include Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Tangipahoa Parish and other communities in the Capital City region.

You’ll join Brian Jewell, our VP and executive editor, and Telisa Rech, our advertising sales manager, as they explore the area with our Louisiana hosts.

The five-day tour will include:

• Louisiana Arts and Science Museum — Enjoy “dinner under the stars” in the state-of-the-art planetarium at this popular Baton Rouge attraction.

• Louisiana State Capitols — Explore architecture and colorful characters in the historic and contemporary capitol buildings in Baton Rouge.

• Global Wildlife Center — Get up-close and personal with hundreds of animals at this massive outdoor wildlife refuge.

• The Myrtles — Tour the St. Francisville historic site known as one of the most haunted homes in the United States.

• Authentic Cajun and Creole Cuisine — As the Year of Music in 2024 comes to a close, kick off the Year of Food in 2025 with a bounty of Louisiana’s signature flavors.

Louisiana Office of Tourism will host your hotel accommodations, meals, admissions and other expenses. Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the region.

You can apply to attend this FAM tour at grouptravelleader.com/la-fam. Space is limited, and applications close January 15.

Don’t miss this opportunity to join us March 20–24 in Louisiana’s Capital City region!

Travel planners will experience Louisiana’s Old State Capitol and enjoy authentic cajun and creole cuisine on the upcoming familiarization tour of Louisiana’s Capital City Region.

MARCH 20-24, 2025

REGISTRATION CLOSES: JANUARY 15, 2025

You can apply to attend this FAM tour at: GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM/LA-FAM

If you have any questions, call Telisa at 859-253-0455.

PHOTOS COURTESY VISIT BATON ROUGE

Telisa Rech

Brian Jewell

IN MY LOUISIANA,

IMPROVISING IS ENCOURAGED.

“Visiting the squares and learning the history was nice, and the cathedral was just magical. This is my first visit to Savannah, and the wheels in my brain are spinning!”

S AV ANNAH FA M

— KEISHA SMITH TRAVEL WITH SPARKLE

Savannah FAM highlights, clockwise from left: A walking tour in the historic district; sightseeing with Old Savannah Tours; en route to Tybee Island; a lighthouse snapshot during a dolphin cruise

ONSITE IN SAVANNAH

THIS SOUTHERN GEM GIVES TRAVEL PLANNERS A WARM WELCOME

HOSPITALITY IS THE NATIVE LANGUAGE IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

That’s what 13 tour operators and travel planner readers of The Group Travel Leader discovered during a four-day familiarization trip through the city and its sister destination, Tybee Island, in late July. Hosted by Visit Savannah, the tour showcased the incredible history, charming squares, beautiful coastline and delicious cuisine of “the Hostess City of the South.”

During the trip, participants toured the historic area on foot and aboard trolleys and explored some of the attractions that welcome millions of visitors to Savannah each year. They also took in the natural scenery of Tybee Island, enjoyed music and sunset views cruising the Savannah River and sampled local fare from a wide range of restaurants.

Follow along on this itinerary to begin planning your group’s trip to Savannah and Tybee Island.

ALL PHOTOS BY BRIAN JEWELL

DayTravel planners from around the United States drove and flew to Savannah and made their way to seven hotels in the city’s historic district that would be their homes for the next three nights.

Once everyone had arrived, the group kicked off the tour experience with dinner at Java Burrito Company, a unique restaurant equally known for its coffee and its fresh Mexican cuisine. The group enjoyed a taco bar and margaritas while meeting representatives from Visit Savannah.

After dinner, the group took a sunset walking tour of the historic district that highlighted people and places immortalized in the famous book and subsequent film “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” The tour served as a wonderful overview of Savannah’s unique history, as well as the bestseller and blockbuster that helped make the city one of the South’s most popular tourism destinations.

Outside a historic district mansion

Touring one of Savannah’s garden squares

The group posing outside Java Burrito

2 Day

• HISTORIC CITY TROLLEY TOUR

• CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

• BEACH INSTITUTE

• LUNCH AT THE PIRATES HOUSE

• GREEN-MELDRIM HOUSE

• AMERICAN PROHIBITION MUSEUM

• GOSPEL DINNER CRUISE

Travel planners began their first full day in Savannah with breakfast at their hotels, followed by a trolley tour that showcased points of interest throughout the city’s historic district. Next, they stopped at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist to admire the church’s art and architecture, then had a wonderful introduction to Savannah’s Black history at the Beach Institute. Lunch was at the Pirates House, an establishment founded in 1753 that has a storied history and a variety of Southern culinary favorites. After lunch, the group toured the historic Green-Meldrim House and visited the engaging American Prohibition Museum. After some free time in the afternoon, they enjoyed an evening of music, food and scenery during a gospel dinner cruise aboard the Georgia Queen.

TROLLEY TOUR

Savannah was founded in 1733 and designed by General James Oglethorpe, who laid the city out around a system of 24 public squares. Today, 22 of those are still in existence in the 2.2-squaremile historic district, and the most popular way to explore them is by trolley. The group explored the squares and many other scenic and important sites during a trolley tour of the city, which also highlighted the historic waterfront, the home of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low and sites featured in the movie “Forrest Gump.”

CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

Among the most photographed spots in Savannah are the twin steeples of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Constructed in the 1870s, the cathedral is both a church with an active congregation and an architectural gem. The FAM group enjoyed a docent-led tour of the cathedral showcasing its history, architecture, stained-glass windows and gorgeous biblical murals.

“We had incredible guides who made history come to life. I’m excited to bring my group here in 2025.”

—CAROL PRESLEY CAROL’S VIP ADVENTURES

The Cathedral exterior

A trolley tour downtown

On board a Savannah Trolley

A docent tour at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Below: A stained glass window at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

“My favorite was the Green-Meldrim House. Learning about the end of the Civil War would be excellent for my groups.”

— GLENN FOUNTAIN AMERICAN HISTORY TOURS

BEACH INSTITUTE

In 1865, a group of Savannah’s African American citizens built the Beach Institute as the first school for the education of free Blacks in the area. Today, the historic building is home to the Beach Institute African American Cultural Center, which preserves Savannah’s Black history, culture and art. Travel planners toured the center’s extensive collection of folk art and carvings by Ulysses Davis, a Georgia native and prolific self-taught sculptor.

GREEN-MELDRIM HOUSE

At the end of his famous March to the Sea in 1864, Union General Tecumseh Sherman and his troops came to Savannah, and finding it so beautiful, decided not to burn it. Sherman stayed in the home of a local family, turning it into his de facto headquarters. That home is now preserved as the Green-Meldrim House, which the FAM group toured to admire the interior dome and ornate plastic work, as well as to learn more about Sherman’s time in the city.

AMERICAN PROHIBITION MUSEUM

The only museum in the United States dedicated to telling the story of the Prohibition movement, the American Prohibition Museum opened in 2017. It employs immersive exhibits, lifelike wax figures, multimedia displays and historic artifacts to help visitors understand the fascinating Prohibition period and its aftermath from multiple points of view. The travel planners enjoyed a guided tour through the museum, followed by a visit to the on-site speakeasy, where they sampled a traditional Chatham Artillery Punch.

GOSPEL DINNER CRUISE

Savannah Riverboat Cruises operates a variety of dining and sightseeing cruises on the Savannah River. The FAM group took a gospel dinner cruise aboard the Georgia Queen, which can accommodate more than 1,000 guests on four decks. The cruise featured a full bar and delicious Southern food favorites — including fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and banana pudding — prepared in the on-board galley. The meal was accompanied by live gospel music performed by a local church choir.

An architectural detail at the Green-Meldrim House

St. John the Baptist Cathedral

Outside the GreenMeldrim House

Chatham Artillery Punch at the American Prohibition Museum

Artwork at the Beach Institute

An American Prohibition Museum diorama

Touring the American Prohibtion Museum

Day

• TOUR TYBEE ISLAND

• DOLPHIN TOUR

• LUNCH AT NORTH BEACH BAR AND GRILL

• TYBEE ISLAND MARINE SCIENCE CENTER

• FORT PULASKI NATIONAL MONUMENT

• SIEGE OF SAVANNAH EXPERIENCE

• DINNER AT 45 BISTRO

The next day featured a visit to Tybee Island, a barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean about a half-hour’s drive away from downtown Savannah. Upon arrival, the group got an excellent introduction to the island’s nature and history with Tybee Tour Company, then hopped on a dolphin cruise with Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure Tours. They took a break for a delicious lunch at North Beach Bar and Grill — a Tybee institution — before walking next door to meet sea turtles and other creatures at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. On the way back to the city, the group brushed up on military history with stops at Fort Pulaski National Monument and a Siege of Savannah experience at Battlefield Memorial Park. After some time to refresh, the travel planners joined Visit Savannah staff for an elegant farewell dinner at 45 Bistro.

TOUR TYBEE ISLAND

Jacilyn Ledford, a former history professor, first visited Tybee Island on a research trip and soon fell in love with it. Today, she operates Tour Tybee Islands, introducing visitors to the history and ecology of the island. Ledford joined the tour group to show them around, telling stories about famous residents, pointing out interesting flora and fauna, and taking them to see the Tybee Island Lighthouse, which was built in the 1880s and stands 145 feet above the waterfront.

DOLPHIN TOUR

The Atlantic waters off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina between Tybee, Daufuskie and Hilton Head islands are a great place to see dolphins. The group got a chance to spot plenty on a cruise with Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure

“The gospel music cruise was a highlight — the entertainment and food were outstanding!”

—

TONYA MATTHEWS STARSTUFF TRAVEL

The group posing outside North Beach Bar and Grill

A gospel concert onboard the cruise vessel

New friends in Savannah

A welcome from Savannah Riverboat Cruises

Left: A Tybee Island beach house

A live oak on Tybee Island

“I loved the Beach Institute, Marine Science Center, Prohibition Museum and Tybee tour most, but all of it was fantastic!”

— JENNIFER HOLMES

JOYOUS JOURNEYS

Tours, which departs from a Tybee Island dock. During the cruise, guides shared facts about the area’s coastal bottlenose dolphins, which can grow up to nine feet long and weigh as much as 400 pounds. Participants got to see the dolphins jumping, playing and engaging in other frisky activities.

TYBEE ISLAND MARINE SCIENCE CENTER

Each year, some 2,000 sea turtles bury nests along the Georgia coast, many of them on Tybee Island. At the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, educators introduce visitors to loggerhead and terrapin sea turtles and teach them about their perilous journey from nest to ocean. The tour participants enjoyed the opportunity to interact with several sea turtles and other marine creatures at the center. There are also exhibits on right whales and marine fossils.

FORT PULASKI NATIONAL MONUMENT

Built in 1929 by the James Madison administration as a waterway defense, Fort Pulaski later saw Civil War action in 1862, when a cannon battle broke out between Confederates at the fort and Union forces on Tybee Island. Today, the fort is a national monument. A ranger led the tour group around the site — now a national monument — to point out its French-inspired architecture, tell them about the enslaved people who built its walls and show them its authentic Civil War cannons.

SIEGE OF SAVANNAH EXPERIENCE

During the Revolutionary War, soldiers from what are now eight different countries faced off in 1779 at the Battle of Savannah. The fighting, which has come to be known as the bloodiest hour of the war, ended the weekslong siege of Savannah. Tour participants learned about the battle during the Siege of Savannah Experience, an interactive program featuring costumed interpreters and musket firing at the Savannah History Museum and Battlefield Memorial Park.

Cruising with Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventures

The view from Fort Pulaski

A sea turtle at Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Looking out for dolphins

Handprints of enslaved children at Fort Pulaski

On the final day of the tour, participants had some free time in the morning, which they took advantage of to enjoy breakfast in their host hotels, walk through the garden squares of the historic district or stroll the city’s vibrant riverfront.

Then the group paid a visit to Salacia Salts, a local small business founded by a woman who graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design. During the visit, they learned about how she uses salts harvested around the world to create skincare and beauty products. Then, they sat down in the company’s workshop for an interactive experience, during which they worked with employees to create scrubs from their own custom blends of fragrances, salts, sugars and other natural ingredients.

From there, the participants departed with suitcases full of souvenirs, cameras full of photos and their minds full of ideas for their return trips to Savannah.

“I loved the walkability of the city and river district. The food was on point, and I cannot wait to bring people here in 2025!”

— KEVIN CABE MISSION CITY TRAVEL

A plantain appetizer at Tybee Island’s North Beach Bar and Grill Enjoying a day on the water

An interpreter at the Siege of Savannah Experience

Salacia beauty products

Hearts HANDS AND

Travelers can watch makers create heritage crafts at the Kentucky

Artisan Center in Berea.

COURTESY HEARD MUSEUM

Native American pottery at Phoenix’s Heard Museum

A workshop at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center

COURTESY KENTUCKY ARTISAN CENTER

A Heard Museum weaving demonstration

CHERITAGE CRAFTS DEFINE THEIR DESTINATIONS

BY DIANA BOCCO

raftsmanship is deeply woven into the fabric of American history. Traditional crafts not only reflect the skills and artistry passed down through generations but also tell the stories of the communities that created them. From utilitarian objects to decorative pieces, each handcrafted item preserves the techniques and traditions of the past.

Across the United States, heritage craft centers offer immersive experiences where groups can witness artisans at work, learn about their crafts and even participate in hands-on workshops. Whether it’s watching a master potter at work in Kentucky, weaving a sweetgrass basket in South Carolina or learning blacksmithing techniques in Virginia, groups can use these experiences to enrich their understanding of the diverse craft traditions that have shaped American culture.

Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea BEREA, KENTUCKY

Berea is known as the folk arts and crafts capital of Kentucky, and Berea’s Artisan Center offers groups a unique opportunity to discover a wide variety of works from local artists, including pottery, woodwork, textiles and more.

The tradition of crafting in Kentucky dates back to the early settlers who brought with them skills in weaving, woodworking and metalworking. These crafts have been preserved and passed down through generations, making Berea a hub for both traditional and contemporary artisans.

At the Kentucky Artisan Center, groups can observe artists in action, attend demonstrations and join workshops where visitors can try their hand at various crafts.

“We host artisan demonstrations nearly every weekend ranging from painting to thrown pottery,

ARTS & CULTURE

jewelry making, basket weaving, traditional folk dulcimer, and more,” said Aly Norton, PR and information specialist for the Kentucky Artisan Center.

Not only do these events give insight into the creative processes, but Norton says artists are always eager to talk one-on-one with guests and share the love of their craft.

“The Artisan Center is also an annual partner of the Berea Festival of Learnshops, which is a series of more structured group courses where students create their own works alongside a teacher,” Norton said. “Classes cover all mediums, too. So if glassblowing isn’t really your thing, then woodcarving or weaving with recycled materials might be.”

KENTUCKYARTISANCENTER.KY.GOV

The Heard Museum PHOENIX

The Heard Museum in Pheonix is dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art through extensive exhibits and educational programs that highlight the diverse cultures and artistic traditions of Native American tribes, particularly those from the Southwest.

Traditional crafts such as pottery, weaving, basketry and jewelry-making are heavily represented here but so are contemporary art forms and multimedia installations. For those visiting in March, the annual Indian Fair and Market (the largest art market in Arizona) brings together over 600 Native artists, including basket weavers, carvers, and artists specializing in beading and sandpainting. Throughout the year, the museum also offers interactive experiences, such as live demonstrations by Native American artisans who share their skills and cultural stories, as well as hands-on workshops where visitors can learn traditional techniques from master artisans.

HEARD.ORG

Sweetgrass baskets at Charleston City Market

A group experience at Waterford Craft School

Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center

ROBBINSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains, the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center is dedicated to preserving and promoting the region’s cultural heritage. The center hosts a variety of arts and crafts events showcasing local artisans and their traditional art.

The crafts at Stecoah Valley reflect the Appalachian Mountain heritage, with a focus on basket making, printmaking and woodcarving. These traditions have deep roots in the southern Appalachian culture, passed down through families and local craft guilds.

“History buffs will appreciate the carved masks representing the seven clans of the Cherokee, the Cherokee arts display and the Courtyard of the Cherokee with the Eternal Flame structure,” said Karen McCracken, program director at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center. “The art enthusiasts can spend their time in the Artisan Gallery, appreciating pieces created by over 100 area artisans.”

Groups visiting the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center can also attend live demonstrations and seasonal craft fairs to watch artisans at work and purchase their creations.

“Hands-on creators can sign up for a scheduled class, learning traditional Appalachian crafts from a master crafter,” said McCracken.

Stecoah Valley Center also offers customized classes for groups.

“For example, a Miata club painted miniature cars together,” McCracken said. “Other tailored art experiences include loom weaving, printmaking and beaded-necklace making.”

STECOAHVALLEYCENTER.COM

Ozark Folk Center State Park

MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARKANSAS

The Ozark region is known for its rich traditions in music, dance and crafts, a reflection of the self-sufficient lifestyle of the early settlers in the Ozarks.

Dedicated to preserving the traditional crafts and culture of the Ozark region, the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas, offers a unique, immersive experience where visitors can explore craft villages and watch artisans demonstrate age-old skills,

Crafting copper at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center COURTESY

including blacksmithing, pottery, weaving and broom making.

Groups can stroll through the craft village and observe artisans at work in their shops.

“You’ll find 20 working artisans in the Craft Village,” said John Morrow, Ozark Folk Center superintendent. “They make, demonstrate, and sell their crafts every Tuesday to Saturday from mid-April through the end of October.”

Visitors can sign up for classes in quilting, papercraft, corn shuck art, broom making, blacksmithing, soap making, salves and tinctures, copper flame painting, knifemaking, pottery, weaving, spinning and much more.

“Most of our artisans teach, and classes range from half an hour to multiple days,” Morrow said. “If group leaders work with our group sales staff, they can set up craft classes that are right for your group.”

OZARKFOLKCENTER.COM

Waterford Craft School WATERFORD, VIRGINIA

The Waterford Craft School is located in the historic village of Waterford, Virginia. Founded by Quakers in the 18th century, the village’s craft traditions reflect its rich heritage.

“The village comes to life on Craft School weekends when master artisans are here passing on their

skills and knowledge,” said public programming director Tracy Kirkman.

The village has a longstanding tradition of blacksmithing, weaving and woodworking.

“The Waterford Craft School emerged from a recognized need to preserve the skills of traditional artisans and heritage craftspeople,” said Kirkman. “Through this program, along with the annual Waterford Fair, we foster the sharing of skills, passion and stories, keeping these invaluable traditions alive for future generations.”

The annual Waterford Fair takes place over two days every October and features a fine art exhibit, traditional Americana music on stage, and performers and historical interpreters throughout the village.

The Craft School season runs over five weekends from February to June, with the calendar for the following year published in October.

“We will be hosting over 30 workshops in basketry, glass, fiber and textiles, jewelry and wood carving during the 2025 season,” said Kirkman. “I was fortunate to take one of our most popular workshops shortly after we reopened following the pandemic. My floor cloth, made and painted in the traditional ways, was so fun, and I got to customize the colors.”

WATERFORDFOUNDATION.ORG

An array of group experiences await in Columbus, including renowned galleries and the newly reimagined Columbus Museum. Plus, honor the legacy of the brave soldiers who served our country at the National Infantry Museum, a USA Today Reader’s Choice six-time award winner for Best Free Museum. Start building an authentic, oneof-a-kind tour for your next group.

Left and center: Up close with Waterford artisans

sweetgrass weaver Cory Alston

Charleston City Market

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Brimming with history and Southern charm, the Charleston City Market is one of the oldest public markets in the United States. It’s a vibrant marketplace where local artisans sell their handcrafted goods, from jewelry and artwork to traditional sweetgrass baskets.

Sweetgrass basket weaving is a tradition brought to the Lowcountry by enslaved Africans. This intricate art form has been preserved through generations and is now a symbol of Gullah culture in South Carolina.

For a deeper understanding of the cultural significance and craftsmanship involved, groups visiting the Charleston City Market can watch sweetgrass basket weavers skillfully create their beautiful baskets and learn about the history and techniques of their work. Some artisans also offer workshops for a hands-on opportunity to engage with this historic craft, allowing groups to create their own small baskets while developing a deeper connection to the craft and its cultural significance. THECHARLESTONCITYMARKET.COM

Discover. Explore. Enjoy.

Groups can see where dozens of

DESTINATION

SIGNATURE SOUNDS

ALABAMA ROCKS FROM THE SHOALS TO THE GULF

BY TOM ADKINSON

Abig part of Alabama’s music and pop culture fame comes from a romantic jazz standard, “Stars Fell on Alabama,” that has decidedly non-Alabama roots. The composer was born in Massachusetts, and the lyricist was born in Lithuania and grew up in New York City, but their song, which commemorates a spectacular meteor shower in 1833, can set the theme for tour stops across the state.

Just as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Doris Day, Jimmy Buffett and a hundred others have sung, you may feel the warmth of lyrics such as

My heart beat like a hammer

My arms wound around you tight

And stars fell on Alabama Last night.

From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the north all the way to the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, many places await to entertain a group with music and some cultural enrichment, too. Seeing a meteor shower would be a bonus.

THE MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND

Stars of the entertainment sort certainly have gravitated to the Shoals, the collective name for four cities in northwest Alabama (Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals) because of two internationally renowned recording studios — FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, often simply called 3614 Jackson Highway. From the outside, neither is impressive, but what’s inside will blow you away. Both offer tours.

hit records were made at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.

At FAME, you are wrapped in soulful memories of Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and others who created songs that have sold millions of copies. The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as the Swampers) were the connective tissue at 3614 Jackson Highway when Cher, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Leon Russell, Linda Ronstadt and dozens of others recorded songs that swirl through your memory.

The nearby Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia honors luminaries who have direct ties to Alabama. Among them are Nat “King” Cole, Hank Williams, W.C. Handy (“Father of the Blues”), the Louvin Brothers, Tammy Wynette, Jimmie Rodgers (the father of country music), Lionel Richie, Percy Sledge, Emmylou Harris and, of course, the group named Alabama.

A popular live music destination for groups in the Shoals is the Rattlesnake Saloon just west of Tuscumbia. The burgers and beer are good, and the music reverberates through the countryside because the saloon is tucked underneath a gigantic rock overhang. Yes, you get entertained in a cave. The biggest hotel in the area is the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, which offers live entertainment in the appropriately named Swampers Bar and Grill.

Before leaving the Shoals, absorb some cultural history at the W. C. Handy Birthplace, Museum and Library in Florence. Handy was born here in 1873. His affinity for music, his significant travels and his appreciation of Black entertainment styles led to his growth as a musician and composer. Among his compositions are the “The St. Louis Blues,” “The Beale Street Blues” and “The Memphis Blues.”

BEATS AND BLOOMS IN HUNTSVILLE

Huntsville, only about 75 miles east of the Shoals, is the area’s major city. It comes complete with many lodging choices, plenty of dining opportunities, and notable entertainment and cultural destinations, including two

venues that opened in recent years. They are the Orion amphitheater and the Mars Music Hall.

The 8,000-seat Orion amphitheater books a variety of acts (on the 2024 calendar: Kings of Leon, Sturgill Simpson, Billy Strings and John Legend) and special events (examples include summertime Sip and Stroll evenings with food and music, a farm-to-fork picnic and a Christmas market). The Mars Music Hall can accommodate 1,575 music lovers with an open floor plan and a balcony overlooking an oversized stage, all inside the Von Braun Center. Groups can arrange a whole evening by combining a concert with time at Rhythm on Monroe, a restaurant and rooftop bar with views of downtown Huntsville.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden offers a quiet contrast to the intensity of a concert at the Orion or in the Mars Music Hall. The garden is an urban oasis that began with 35 acres of city-owned land in the 1980s. It now offers 188 acres of meadows, wetlands and forests laced with relaxing walkways and decorated with outdoor sculptures. Inside its education center is what it describes as the world’s largest open-air butterfly house.

When you roll south to Birmingham, the Birmingham Museum of Art offers another stop for reflection and appreciation. It is in the middle of the city, and it houses a diverse collection of more than 29,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and decorative arts pieces. Its holdings highlight Asian, European, American, African, Pre-Columbian and Native American art. An outdoor sculpture garden complements the galleries inside its three-story building.

A concert at Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater

BY JOSH WEICHMAN, COURTESY ORION AMPHITHEATER

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

BY TOM ADKINSON

Dusk at Huntsville Botanical Garden

Whether it’s learning about the natural world in Decatur and Gulf Shores, the past and future of space exploration in Huntsville, visiting sights where Rock ‘n Roll hits were made, or the history of the Civil Rights Movement, we can supply you with itineraries for several group tours. Trouble is...deciding which tour to take first. We’ll keep adding to the list, you just keep coming for new adventures.

Visit www.alabama.travel

To learn how your group can experience Alabama, contact Shawna Faniel at shawna.faniel@tourism.alabama.gov or 334-353-1907

Huntsville, Alabama offers group tours lots of exciting options. From art to history, and even outer space, the Rocket City is a fun and unique place for your group tour participants!

ON STAGE IN MONTGOMERY

Shakespeare comes up twice when you head into central and south Alabama — William Shakespeare of literary fame and Hank Williams, nicknamed “the Hillbilly Shakespeare,” of country music fame. Both have a presence in Montgomery.

The Bard of Avon is the namesake of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) that stages products of his quill as well as contemporary plays, musicals and new works. The festival’s Carolyn Blount Theatre houses two venues (the 750-seat Festival Stage and the 225-seat Octagon) set in an English-style landscape covering 250 acres. According to Playbill, Wynton Blount’s donation of $21.5 million for the facility was the largest single donation in the history of American theater.

It became the State Theatre of Alabama in 1977 after a humble beginning in a high school auditorium in Anniston in 1972. The 2025 calendar includes “Hamlet,” “Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Of course, there’s a statue of William Shakespeare at the ASF, but there’s also a statue of the Hillbilly Shakespeare in downtown Montgomery. The life-sized bronze of the man who wrote “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “I Saw the Light,” “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart” is on Tallapoosa Street not far from a private museum with all manner of memorabilia of the man, his music and his very short career.

A MOBILE MARDI GRAS

Take a hint from Hank Williams’s “Ramblin’ Man” and move on to Mobile to learn about another entertainment event with Alabama roots — Mardi Gras. Yes, Mobile has a solid claim to being the birthplace of Mardi Gras in Colonial America. That was in 1703, and the Mobile Carnival Museum tells that story well through dazzling costumes, jewelry, floats and photos.

While Mardi Gras in New Orleans is bigger, Mobile’s is no slouch. It has 40 parades spread through three weeks leading up to Lent. Visit Mobile describes the prolonged party as a family friendly celebra-

Birmingham Museum of Art

A Hank Williams statue in Montgomery

tion, where the favorite throw (that’s what souvenirs thrown from parade floats are called) is a Moon Pie.

The Mardi Gras flavor is available all year. The focus is on Mardi Gras Park, a large greenspace across from Fort Conde, a partial reconstruction of a French colonial fort. Permanent park fixtures include Mardi Gras-related statues such as a queen, a trumpet player and Joe Cain, the creator of Mobile’s modern Mardi Gras. He got the party started with an impromptu parade in 1866 while dressed as a fictitious Native American chief whom he named Chief Slackabamarinico (just call him Chief Slac).

GULF COAST HANGOUTS

No musical exploration of Alabama is complete without getting sand in your flip-flops along the state’s 32 miles of white-sand Gulf of Mexico beaches. The place with the biggest musical heritage is the Flora-Bama, which — you guessed it — is on the Florida-Alabama state line. It’s basically a place with whatever you are looking for, whether it’s a restaurant, a beach bar, an oyster bar, a concert venue, a special event location or a church. Yes, there are church services every Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m., music included.

“There’s no shortage of live music on the beach,” said Kay Maghan, public relations director of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, giving a special shoutout to the annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival.

“The Frank Brown Festival, named for a muchloved night watchman at the Flora-Bama, spread from the Flora-Bama to restaurants and bars all along the coast and features more than 200 songwriters for 10 days every November,” Maghan said.

Two more beach destinations to examine are the Hangout, which Maghan says books plenty of live music itself and is within walking distance of other restaurants with more entertainment, and Lulu’s, a sprawling, multi-level restaurant/bar/arcade created by Jimmy Buffett’s “crazy sister” Lucy.

ASSOCIATION LEADERS LIKE

HOW YOUNGER GENERATIONS TRAVEL TOGETHER

CARYLANN ASSANTE, CEO, STUDENT AND YOUTH TRAVEL ASSOCIATION (SYTA)

TERRY DALE, PRESIDENT AND CEO, UNITED STATES TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION (USTOA)

CATHERINE PRATHER, PRESIDENT, NTA

FRED FERGUSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION (ABA)

As the unpredictability of the early post-pandemic period fades into the rear view, tourism organizations worldwide have settled into a new equilibrium between high demand and high prices. In 2024, however, political tensions and overtourism issues have created ongoing uncertainty for the travel industry. The Group Travel Leader spoke with the heads of four tourism associations to get their perspectives on the industry’s prospects and challenges for 2025 and beyond.

There’s a growing sense among many people in our industry that the public at large — and especially younger generations — are rediscovering the appeal of group travel. Have you seen indications of that? How is this trend impacting your members?

PRATHER: The short answer is yes. More and more tour operators are adapting their products to appeal not only to younger travelers, but also to appeal to the changing preference of their typical older travelers, who are just at the top of Generation X. Their new product is active, authentic, connecting with the local communities, culturally rich and supporting small businesses. Many tour operators tell me they are working with clients who are younger — in their mid 40s rather than their mid 50s.

FERGUSON: I think the answer is yes. What’s old is new. I have seen reports that classic rock among Gen Z is one of the most-listened-to stations on Spotify. I think group travel, traveling via motorcoach, seems to be really hot right now. It’s a more authentic way to travel, because you’re not spending so much time lugging your bags in these mega-airports. You’re going from Point A to Point B to Point C to Point D way quicker and having more experiences. And at each of those stops, you’re getting more photo captures and more footage for TikTok videos.

“The younger generations are recognizing that shared experiences bring another layer to travel that they enjoy, and they find it more impactful and meaningful.”

DALE: Yes, we are seeing it. The younger generations are recognizing that shared experiences bring another layer to travel that they enjoy, and they find it more impactful and meaningful. My dentist in Manhattan is in his mid-30s. When I asked him where he’s off to next, he said he and his wife had booked a trip with a USTOA member. He said, ‘At the end of the day, we felt that we wanted to do this tour and do it with other people.’ They had an absolutely amazing experience. That speaks volumes to me. Anecdotally, our members recognize it’s there. And this notion of shared experience is going to be a growing market for us.

TRAVEL LEADERS ARE GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO PROMOTE TOURISM TO DEVELOPING DESTINATIONS SUCH AS UGANDA WITHOUT OVERWHELMING LOCAL CULTURES.

TERRY DALE

“Affordability

is definitely an issue in the student group travel segment. We have seen more than a 30% increase in costs from hotels, transportation and meals.”

ASSANTE: I would agree that there the appeal of group travel is growing in the student travel segment of 18-plus travelers. They are more inclined to travel with their peers. They are connected to their community and share information, tips and experiences through technology that really promotes traveling with others. In the younger student travel segment, we are seeing a softening of the group numbers — fewer students traveling per group and more cancellations of entire groups. This is still a reflection of the pandemic, where younger students were home instead of joining the band, playing a sport or engaging in after-school programs, which directly impacts groups of students traveling together.

Is there an affordability crisis growing in travel? Have inflation and demand pressures pushed prices too high for our key demographics? Are they changing the way your members do business?

DALE: I believe that yes, there’s a recognition that prices are high. But the overall value our members are providing the traveler is still greater than the price increase. Is it dampening demand? Post-pandemic, in 2022 and 2023, we saw that spike from pent-up demand. We went into 2024 with members being very optimistic — 92% forecasting an increase in sales from 7% to 10%. We’re also seeing this year level off. So we’re not seeing a dip from rising prices, but a plateau.

ASSANTE: Affordability is definitely an issue in the student group travel segment. We have seen more than a 30% increase in costs from hotels, transportation and meals. Many students fundraise for their school trips and did not anticipate the increase in costs for trips in 2024–’25. Now, they are adjusting and student groups are still traveling. Overall numbers are higher than in 2019. As for changes in how they plan travel, travel planners and their customers are looking at more affordable destinations, and they are willing to give up a day of their trip to mitigate the costs.

PRATHER: We are getting close to an affordability situation. We need to ensure travel remains accessible to all and not only the wealthy. That’s a concern for me. NTA tour operators aren’t seeing a slowdown in the demand for travel, but we’re hearing that some destinations may begin to lose market share due to higher prices. The same is true for some types of suppliers. With harsher terms on groups, like when a hotel demands a large nonrefundable deposit or attrition clauses, most operators either charge their clients more or find another property with more flexible terms. And it’s the same with motorcoaches — tour operators understand that driver wages are high. But fuel costs don’t seem that high, and it feels like fuel surcharges are excessive.

FERGUSON: So much of group travel completely stopped during COVID. When you look at the baseline of 2020, we have had hockey-stick-shaped growth since then. When we look at data on average passengers per motorcoach, since 2020, it has grown like crazy. Many of our members are small businesses, and there’s no question that inflation has impacted their performance. But at the same time, there’s a lot of demand for our services, and right now we’re benefiting from that demand.

CARYLANN AS SANTE

Venice is one of several European destinations taking steps to curb overtourism.

COURTESY VISIT MYRTLE BEACH

A growing number of young travelers, such as this group at The Hangout in Myrtle Beach, are discovering the benefits of group trips.

Reefs is one of many ecologically sensitive areas that is also very popular with tourists.

Some high-profile destinations are taking measures to limit visitation and mitigate overtourism. How is that affecting your members? If the trend becomes more widespread, how might it impact travel overall?

ASSANTE: This is a challenge for the student group travel segment, as many parents will pay for the trip with the expectation that their students will see iconic attractions and experience what that destination is famous for. The students have to travel as a group by motorcoach, and many of these destinations are limiting how many coaches may enter their cities. Our members are working more closely with their destination partners to determine off-peak times to travel, shoulder periods, and what other local attractions can accommodate the groups if they cannot all visit one attraction at the same time.

“If we welcome more motorcoaches, we can have a better visitor experience, just from reduced congestion alone. So I think we’re actually a major part of the solution.”

FRED FERGUSON

PRATHER: It is important for tour operators and all travel professionals to protect the destinations and treasured places we visit. And yes, overtourism is a challenge in some places. In North America, it’s a challenge in some of our most popular national parks, or in places like New England in leaf season. Tour operators can help by driving visitation to other places that have a similar vibe to those popular places and by shifting travel to shoulder season. But it takes a destination and local suppliers to help make those changes possible. Help that tour operator look like a hero by giving them that five-star resort at four-star prices if they come in a different season.

FERGUSON: I think there’s a lot of value in the motorcoach tour, because the level of education we can present to visitors is much higher than a car full of people would get. Think of a national park, for example. When a motorcoach shows up, our drivers and leaders give people rules of the road — using the correct restroom facilities, not walking off the trail, following rangers’ directions. And a motorcoach showing up at a park gate represents 25 to 30 fewer cars. If we welcome more motorcoaches, we can have a better visitor experience, just from reduced congestion alone. So I think we’re actually a major part of the solution.

DALE: It is currently impacting us. In some communities, they’re restricting access to a motorcoach, which means our members have to adapt and shift to five vans, with eight passengers in a van. For the industry as a whole, I’m seeing a shift from a marketing model to a tourism management model. Of course we want the DMOs to market and tell our story, which helps our sales and generates jobs and tax revenues. But we also have to be sensitive to the pressures from a community when the residents say, ‘enough is enough.’

Tourism leaders are working with the federal government to ensure that popular national park sites remain easily accessible to tour groups.

In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, your group has no shortage of activities to help them reconnect and bond. Sixty miles of beaches, 90 golf courses, 2,000 restaurants, botanical gardens, plus live theater and music every night of the week is just scratching the surface. There’s no better place to get together than The Beach.

“We have some great events coming into the U.S. — the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. But in some top inbound markets, the U.S. has visa interview wait times of nearly 400 days. That causes significant interruptions.”

This year’s elections could bring about significant changes in Washington. What policy issues are you monitoring right now, and what are the potential impacts of political changes on the tourism community?

FERGUSON: I’ve been involved in D.C. politics for 16 years now, and I have learned that every election cycle is ‘the craziest.’ That’s the norm. I think the most important thing we can do as an industry is have a clear and concise point of view on our policy agenda. And that transcends who’s in power. One issue in particular is the electric vehicle movement. What I’m finding is that the infrastructure to support larger vehicles electrifying isn’t built out the same way it is for cars. So we need to say, ‘we understand the EV movement, but we need a lot of investment in the infrastructure to support electrification.’

DALE: The Department of Transportation and its recent rulemaking when it comes to refunds and ancillary fees is something we address on a weekly basis. We can’t relitigate some of what has been communicated through the rulemaking, so it’s a matter of working with the DOT as a partner to figure out its application and what is reasonable for our members.

Another thing we have to do as an industry, whoever gets elected, is to protect the U.S.A. brand. We have to be able to communicate in a credible way that we are a welcoming and inviting country.

ASSANTE: SYTA is working with a coalition of associations, travel industry organizations and government agencies to promote the United States as a destination for student travelers. We have seen a decline in student travel to the U.S. and attendance by international students at our universities. Visas are still an issue for student travelers to the U.S., so we are working with U.S. Travel Association and others to improve wait times and approval of visas. We feel that our students traveling abroad and welcoming incoming students is essential to building empathy and understanding of other cultures.

By Wagon Train or MotorCoach, Every Road Leads to Adventure

PRATHER: I feel most of the issues will be the same, no matter what happens. For example, national parks are one of the biggest areas where we put our focus. For quite some time, we’ve been working with other associations and the U.S. National Park Service on the upcoming launch of the online system of conditional use authorizations to enter the parks. And of course, we’re constantly monitoring visitor visa processing times. We have some great events coming into the U.S. — the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. But in some top inbound markets, the U.S. has visa interview wait times of nearly 400 days. That causes significant interruptions.

CATHERINE PRATHER

A FORCE FOR GOOD A FORCE FOR GOOD

BY RYAN BRAY, COURTESY TRAVEL ALBERTA

TRAVEL’S BENEFITS

EXTEND FAR BEYOND FUN

Is travel capable of changing more than just your scenery?

By Brian Jewell

On the surface, group travel is a straightforward proposition. People want to travel, and tour companies make their trips more convenient by bundling hotels, meals, transportation and sightseeing. Tour directors handle the logistics; local guides make faraway places feel safe and accessible. At the end of the trip, everyone goes home with souvenirs, photos and some fun memories.

Of course, all those elements are important parts of a group trip. But as society changes, tourism is changing with it. New generations are entering the marketplace, and they’re bringing new priorities, new anxieties and new expectations.

Among those new expectations is the often-unspoken hope that travel companies and tour providers will help their customers achieve some kind of personal transformation through their travel experiences. In other words, they’re looking for travel to change their lives.

But that’s not the only way in which the expectations around travel are changing. There is increasing scrutiny on the way tourists impact the communities they visit and a new emphasis on ensuring those impacts are positive. And in a world that seems to become more fractured by the day, a growing number of people are hoping travel can serve as a unifying force to hold society together.

To these people, a trip is not just a trip but a chance for change. It can change people. It can change destinations. And it can even change the world.

Travel, in other words, has enormous potential. But to a great degree, that potential is untapped.

TRANSACTION VS. TRANSFORMATION

It’s not that the travel industry doesn’t understand the power of travel. By and large, we do. But most travel professionals would be hard-pressed to describe how their products or services help change lives and make the world a better place. We’re absorbed with the day-to-day affairs of planning and selling travel and focused on all the transactions necessary to make business happen.

In the moments when we do contemplate the power of travel, we often assume that meaningful experiences will happen on their own. Maybe they will just materialize organically. Or perhaps someone else will facilitate those transcendent moments while we’re busy keeping the trains running on time.

For decades, this laissez-faire approach to travel’s potential has worked well enough. After all, the tourism industry worldwide has grown exponentially since the end of World War II. If this many people are traveling this often, doesn’t that mean they’re enjoying it?

Maybe. But I’m not convinced the tourism mindset that has worked in the past will continue to work in the future. The needs of people, of destinations and of society are changing, and they necessitate a new response from the travel community.

To meet those needs, we’ll have to do more than just plan, sell and lead trips. We need to tap into travel’s latent power. And that means, more than anything, changing the way we think. Because travel will only reach its true potential when we — the tourism industry — stop focusing on transactions and start focusing on transformations.

GUIDED TIME IN NATURE, SUCH AS THIS TRIP TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN JASPER, ALBERTA, HAS BEEN FOUND TO GREATLY INCREASE TRAVELERS’ WELLBEING.

CHANGING DEMANDS

Millennials and Gen Z come to travel with very different needs and expectations than baby boomers and Gen X do. And they’re beginning to look at tourism through a more critical lens. Travel is expensive, and the costs continue to rise. People who don’t enjoy the economic security their parents and grandparents did see their travel dollars differently than previous generations. To them, it’s not spending — it’s an investment. And they expect a healthy return.

In addition to its financial costs, travel exacts an environmental toll. Tourism activity is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, and high levels of visitor traffic can jeopardize fragile ecosystems and cultures as well. This isn’t enough to cause most people to curb their travel habits, but it is making them think carefully about whether the benefits of their trips outweigh the costs.

Compounding all this are significant changes in people’s personal needs. Cultural emphasis on mental health and physical wellness have never been higher. And an epidemic of loneliness, anxiety and depression has led young travelers to look for more than just fun and value on their trips. They want travel to improve their mental health, restore their souls and help them build community.

A 2023 study by an organization called the Travel Coach Network paints this picture beautifully. (Travel coaching, by the way, is a recent development that heavily reflects millennial sensibilities: Travel coaches don’t plan or book trips, but they advise their clients on how they can make their travel more meaningful and impactful.) In the study, the organization asked its thousands of members around the country what their clients’ top motivations for travel are. Among the answers were many responses you would expect — things like education, cultural

Intentional visits to local communities, such as this artistic alley in a Dublin neighborhood, can help amplify the positive impacts of tourism on destinations.

enrichment and exploration. But alongside those came some surprising responses. For example, 4% of respondents said their customers travel for “soul healing and inner peace.” About 11% said their customers are traveling in search of “human connection.” And a full 17% reported that their travelers are venturing out in search of “personal development and transformation.”

Altogether, more than 40% of respondents said their travelers were looking for some kind of transformative, meaningful or impactful travel experience. Which means as many as four in 10 people coming on your trips are potentially bringing an unspoken expectation you may not be aware of — nor prepared to meet.

Think of it this way: If someone came on one of your trips and asked you to help them find soul healing and inner peace, how would you respond? Would you even know where to start?

SOLVING TRAVELERS’ PROBLEMS

Of course, your customers aren’t likely to ask you for personal transformation in such direct terms. But increasingly, they are hoping you will facilitate that kind of experience for them, even if they don’t exactly say so.

Fortunately, fulfilling this desire may be easier than it first seems. A mountain of scientific research indicates travel can play a significant role in solving people’s problems. It can contribute to physical health, boost mental well-being, facilitate personal growth, and help people find a deeper sense of meaning and spiritual fulfillment.

Here’s the trick, though: These kinds of enriching experiences don’t occur automatically. They work best when a travel professional — someone like you — takes responsibility for making them happen.

A 2018 article published by a group of European social scientists in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health demonstrated the importance of guided experiences for personal transformation. According to the paper, long-weekend trips were found to

reduce “emotional and social strain, conflict, fatigue and lack of energy” for at least 45 days after travelers returned home — but only when travelers took part in restorative activities that were led by certified guides and coaches. Without those guided experiences, the positive impacts of travel dissipated after as little as three days.

It’s worth noting these guided experiences weren’t anything elaborate. According to the paper, over the course of a three-day trip, “participants had to partake in one session of moderate physical activity (Nordic walking, swimming) and one session of active recovery (yoga or Qui-Gong).”

Travel has the potential to address your customers’ inner problems. And you don’t need to be a mental health expert to help them.

SOLVING DESTINATIONS’ PROBLEMS

The movement toward a transformative travel industry shouldn’t be solely focused on solving travelers’ problems. It should aim to address destinations’ problems as well.

Travel can be enormously beneficial for destinations. But it isn’t always. This summer’s anti-tourism protests in Barcelona, as well as restrictive measures being considered in many other popular cities around the world, demonstrate the issues that can arrive from overtourism. And in other places, certain communities — especially those that are underprivileged and underrepresented — suffer from too little visitation.

Once again, research points to principles that can help leaders leverage tourism for good in their destinations. A 2023 study from Economist Impact found that tourism growth in major cities coincided with steep drops in unemployment and air pollution, increased employment and pay among women, and an uptick in overall economic growth.

Visiting Uluru in Australia affords travelers the opportunity to learn about Aboriginal culture and history.

An Australian sea turtle

BY SEAN SCOTT, COURTESY TOURISM AUSTRALIA

But those benefits didn’t accrue evenly to destinations across the board. The researchers found that the positive outcomes were most evident in destinations that minimized what they called “economic leakage” — the tendency of tourism dollars to quickly flow to outside entities instead of staying in the local economy.

Destinations succeed with tourism when leaders inside and outside the community take responsibility for maximizing travel’s positive impacts. That means getting people to do business with locally owned hotels and restaurants, then working with those establishments to localize their supply chains. It also means encouraging hospitality organizations to hire from within underprivileged communities and creating pathways for those employees to build meaningful careers in tourism.

Whether you’re a destination professional or a travel planner, that’s a movement in which you can participate.

SOLVING SOCIETY’S PROBLEMS

Transformational travel addresses travelers’ problems. It addresses destinations’ problems. And believe it or not, it has a role in addressing society’s problems too.

This sounds like a tall order, I know, especially in an age when political divisions, racial tension and environmental issues seem to be straining the social fabric to its breaking point. But research and experience demonstrate that the mixing of people that happens through tourism could help ease social tension.

A 2008 paper in the European Journal of Social Psychology analyzed the results of dozens of academic studies done on interactions among groups of diverse backgrounds. The analysis found that in 94% of cases, intergroup experiences reduced prejudice by a significant amount. That’s great news for travel, because it means we play a role in removing barriers and building bridges. But the way we do so matters. The study went on to say that “simply knowing more

about [an] outgroup typically does not have a major effect on reducing prejudice … Knowledge and empathy are generally unrelated.”

In other words, we can’t help travelers overcome social divisions by simply educating them. Taking them to a museum won’t work and neither will telling them about a people group as we drive past the place they live.

What will work: making a way for people of diverse backgrounds to spend meaningful time together.

“Contact eases cross-group anxiety,” the study found, “and this reduction in anxiety allows a concomitant reduction in prejudice.”

Transformational travel represents a paradigm shift for the tourism industry. In many ways, the movement is already underway. And though there may be some growing pains, the benefits far outweigh the costs.

As tourism professionals, we can help people find joy. We can help communities grow in meaningful ways. And we can help groups rediscover their shared humanity.

That’s a potential worth tapping into.

Dolphins at Newport Beach

An opal expedition near Coober Pedy, Austrailia

A guided trail ride in Charlottesville

JUST IN TIME JUST IN TIME

TECHNOLOGY EXISTS FOR TRAVEL’S NEXT GENERATION

WBy Rachel Crick

hen it comes to travel, a growing list of websites, software and apps can help group planners streamline their trips and their businesses.

The technology comes in many forms. Tour operator software consolidates the many moving parts of group travel, making it easier for planners to manage every aspect of their trips, from communicating with clients to handling back-of-house operations. Other software platforms address more specific needs. Booking software, sometimes referred to as ResTech, manages reservations and bookings; other software helps planners build itineraries.

The following travel tech platforms can help group travel planners take their trips to the next level.

YOULI

KEY USES: Group itineraries, booking and payments, travel management software, website design, mobile app

KILLER FEATURE: Magic Links can send each registered traveler a personalized itinerary that includes their costs, accommodations, personal trip documents and additional activities.

DETAILS: YouLi is tour operator software designed to be a onestop shop for travel planning. It is easy for both planners and their clients to use and is highly customizable. It allows trip participants to opt in for different accommodations or activities and receive personalized itineraries. So, if a traveler wants to stay extra days or book a different flight, it’s not a problem.

The software allows planners to manage bookings and payments in a secure portal, invoice travelers and generate automatic payment reminders. YouLi can integrate an existing travel website or create new, white-label websites and mobile apps for consistent branding.

COST: A “light” tier comes with higher booking fees and costs $19 per month; higher tiers have lower booking fees and range from $55 to $160 per month; and custom pricing is available for the enterprise tier.

MORE INFO: go.youli.io

YouLi’s magic links

WETRAVEL IS A BOOKING AND PAYMENT PLATFORM THAT ALSO OFFERS ITINERARY BUILDING AND WHITE-LABEL FEATURES.

MOONSTRIDE

KEY USES: Customer relationship management, office tasks, booking engine, website integration, itinerary building

KILLER FEATURE: Task management allows users to create and allocate tasks to prioritize, organize and meet deadlines in a centralized location.

DETAILS: Moonstride is a customer relationship management (CRM) and back-office platform for travel businesses. Moonstride Group, designed for group travel planners, includes most of the company’s many features. Many are flexible and customizable, such as tour itinerary building and quote building. Automation is one advantage of this software. For example, its automatic payment reminders can reduce workload for travel planners as they collect payments.

The platform also allows travelers to create payment plans. Moonstride integrates with accounting software and with merchant services that process credit card payments. Organizers can send trip details, plans and questions to travelers, and their customers can do the same.

COST: One-time fee of $1,950 for setup, plus $895 per month for five users

MORE INFO: moonstride.com

WETRAVEL

KEY USES: Booking and payment platform, itinerary building, white-label solution, marketing

KILLER FEATURE: WeTravel offers a carbon-offsetting feature to promote sustainable tourism. Travelers and planners can purchase a carbon offset for their trip, which WeTravel then invests in certified carbon reduction products.

DETAILS: WeTravel is a booking engine and payment platform designed to make booking and payments simple and streamlined. It handles predeparture tasks such as booking, itineraries, marketing and communication with travelers. Its user-friendly itineraries, which can be integrated into existing websites, can be used to market trips. It also offers multiple payment options for travelers and for tour companies to transfer funds. WeTravel’s online demos and courses help make it an easy-to-implement travel tech tool.

COST: Free plan for the basics; $79 per month plan for companies and teams; custom pricing for enterprise level

MORE INFO: wetravel.com

GROUPCOLLECT REGISTER

KEY USES: Registration, billing, customer relationship management

KILLER FEATURE: GroupCollect Supplier Link connects tour operators to a vetted and updated list of suppliers so they can generate quotes and book faster and more reliably.

DETAILS: GroupCollect Register is an online registration and billing software platform designed for multiday tour operators, trip leaders and suppliers. It allows tour operators to create custom trip pages and documents for travelers to e-sign; sell add-ons to trips, such as travel insurance; and add passengers to waitlists. It also lets them collect online payments through multiple channels, organize travelers by flight and rooming lists, and communicate with their travelers and trip leaders easily. Trip leaders have quick access to traveler information and documents and can easily create trip reports, such as meal preorders or bus lists. There’s also a bulk payment feature and easy payment collection for trip leaders.

COST: Customized pricing

MORE INFO: groupcollect.com

KEY USES: Itinerary management, quote and proposal building, customer relationship management

KILLER FEATURE: Trip Plans, Travefy’s mobile app, makes it easy for clients to receive travel messages and itineraries on the go.

DETAILS: Travefy helps travel professionals more efficiently attract and communicate with clients using eye-catching itineraries that far surpass traditional Word documents or PDF itineraries. These itineraries include city guides, pictures of major attractions and activities, and flight and hotel details. Information about reservations is delivered in real-time through the app, so travelers quickly know when plans change, often before they are notified through other platforms. Travefy simplifies client communications and offers secure storage for their documents, forms, payment information and signatures. Additional features include white-label websites and marketing tools.

COST: 10-day free trial; $49 monthly plan; annual plan with monthly payments of $35

MORE INFO: travefy.com

Left: Moonstride’s group travel page

Right: GroupCollect registration page

WeTravel founders

Travefy smart phone interface

UNDERSTANDING ‘WHITE LABELS’

What does the term “white label” mean?

You probably use white-label products all the time without even realizing it. And that’s the whole point.

White labeling is when one organization creates a product or service and allows another organization to sell it as their own. A great example can be found at your local grocery store. Although you can buy the nationally known brand of spaghetti sauce, you may decide to save a bit of money by purchasing the store brand instead. Of course, the grocery chain isn’t in the business of making spaghetti sauce. Instead, it pays a third-party company to make the sauce and then puts its name on it. That’s white labeling.

In the realm of travel technology platforms, white labeling means tech companies can create customized web pages, payment systems, mobile apps or other online solutions for you to use with your own branding. Your customers get the benefit of professionally built tech tools without leaving your website.

Your technology partners do all the work, and you get all the benefit.

GROUPDESK

KEY USES: Customer relationship management and sales, booking engine, sales and marketing

KILLER FEATURE: The white-label feature lets planners promote trips with their brands simultaneously on trip pages and through email campaigns.

DETAILS: Groupdesk is designed to help group travel planners sell their products more efficiently. Travel planners can manage their products and sales with features like lead capturing, recorded payments and confirmations to suppliers, and supplier contract management. Groupdesk allows clients to book trips, store travel documents and important information, and even make roommate requests.

Travel planners can also create white-label trip pages and branded email templates through Mailchimp; manage relationships with suppliers and clients; and create customized and automated payment plans.

COST: Customized pricing

MORE INFO: groupdesk.net

A DAY OF AWE AWAITS

Time flies when you visit the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia. Explore the Museum’s vast and iconic collection, and you’ll feel like you’ve earned your wings. Free admission, guided tours, and bus parking.

Groupdesk group booking page

Groupdesk interface

Groupdesk API features

For music lovers, there’s no better place to explore the history and future of popular music than Mississippi, “The Birthplace of America’s Music.” Here, African and European musical traditions collided and were crafted into a new form of music, the blues, and its rock, gospel, and country offshoots. View a sample itinerary of music museums, attractions, and stages at VisitMississippi.org/MusicTour

#WanderMS

REZOMETRY

KEY USES: Central reservation system, custom booking, financial operations and sales

KILLER FEATURE: Vendor portals allow vendors to update rates and pricing on their own, so travelers have the most up-to-date information.

DETAILS: Formerly Tricon Systems, Rezometry is an online booking engine and central reservation system. With this platform, customization is the name of the game. Its powerful software lets tour operators, wholesalers and travel planning companies manage reservations for custom itineraries and fixed packages from a centralized platform. Planners can connect with suppliers to get rates and manage contracts and connect with their clients through automated CRM software.

Payment options can be customized so businesses can manage payments through multiple channels and with different currencies.

COST: Free trial; custom pricing based on travel business

MORE INFO: rezometry.com

PEAK 15 SYSTEMS

KEY USES: Sales and marketing, trip planning, accounting, booking, operations and analytics

KILLER FEATURE: Users can create custom reports and visuals by using company data and trends.

DETAILS: PEAK 15 Systems is a software company that consolidates travel planning for tour operators and companies that specialize in group, scheduled and multi-day travel. Planners can build a budget for their trips, invoice customers in multiple currencies and send traveler information to vendors. PEAK 15 lets planners keep detailed information about their travelers, including payment history, flight and lodging information, special requests and booking history. It integrates with marketing software including MailChimp and HubSpot, as well as accounting software like QuickBooks. It also allows planners to analyze components of their business, such as comparing actual versus budgeted costs or collecting feedback through a post-trip survey.

COST: Free trial; custom pricing MORE INFO: peak15systems.com

TROUPE

KEY USES: Itinerary building, group travel communications

KILLER FEATURE: The polling and voting features let travelers share their opinions on pertinent travel questions, from activities and lodging to meals.

DETAILS: Troupe is a website and app designed to simplify group travel planning and encourage communication and collaboration between group members and organizers. With Troupe, travel organizers can invite participants to a custom Tripsite they create. Travelers can use the site to RSVP for trips as well as to suggest trip details, take votes and share notes. Group decisions can be loaded into an attractive itinerary and shared among travelers by mobile app.

Broadcasts let group members send announcements, updates and reminders to everyone on the trip. This user-friendly app allows trips to be planned remotely and democratically.

COST: Free

MORE INFO: troupe.com

Troupe interfaces

The Rezometry website

Forge Deeper Connections

Reasons to Work with Collette:

• RISK FREE: no deposit required & no minimum group size

• LOCAL SUPPORT: dedicated business development manager helps you every step of the way

• INDUSTRY-LEADING PROTECTION: cancel for any reason travel protection

• MARKETING SUPPORT: promotional materials at no cost to you

• EXPERTISE: 107 years of group touring experience with local experts guiding the entire tour

• UPFRONT TOUR INFO: hotel accommodations available any time

• NO SURPRISES: no credit card fees

LET’S GET REAL LET’S GET REAL

AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

TOP TRAVELERS’ LISTS

ABy Rachel Crick

uthenticity is the key to meaningful travel. Gone are the days of falling into tourist traps and staying within the confines of a resort. Travelers are demanding their trips incorporate what’s distinct about the destinations they visit, whether that’s a culinary excursion, a cultural tradition or a one-of-a-kind festival. Including this authenticity into a group’s itinerary is a sure-fire way to boost engagement with the destination, make lasting memories, and forge positive connections across cultures and borders.

Here are some group experiences that can’t be replicated at any other destination.

SWIM WITH MANATEES CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA

Manatees are known for their gentle, laid-back and sometimes playful personalities. It’s easy to see how they earned the nickname “sea cows” when one witnesses these large aquatic mammals drifting by in shallow estuaries or grazing on freshwater vegetation. They require water temperatures greater than 68 degrees to stay alive and often gather in warm climates during the winter.

One such gathering spot is Crystal River, Florida, home to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Manatees can be found year-round here, though they tend to congregate in record-breaking numbers in the winter. Because they are a protected species, it is prohibited to intentionally interact with wild manatees; the only place to legally do so is in Crystal River.

One of the many tour operators in the area that provides this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is Plantation on Crystal River Adventure Center. On their manatee tours, groups will head into the heart of Kings Bay. Participants are first shown an educational video about interacting with manatees safely and respectfully. They are then provided with wetsuits to keep them comfortable and snorkel sets to enjoy the views of these gentle giants in the water. They require visitors to practice “passive observance” and let the manatees initiate interaction — and since they’re curious animals, they usually do. Underwater photography captures the visitors’ interactions with manatees.

If a group would prefer to stay dry, above-water tours are offered, where visitors can still enjoy views of the manatees in the crystal-clear waters. Groups of up to 48 can be accommodated in multiple boats. plantationadventurecenter.com

CRYSTAL RIVER IS THE ONLY PLACE TO LEGALLY SWIM WITH MANATEES IN THE UNITED STATES.

EXPERIENCE AN AUTHENTIC LUAU

OAHU, HAWAII

Luaus, Hawaiian or Polynesian gatherings filled with food and dancing, have long-standing social and cultural significance to the people of Hawaii. Luau-like celebrations are associated with the island chain and recall grass skirts and leis worn at backyard barbecues or summer celebrations. However, when visiting Hawaii, groups can be treated to a luau brimming with authentic Hawaiian culture.

The Toa Luau at Waimea Valley gives them that chance. Located on Oahu, home to Honolulu and many of the state’s top resorts, Waimea Valley is found on the island’s northern shore, not too far from Waikiki. It’s known for its beautiful botanical gardens and a waterfall where visitors can swim. The luau, hosted by a company called Hawaii Luaus, comes with admission to the valley. Groups can come early to explore the breathtaking natural beauty and learn why this land is considered sacred to native Hawaiians.

The luau itself begins with a lei welcome, then an imu cooking demonstration. Imus are the in-ground ovens used to prepare traditional luau feast foods, and learning about this fascinating cooking method is a rewarding experience. Cultural activities take place on the lawn for groups to observe at their leisure, from husking coconuts to weaving headbands.

At the luau feast, visitors are served traditional Hawaiian foods such as coconut pudding, Kalua pork, barbecue chicken and macaroni salad. The evening concludes with entertainment, including traditional Polynesian dances and a fire-knife performance.

Trip leaders will need to arrange transportation to and from the luau, as there are no shuttles to Waimea Valley.

luas.org

The Kentucky Derby

A manatee at Plantation Adventure Center

Paddleboarding near Waimea in Oahu

Below: Spectators watching the Run for the Roses

WATCH THE KENTUCKY DERBY LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

The Kentucky Derby draws high-profile celebrities and ordinary patrons from around the world to Churchill Downs in Louisville each year; millions more tune in to watch the race on their screens at home. Festive outfits (including many large, brightly colored hats), mint juleps and upscale revelry perfectly complement the “most exciting two minutes in sports.” This race, held on the first Saturday of May, embodies Kentucky’s horse industry and is the highest-profile horse race in the world. This opulent event can’t be replicated, making it a highly coveted activity for groups looking for a signature experience in Louisville.

Derby Experiences, the official experience package provider of the Kentucky Derby, was founded in 2008. It provides a variety of packages for groups that wish to experience the event to the fullest. They include access to some of Churchill Downs’ exclusive hospitality lounges, which offer climate-controlled spaces to enjoy refreshments and watch the race in style.

Festivities surrounding the Derby lasts far longer than a single day — there’s the Derby Week leading up to the event, replete with exclusive parties and events. Derby Experiences can score a group access to these parties, as well as tours of Churchill Downs and Louisville to explore more of the Derby’s history. Bourbon distilleries and horse farm tours are also popular. Hotels and transportation can be arranged with some ticket packages to make the group’s experience more seamless.

derbyexperiences.com

VISIT A VERMONT SUGARHOUSE CABOT, VERMONT

When spring rolls around in Vermont, the melting snows and longer days are not the state’s sweetest offering. It’s also maple syrup season, the glorious time in late March and early April when the harvest brings festivities and plenty of sugary goodies to all. The Maple Open House Weekend, held one or two weekends each year, invites travelers and locals to visit sugarhouses and enjoy syrup-laden treats across the state. The Vermont Maple Festival, held at St. Albans, spans three days and boasts a parade, entertainment, crafts, exhibits and food all centered around maple syrup.

While both events can be enjoyed by groups, touring a sugarhouse is also a highly recommended experience. One such farm that easily handles large groups, with parking for up to 10 buses, is Goodrich’s Maple Farm in Cabot. The site has been family owned and operated since 1840. Tours tell visitors how maple syrup is made, from tapping maple trees to boiling and bottling the sap. Groups can see antique sugaring equipment and learn the history of the sugaring process and its contributions to the state’s economy. Then, they can enjoy tasting syrups and jellies. A visit to the farm is especially recommended when the maple sap is boiling.

The group can round out the tour in the farm’s gift shop, where they can buy maple candy, maple sugar and maple cream, as well as jams and jellies, and of course, pure Vermont maple syrup, bottled right on-site.

goodrichmaplefarm.com

ATTEND THE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

LET’S EXPLORE

IN LINCOLN, NEBRASK A

LINCOLN.ORG/ GTL

There is nothing more exciting than finding new places to enjoy a breezy summer night. Come experience it for yourself!

The iconic image of hundreds of hot air balloons floating against a clear sky illustrates what may be the greatest treasure of Albuquerque, New Mexico: the International Balloon Fiesta, the largest ballooning event on Earth. The event has taken place every October since 1972. What started as a meager 13 balloons now consists of over 500 balloons being released from a 78-acre launch field. It’s among the most photographed events in the world.

One of the most picturesque, breathtaking scenes of the entire Fiesta is the early morning balloon ascension, when all the participating balloons are released simultaneously. The mass ascension comes in two waves to ensure the safety of all involved, but that also means twice the photo ops.

Groups of 14 or more arriving in motorcoaches can opt for the

Mass ascension at the International Balloon Fiesta

BY BENNIE BOS, COURTESY INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA

Arts & Entertainment

From arts and cultural attractions to shopping, dining and exciting events, Columbus has you covered. Plan your Columbus adventure today.

Tennessee Williams Tribute: September 12-15, 2024 | Thunder Over Columbus Air Show: September 21-22, 2024

Art ‘N Antiques Show and Sale: October 31-November 2, 2024 | Fall Pilgrimage: October 31-November 2, 2024

Wassailfest: December 6, 2024 | Historic Home Tours: April 1-12, 2025 | Spring Pilgrimage: April 2-13, 2025

Catfish in the Alley: April 11-12, 2025 | Market Street Festival: May 2-3, 2025

VISITCOLUMBUSMS.ORG for a complete list of attractions and events. 800.920.3533 | 662.329.1191

Dates are subject to change.

Photo by Jack King Media

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Group Tour Package, which includes bus parking, admission to the event and even access to a hospitality tent. Here, they’ll have access to light refreshments, including coffee, tea, doughnuts and cookies. This provides a shaded area for groups to enjoy the festival. Transportation to the tent by golf cart can also be arranged to accommodate guests with mobility issues. From there, groups are free to enjoy the sights and sounds of the festival. They can talk to the balloon pilots, see the balloons on the ground and learn about the art of ballooning.

In addition to the main attraction, groups will find artisans, performance artists and live music to keep them entertained. Concessions along Main Street also provide plenty of refreshments. balloonfiesta.com

BOARD THE NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Few wine regions in North America are as popular or lauded as California’s Napa Valley. Hundreds of area vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms that produce wines enjoyed around the world make it a bucket list destination. It’s a frequent site for honeymoons, girlfriend getaways and, of course, group tours. Wine lovers and those who simply want to take in the gorgeous region, with its mild California climate and sun-soaked vines, are sure to be impressed by one of the most luxurious and comprehensive ways of enjoying the region: the Napa Valley Wine Train.

Running on a rail line that was built in 1864, the Napa Valley Wine Train has been showing off the valley’s beauty — and its wine — for 35 years. The train offers a variety of experiences for groups. These include daytime trips, evening journeys, seasonal experiences, murder mystery dinners and even a grape stomp trip, where passengers are taken to a winery to stomp grapes and enjoy a tasting.

One of the most luxurious experiences offered during daytime hours is the Legacy Experience, which lasts six hours. The trip begins with a group photo-op in front of the train, a welcome glass of sparkling wine and a breakfast course. Then, from an open-air car, guests can enjoy the gorgeous sights of Napa Valley. The train’s first stop comes at the Napa Valley sign, where a tasting and photo-op await. This is followed by a lunch course, then another vineyard and a cheese course.

Finally, the train takes the group to Napa Valley’s Main Street in St. Helena, where they’ll visit a historic winery and enjoy a tasting. On the train ride back, the group will enjoy a dessert course. All menu items are brimming with local, seasonal ingredients, but can be customized to meet passenger needs. Options for lunch include dishes like local, seasonal risotto, penne primavera or cracked mustard-cider glazed salmon, and the dessert is made daily. All wines are expertly paired to be enjoyed with each dish.

winetrain.com

Napa Wine Train

BUYER’S GUIDE DIRECTORY

ALABAMA

CALIFORNIA

Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau

500 Church St. Northwest, Ste. One 256-551-2204

Huntsville, AL 35801

Pam Williams pam@huntsville.org huntsville.org/groups

Let the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau help you make your group’s journey run as smoothly as possible. No matter what your group’s interests, our itineraries are a great way to ensure an enjoyable, comprehensive trip through the Huntsville area.

ALABAMA

Sweet Home Alabama

401 Adams Ave. Montgomery, AL 36104

334-353-1907

Shawna Faniel

shawna.faniel@tourism.alabama.gov alabama.travel

Alabama offers an unforgettable journey through America’s heart and soul. Groups will find something extraordinary at every turn—from the pivotal sites of the Civil Rights Movement and space exploration to legendary music studios and breathtaking Gulf Coast beaches. Whether it’s history, culture, food, or adventure, Alabama is where stories of the past come alive and heartfelt connections run deep.

ALABAMA

Visit Mobile

1 South Water St. Mobile, AL 36602

251-208-2013

Tom White

twhite@mobile.org mobile.org

Mobile is a destination full of old-world charm, true southern hospitality and several world-class attractions. The USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park and Bellingrath Gardens & Home amaze thousands of visitors each year. The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico is a one-of-a kind educational experience for people of all ages. Add the original Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S. and you will discover a destination that will entertain your groups.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

40 Presidential Dr. Simi Valley, CA 93065

800-410-8354

Visitor Services visitorservices@reaganfoundation.org reaganlibrary.com

Perched atop a hill with sweeping views of the southland, the Reagan Library is one of California’s most beautiful and unique destinations. Tour through the actual Air Force One that flew seven U.S. presidents. View a full scale Oval Office replica. Also home to President and Mrs. Reagan’s memorial site.

GEORGIA

VisitColumbusGA

118 West 11th St. Columbus, GA 31901 800-999-1613

Ashley Woitena awoitena@visitcolumbusga.com visitcolumbusga.com

Columbus, GA is an ideal destination boasting group accommodations in an amenity-rich setting. Centrally located for easy accessibility from major cities in the Southeast. Columbus brings its A-game with versatile meeting space, first-class hotels and dining, and activities great for team-building skills, adventures, and more.

GEORGIA

Visit Savannah 101 East Bay St. Savannah, GA 31401 912-644-6423

Anjuli King aking@visitsavannah.com visitsavannah.com

Savannah, GA: a city that tops your bucket list with its magnetic blend of tours, dining and entertainment. Stroll storybook streets and soak in the lively cultural scene. Celebrated as one of the “Best Cities in the US” by Travel + Leisure, Savannah beckons for unforgettable adventures and charming escapades.

GEORGIA

Zoo Atlanta

800 Cherokee Ave. Atlanta, GA 30315 404-624-9453

Katherine Stone kstone@zooatlanta.org zooatlanta.org

One of Atlanta’s oldest cultural institutions, Zoo Atlanta is located in historic Grant Park, with easy access to fine dining, accommodations, and other downtown attractions. The Zoo hosts hundreds of animals from around the world and welcomes groups of all sizes anytime of the year.

KENTUCKY

Ark Encounter

1 Ark Encounter Dr. Williamstown, KY 41097 800-721-2298

Eddie Lutz mail@answersingenesis.org arkencounter.com

Prepare to think bigger at the life-size Noah’s Ark at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky. The world’s largest timber-frame structure features three decks of faith-affirming exhibits, a zoo with animals like lemurs, kangaroos, camels, and so much more.

KENTUCKY

Oldham County KY Tourism

6826 West State Hwy. 22 Crestwood, KY 40014

502-222-0056

Kim Hydes director@touroldham.com oldhamkygroups.com

Oldham County, just 20 minutes from downtown Louisville, is known as the Farm Tour Capital of Kentucky. It’s a perfect hub for exploring Bourbon, Horses, Trains, and Underground Railroad history. Stay just outside the city and SAVE while experiencing ALL things Kentucky in ONE place…ONLY in Oldham!

LOUISIANA

Destrehan Plantation

13034 River Rd.

Destrehan, LA 70047

985-764-9315

Leslie Brewer

leslie@destrehanplantation.org destrehanplantation.org

Est.in 1787, Destrehan Plantation is the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley and the closest plantation to New Orleans. Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 5:30 pm, excluding holidays, tours leave every half hour.

LOUISIANA

Explore Houma

114 Tourist Dr. Gray, LA 70359

985-868-2732

info@explorehouma.com explorehouma.com

Just 55 miles from New Orleans, Louisiana’s Bayou Country contains over 2,500 square miles of mysterious swamps and vast wetlands. Explore Houma offers unique attractions, affordable lodging and delicious dining that’s influenced by our Cajun culture and hospitality. Come experience all the exotic, the mysterious and the flavorful that is found only in Louisiana’s Bayou Country!

LOUISIANA

Houmas House Historic Estate and Gardens

40136 Hwy. 942

Darrow, LA 70725

225-473-9380

Leslie Brewer leslie@houmashouse.com houmashouse.com

Houmas House is a majestic Louisiana estate offering a captivating blend of history and luxury. Explore the grandeur of a restored antebellum mansion, wander through exquisite gardens, indulge in fine dining, and relax in elegant accommodations. Whether a romantic escape or a memorable event, Houmas House creates lasting impressions.

BUYER’S GUIDE DIRECTORY

LOUISIANA

Louisiana — Feed Your Soul 1051 North 3rd St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225-342-8100

Matthew Cope mcope@crt.la.gov explorelouisiana.com

Find Your Louisiana

Visiting Louisiana is different for everyone. No matter what you love, you’ll find what you need to Feed Your Soul. With a variety of live music, natural beauty, a rich culture and delicious food, Louisiana has something for everyone.What will your Louisiana be? Visit FindYourLouisiana.com to start planning.

LOUISIANA

Visit Baton Rouge 359 Third St. Baton Rouge, LA, 70801 225-382-3587

Geraldine Bordelon geraldine@visitbatonrouge.com visitbatonrourge.com

Visit Louisiana’s Capital City, Baton Rouge, where you’ll make memories of an authentic Louisiana experience. Immerse yourself in a city amid an economic and cultural renaissance, enjoying its food, drinks, historical museums, and attractions. Our Louisiana culture will have you coming back for more.

MISSISSIPPI

Visit Columbus 117 3rd St. South Columbus, MS 39701 662-329-1191

Frances Glenn frances@visitcolumbusms.org visitcolumbus.org

Columbus blends Southern architecture with a rich blues legacy, vibrant downtown, and unique dining. Explore the Tennessee Williams House Museum, historic districts, and African-American Heritage sites like Catfish Alley. With over 135 dining options and diverse accommodations, it’s a city like no other. Catch you in Columbus!

MISSISSIPPI

Visit Mississippi P.O. Box 849 Jackson, MS 39205 601-359-3528

Karen Matlock kmatlock@mississippi.org visitmississippi.org/group-travel

With attractions including casinos, beaches, lakes, nature trails, golf courses, historical sites and homes, factory-outlet shopping, music hotspots and more, Mississippi offers exciting locations for any group. Whether your trip is built around family, shared hobbies or interests, Visit Mississippi can help you develop an itinerary to make your trip truly extraordinary.

MISSISSIPPI

Visit Vicksburg 52 Old Hwy. 27 Vicksburg, MS 39183 800-221-3536 or 601-883-9939

Ashley Gatian ashley@visitvicksburg.com visitvicksburg.com

Vicksburg—located along the Mississippi River in west-central Mississippi—is home to rich history, engaging art, unique attractions, and abundant options for outdoor recreation. Here’s a closer look at what to see and do in the city known as “the key to the South” at www.visitvicksburg.com.

NEBRASKA

Visit Lincoln 1128 Lincoln Mall, Ste. 100 Lincoln, NE 68508 402-436-2310

Kelsey Meyer kmeyer@lincoln.org lincoln.org

We believe it isn’t the place that makes the people—it’s the people who make the place, and we can’t wait to host your next group tour! Visit Lincoln will put together a tour that will keep you entertained and thinking about the next stop on your itinerary.

NEBRASKA

Visit Nebraska

301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE 68509

Micheal Collins micheal.collins@nebraska.gov visitnebraska.com/nebraska-grouptour-planner

Far from being “flat and boring with nothing exciting to do”, Nebraska offers thousands of group-friendly destinations, attractions, events and activities across its 77,000 square miles within the Great Plains Region in the central U.S. The “Not-At-All What You Thought” Nebraska Group Tour Planner will get your fresh ideas flowing.

NEW JERSEY

Visit Atlantic City 1 Convention Blvd. Atlantic City, NJ 08401 609-318-6097

Heather Colache heatherc@visitatlanticcity.com visitatlanticcity.com/group-travel Live to Explore Atlantic City, New Jersey. A world of entertainment and unique experiences awaits your arrival. Enjoy tax-free shopping, the world-famous Boardwalk, award-winning dining for every taste, exhilarating gaming action, and live entertainment. Visit Atlantic City is delighted to assist you with planning your next group visit to our seaside destination!

NEW MEXICO

City of Alamogordo

800 East First St. Alamogordo, NM 88310 575-439-4100 x4707

Eileen M. Flint eflint@ci.alamogordo.nm.us alamogordonmtrue.com

Situated ideally between White Sands National Park and the Lincoln National Forest, Alamogordo, NM, uniquely delights visitors with unsurpassed awe and beauty unlike any other place on Earth. Discover the cradle of Space Exploration and become enchanted at the Southwest’s oldest Zoo. Opportunities for culture, history, and adventure abound.

OHIO

Shores & Islands Ohio

125 East Water St. Sandusky, OH 44870 419-625-2984

Joey Sugalski joe@shoresandislands.com shoresandislands.com

Bring your group to picturesque Shores & Islands Ohio for an unforgettable adventure. Experience the beauty of Lake Erie, from tranquil island getaways to bustling waterfronts. Enjoy boating, hiking, and exploring local attractions. Perfect for group bonding, relaxation, and creating lasting memories amidst stunning landscapes.

OHIO

Visit Greater Lima 144 South Main St., Ste. 101 Lima, OH 45801 419-222-6075

Jessica Logan jlogan@visitgreaterlima.com visitgreaterlima.com

Plan your next great meeting, convention or event in Lima, Ohio! Visit Greater Lima offers a dedicated team & complimentary services to make your event a success. For more information about our vibrant community and our services, please visit visitgreaterlima.com

OKLAHOMA

Visit Cherokee Nation 877-779-6977

info@visitcherokeenation.com visitcherokeenation.com

Experience the thriving culture of the Cherokee people during your next visit to northeast Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation Reservation spans 7,000 square miles, providing robust tourism offerings and unique immersive experiences. Learn more about the largest tribal nation in the United States and plan your visit today at www.visitcherokeenation.com.

BUYER’S GUIDE DIRECTORY

OREGON

Travel Portland

100 Southwest Main St. Ste. 1100 Portland, OR 97204

Josie Ratnayake josie@travelportland.com travelportland.com/information-fortravel-professionals

Portland offers an experience like no other for your group. Spend time in beautiful gardens and parks then enjoy the renowned food scene. With plenty of tax-free shopping options and easy access to nature getaways, Portland is the perfect spot to get out and explore.

PENNSYLVANIA

Museum of the American Revolution 101 South Third St. Philadelphia, PA 19106 267-579-3525

Nina Giacobbe (she/her) ngiacobbe@amrevmuseum.org amrevmuseum.org

The American Revolution was dramatic, gritty, and full of uncertainty- an era of unparalleled political and social upheaval, even by today’s standards. Museum visitors are invited to explore this rich and complicated era and its connections to our world today. Contact Groups@AmRevMuseum.org or visit AmRevMuseum.org for more information!

WYOMING

Wyoming Office of Tourism 5611 High Plains Rd. Cheyenne, WY 82007 307-214-3217

Amy Larsen amy.larsen@wyo.gov travelwyoming.com/plan-your-trip/ resources/group-travel

Wyoming has been in the group travel industry before it was even a state, as it truly was in the heart of the western migration! From the early trails to rails, and on to the Lincoln Highway, Wyoming continues to inspire travelers with our iconic National Parks, scenery, and western hospitality.

RHODE ISLAND

Collette

888-617-0769

collette.com/groups

Collette Makes Group Travel Easy

Trust your group to Collette, the group experts for more than 100 years. Our team of experts will guide you in delivering the perfect trip for your travelers.

Collette offers over 170 tours to all 7 continents and styles from small group to cruising.

Working with Collette provides you with:

• High commissions and low free travel ratios

• Hometown to airport transportation

• Complimentary marketing materials

• Industry leading travel protection & more

SOUTH CAROLINA

Myrtle Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau

1200 North Oak St. Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843-916-7248

Sandy Haines sandy.haines@visitmyrtlebeach.com visitmyrtlebeach.com/groups

Myrtle Beach has something for every kind of group! From Tour & Travel groups to Meetings & Conventions, visitors will find an abundance of unique experiences that fit their needs. Whether your group is eating together, staying together, or playing together, Myrtle Beach is your mecca for making group memories!

TEXAS

VIRGINIA

George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum

1000 George Bush Dr. West College Station, TX 77845 979-691-4000

Amy Raines media.bush@nara.gov bush41.org

The George Bush Presidential Library & Museum welcomes The Spirit of the Place exhibit through March 30, 2025. Discover how President Bush and his legacy are intertwined with the Spirit of Aggieland. Additionally, Serving America and President Bush: The U.S. Foreign Service, commemorates the centennial of the founding of the US Foreign Service, is on exhibit through February 2, 2025.

TEXAS

National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy. Chantilly, VA 20151

703-572-4118

Visitor Services Team nasm-visitorservices@si.edu airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center

A must-see for anyone visiting the greater DC area, the Center’s 3,000+ artifacts on display tell the story of human flight, from early ballooning to the latest images of the James Webb Space Telescope. See Space Shuttle Discovery, an Air France Concorde, an SR-71 Blackbird, and many more.

VIRGINIA

Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau

101 Salinas Ave. Laredo, TX 78040 800-361-3360

Fidel E Hale IV fehale@ci.laredo.tx.us visitlaredo.com

Whether it’s a sunny getaway, birding retreat, or a weekend escape exploring the vibrant region, find the best of Mexico and Texas in Laredo. A cultural hub known for its South Texas flair, Laredo offers year-round sunny skies, lively shops, a rich ecosystem, and endless history waiting to be explored.

Visit Williamsburg 421 North Boundary St. Williamsburg, VA 23185

757-229-6511

info@visitwilliamsburg.com visitwilliamsburg.com

Here in Williamsburg there’s never too much of a good thing, because there’s too many things to see, do, taste, and experience. Whether you’re a foodie, a golfer, a history buff, a shopaholic, an outdoor enthusiast or a thrill seeker - you’ll find what you came for.

Register for your chance to join us as guest of the Louisiana Office of Tourism for a 2025 FAM of Louisiana’s Capital City, Baton Rouge, and the surrounding area! Registration closes January 15th and you can register by going to grouoptravelleader.com/la-fam.