Select Traveler March April 2016

THE MAGAZINE FOR BANK, ALUMNI AND CHAMBER TRAVEL PLANNERS

select T R A V E L E R

ONE SU ONE SUPER UPER PER CO CONFERENCE ONFER NFER REN E CE ENCE

D DISCOVER ISCO IS COVE CO V R TH VE T THE HE SO SOUT SOUTH UTH UT H | MARI M MARITIME ARITI TIME ME M ME MARYLAND ARYL AR Y AN YL ND

THE MEKONG River

ADVENTURE travel

ISSUE

MARCH/APRIL 2016

GRAND RE-OPENING NOVEMBER 2016 Little Rock’s $70 million renovation of the Robinson Center will provide unrivaled new meeting and special event options for groups looking for a convenient and dramatic location for their next event.

■ Directly connected to the DoubleTree Little Rock, currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation ■ 45,000 s.f. of combined conference center space

FOR ADVANCED BOOKING CONTACT JENNIFER JONES AT 501-370-3258 OR JJONES@LITTLEROCK.COM

G R E A T E R

O N T A R I O

C A L I F O R N I A

e r o l p x e Meet, t c e n n o and c

Greater Ontario is excited to host the Select Traveler Conference in 2017!

Greater Ontario region boasts scenic mountains, deserts, vineyards and metropolitan areas that are both historic and cosmopolitan in character that make it Ideal for leisure and business travel. We look forward to welcoming you February 5 – 7 to Ontario, California. The Ontario International Airport lets you y right into the heart of Southern California.

A state-of-the-art convention center, world class shopping, awe inspiring weather, access to over 6000 guest rooms. All waiting for you when the business day is done.

Meet, explore, and connect in Greater Ontario, California. For more information on your next meeting experience, visit: discoverontariocalifornia.org/meetings 2000 E. Convention Center Way | Ontario, California 91764 909.937.3000 | 800.455.57.55 | info@ontariocvb.org

THE MAGAZINE FOR BANK, ALUMNI AND CHAMBER TRAVEL PLANNERS

select ADVENTURE travel

ISSUE

T R A V E L E R

VOL.24 NO.2

MARCH/APRIL 2016

MEKONG RIVER: ASIA’S ANCIENT HEART Photo by Mac Lacy

contents checking in: MARGUERITE JONES

ON THE COVER: A Vietnamese woman transports goods to sell along the Mekong River.

toolbox: conference marketing: ADVENTUROUS

COVERAGE

IDEAS

career:

ALL-INCLUSIVE

ATTRACTING

INSIGHTS

BOOMERS

8 10 12 62 64 STACEY BOWMAN

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR

MAC T. LACY CHARLES A. PRESLEY BRIAN JEWELL ELIZA MYERS HERBERT SPARROW DONIA SIMMONS DAVID BROWN CHRISTINE CLOUGH ASHLEY RICKS KELLY TYNER

4

Founder and Publisher Partner Executive Editor Associate Editor Senior Writer Creative Director Art Director Copy Editor Circulation Manager Director of Sales & Marketing

selecttraveler.com

20 adventures milwaukee 34 VEHICULAR

888.253.0455

STACE Y@ BANK TR AVELMANAGEMENT.COM

MUSEUMS

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southern TRAVEL GUIDE

Select Traveler, the Magazine for Bank, Alumni and Chamber Travel Planners, is published bimonthly by The Group Travel Leader, Inc., 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507 and is distributed free of charge to qualified travel program directors throughout the United States. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and other travel-related companies, may subscribe to Select Traveler by sending a check for $49 for one year to: Select Traveler, Circulation Department, 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507. Copyright The Group Travel Leader, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

NAME OR ADDRESS CHANGES: If your copy of Select Traveler should be mailed to another manager in your organization, or if you personally know another travel director who is not receiving Select Traveler, please send your correction to: Select Traveler, 301 East High St., Lexington, Kentucky 40507, or call (859) 2530455.

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P U B L I S H E R ’ S

perspective

T

he four of us have agreed: We’re going back to Southeast Asia. It’s a long way from Kentucky to the Mekong, but what’s 24 hours in aisle seats and airports when the other side of the world awaits?

Two couples spent two weeks in three countries in January, including a week on the Mekong River aboard the Avalon Siem Reap, and for every place we saw, another exists. For every dish we enjoyed, another awaits. For every gift we bought, another remains.

“I wasn’t prepared for the juxtapositions we found,” Elizabeth McCoy of Planters Bank in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, told me afterward. Elizabeth’s bank has a travel program: the Passport 50 Club.

“The ancient history that exists alongside those modern cities surprised me,” she said. “The opulence of Angkor Wat, of all those temples and Buddhas, is comparable to the opulence of the cathedrals in Europe.”

My wife, Kim, was drawn to the kids. Whether they were learning English in village classrooms or showing her silver in dusty streets, she embraced those interactions every day.

She was also impressed by the resourcefulness we saw in these cultures.

“One thing that has struck me at every stop is how they use everything,” she said. “Whether it is brick-making or rice candy, nothing is wasted here.”

Wat Hanchey, Cambodia Even Elizabeth’s husband, Hal, who wondered often why we were going so far, was won over by this land and its people. He bought a gorgeous shirt in Phnom Penh and wore it to dinner that evening to the delight of our fellow passengers. He says we’re going to Mongolia next. I think he’s serious.

The Avalon Siem Reap and its staff earned everyone’s respect as our portal into this world.

“The staff greeted every person by name,” said Elizabeth. “When there are only 36 passengers onboard, I guess you can do that. That doesn’t even happen in restaurants at home where they know me.”

Email me anytime with your thoughts at maclacy@grouptravelleader.com.

Mac Lacy 6

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checking in MARGUERITE JONES SENIOR DIRECTOR

W I T H

M A R G U E R I T E

J O N E S

OF ALUMNI SERVICES AND TRAVEL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BALTIMORE

The Johns Hopkins Alumni Association’s travel program started in 1972. Today, the program takes up to 400 of the more than 200,500 alumni on trips around the world each year. With nine schools, the university enrolls 21,000 students.

Born: Baltimore Education: B.A. in romance languages and M.A. in administrative science at Johns Hopkins University Employment: Jones taught French briefly before joining the Alumni Relations program at Johns Hopkins more than 30 years ago. She has taken on various roles, but has led the travel program for most of that time.

Family: Jones has one daughter with her husband, Greg, as well as two poodles and a parrot.

Hobbies: Gardening and needlepoint

Johns Hopkins alumni at the Alcazar of Segovia in Spain

By Marguerite Jones

BY ELIZA MYERS

M

arguerite Jones opened the door to her room and screamed. Whatever she expected to see, it wasn’t a baboon sitting at her window.

“I screamed; then it screamed and ran of,” said Jones, senior director of alumni services and travel program director for the Johns Hopkins University. “Tings like that are so incredible. It’s something I’ve never forgotten.”

Tis personal encounter with Tanzania’s local wildlife has stayed with Jones, as well as numerous other extraordinary adventures she has experienced during her many years leading the Johns Hopkins University’s alumni travel program. Over the years, Jones has shared her love of travel with her fellow alumni, creating trips for up to 400 passengers a year that connect them to the destination and to each other.

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STARTING YOUNG Jones had the chance to stand eye-to-eye with a baboon and travel the world with the alumni program partially because of her passion for travel that began at an early age.

“I know this goes way back, but when I was in fourth grade, I had to memorize 100 pictures of art and architecture and where they were from,” said Jones. “It brought travel to life for me. I still feel art history is an important connective thread in my travels.”

On top of this formative experience, Jones toured all over Europe at 12, spent six weeks studying in France in high school and received a Rotary Fellowship to study in France after college. After all these remarkable European excursions, it is no wonder Jones wanted to fnd a career in travel.

“When I was frst looking for work, I was looking for something

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in travel,” said Jones. “I started in alumni relations. Ten when the travel opportunity came, I took it.”

She now stays extremely busy, with only 50 percent of her job entailing coordinating 25 to 30 trips a year and the other half working with the alumni council and alumni awards and nominations.

Te alumni group mainly travels internationally, with Europe as an ongoing favorite, yet also occasionally visits destinations in the United States such as Alaska, the Mississippi River and national parks.

“Domestic tours are great trips to have in your back pocket when things go crazy in the world,” said Jones. “We’ve also put together in-house long weekends in interesting destinations in the U.S. We’ve done Santa Fe, Charleston, Louisville and St. Michaels, Maryland.

Tose are our own academic, highly experiential weekends.”

A consistent highlight in Jones’ job comes whenever her alumni make new friends and come back with their own “baboon in the window” stories they will tell for years to come.

“We use evaluation forms on every trip,” said Jones. “It’s so nice to read when they give the trip a 10. A lot of institutions can provide travel, so if we can make them feel the Hopkins program is the one they want to connect with, then we are doing our job right.”

T R A V E L

tips

E D U C AT E D G U E SS Jones has learned over the years how to select destinations that will attract the attention of her numerous alumni members despite the fact that they live all over the world — a challenging proposition, to say the least.

“Choosing trips that will sell is one of the hardest parts of the job,” said Jones. “We had one golf trip to Ireland that was really successful, and we’ve ofered others that weren’t. We listen to travel companies to see what they recommend. We look at our past history and where the world seems to be the safest at the moment.”

France, Italy, Peru and China have proven popular choices for Hopkins alumni lately, though Jones works hard to also sprinkle in new destinations. She enjoys ofering some of the more exotic destinations, such as Tanzania, Cuba and Bhutan.

“Bhutan is so remote and so limited to tourism,” she said. “Tat trip brought out the traveler that really wants an adventure or something diferent. Hiking up to Tiger’s Nest with our group was really memorable.”

• Carefully vet your travel providers.

• Create as many touch points with travelers as possible with things like welcome and farewell letters, reading materials, posttrip photo sharing, email sharing, surveys and social media.

• Send a professor who can provide both an educational and a social dimension to the trip.

F I ND ING FA C U LT Y About half of Johns Hopkins’ trips feature a faculty member.

“Te Hopkins faculty that go add so much to the program,” said Jones. “Tey will add another dimension to the program. It’s hard to get them on every trip, so when we can’t, we’ll send a Johns Hopkins host, who is very conversational and helpful during the trip.”

Her ofce will often send out a list of books or articles provided by the faculty or from the Johns Hopkins’ alumni virtual library that relate to the upcoming tour. During the tour, they will speak on a topic from their feld of study that lends a new perspective on the location.

Since the university’s alumni live around the globe, Jones has to rely on numerous methods to keep her travelers connected. She will send out journals, hats, luggage tags and informational material by mail before the trip.

After the trip, she encourages travelers to share their contact information and photos with each other by email to stay in touch. She will then follow up with a thank-you note from the host or professor, with photos from the trip in a photo card.

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T R A V E L

T O O L B O X

adventure for groups

T

BY BRI AN JEW E LL

he experts all agree that when it comes to travel, baby boomers are more adventurous than their parents’ generation, and they are looking for more memorable experiences when they travel. One of the best ways to deliver those experiences is to offer some adventure activities to get their blood pumping.

Conventional wisdom says that senior groups won’t do adventure activities during tours, but the generational shift happening in the tourism industry is rendering this outlook obsolete. Younger travelers are healthier and braver than their parents were at the same age and are eager to try things on the road that they wouldn’t try at home.

The world of travel affords countless opportunities for adventure activities, but some aren’t necessarily well suited for groups. To help inspire you to think creatively about adventure options on your trips, here are five great group adventure activities.

D OG S LE DD I NG For many people, the thought of crossing the open Arctic tundra on a sled pulled by a team of dogs sounds like the ultimate adventure. And although your travelers aren’t likely to compete in the Iditarod, they can get a feel for the thrill of dogsled racing at numerous places around the country. Alaska is home to several dogsled outfits that offer groups rides on wheeled sleds pulled by trained huskies during the warm tourist season.

And other spots throughout the northern United States have wintertime dogsled experiences for interested visitors. In addition to experiencing the thrill of sledding, participants also get to meet the friendly dogs and learn about the fascinating details of the sport.

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HOR S E BACK R I DI N G Few travel activities are more invigorating than a horseback trail ride through a beautiful natural setting. From Montana to New Jersey and Arizona to Missouri, destinations throughout the United States have great equestrian experiences in store for groups. Trail riding outfitters supply horses and all the equipment necessary for an outing, and guides help travelers through every step of the process, from saddle-up to dismount. No riding experience is required for most trail rides, and participants see some landscapes that they would never have seen from the window of a motorcoach. Many riders also bond with their horses during the ride.

R AFT ING No doubt your group has taken its share of boat rides on rivers, but you haven’t really gotten to know a river until you’ve explored it on a giant rubber raft. Though whitewater rafting trips are often considered the domain of youth groups, there are plenty of places around the country where adults can have tamer rafting experiences.

These can include float trips during which guides lead rafts full of travelers on dry, peaceful floats along scenic stretches of calm river to trips that run

CAVE TOURS

some smaller rapids. And if you have true adventure lov-

The subterranean world is full of

ers in your group, a full-fledged whitewater trip is unmatched

mystery, and taking a trip below the

for its adrenaline factor and bonding power.

earth’s surface will give any traveler a sense of adventure. In some of the

AE R I AL COUR S E S

country’s best-known caves and caverns, groups can take guided tours

It seems like every destination around the country has at least one zip-

that highlight history, wildlife and

line attraction now, and there’s a good reason why: With high-speed thrills and

geological formations. Many of these

breathtaking treetop views, zip adventures are among the most

experiences are low-impact excur-

popular activities in tourism. By and large zip lines are safe,

sions on marked trails and lighted

affordable and easily accessible to patrons of a variety of

passageways, but some caves also

ages and ability levels, and guides are experts in helping

offer more adventurous tours that

groups enjoy themselves as they make their way around

involve crawling through unlit areas

the courses. If your group has already mastered the ba-

with headlamps and other spelunk-

sic zip line, consider taking them to a more involved aerial

ing equipment. In some caverns

adventure course, where they can navigate challenging ob-

visitors can even take boat rides on

stacles while suspended several stories above ground.

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underground lakes and rivers.

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C O N F E R E N C E

connection

LITTLE ROCK LIGHTS IT UP SUPER BOWL KICKS OFF 2016 CONFERENCE

Photo by Dan Dickson

BY DAN DICKSON

T

he 2016 Select Traveler Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, brought together 125 travel program directors representing banks, chambers of commerce, alumni groups and other high-end travel clubs. They were joined by 240 travel industry representatives from convention and visitors bureaus and travel companies for two and a half days of hard work and free-flowing information.

Personal six-minute Marketplace meetings between program directors and industry reps were the backbone of the conference. Organizers scheduled three sessions over two days to give everyone opportunities to meet, greet and book business.

“There’s so much we try to pack into several days’ time,” said Joe Cappuzzello, president and CEO of Group Travel Family, which along with Select Traveler magazine, sponsored the annual conference. “We are cognizant of our group’s time, so we have got to get it all done. It’s action packed. A lot goes on here at the Select Traveler Conference.”

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Delegates enjoy River Market District venues during Little Rock’s opening Super Bowl event.

BENEFITS FOR BUYERS Several alumni group leaders were newcomers to the conference and were impressed by the quality of the schedule and the personal contacts they were making.

“It’s my first time, and I’m really enjoying this,” said Wanda Campbell from the Athens State University Alumni Association in Athens, Alabama. “I’m learning a lot about travel, especially how to pick travel.”

Alison Taylor of the Arkansas Tech University Alumni Association in Russellville, Arkansas, agreed.

“I’m new to this game and started in January,” said Taylor.

“I’m hoping to gain experience and see what’s out there. We want to get away from going to the same places, like we’ve done the last 13 years. I want more weekend travel and to create new experiences around the world.”

All program directors seemed to have an agenda and specific goals for the conference. Danielle Jenkins with Carrollton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts in the city of Carrollton, Georgia, wanted fresh ideas.

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INCREASING EXPOSURE From the seller side, the travel industry representatives had a wealth of information, ideas and itineraries for program directors.

“We have customized trips to China and Southeast Asia,” said Max Chew from Ritz Tours in Alhambra, California. “That is our forte. We want to connect with bank groups and possibly alumni organizers, both totally new markets for us. This is our first foray to the conference to build relationships.”

Todd Stallbaumer of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department said he’s trying to “build business into our state and create awareness. Many people don’t know what Oklahoma has to offer, and I’m here to share that,” he said. “For those who do know, I want to finetune details and get down to some thematic tours that could come into Oklahoma. There are both new things in the state and people putting new twists on existing attractions.”

Grand Denali Lodges in Anchorage, Alaska, may be on people’s bucket lists, and Dee Dee O’Brien wants to help travelers get there.

“We’re hearing from people that Alaska is on fire,” she said.

“People love coming there. There are so many TV reality shows on Alaska that brought us to the forefront,” said O’Brien. “It’s a safe destination. No matter what’s going on in the world, people still need to travel. And you don’t need a passport.”

SHARING INTELLIGENCE

Courtesy Terrapin Blue

A dance band highlights Ontario’s final evening event.

“My goal is to meet people and find out about new destinations and exciting itineraries to help me plan my group travel for seniors 55 and older,” she said. “I’m open to any suggestions.”

Karen Rice of Park National Bank in Newark, Ohio, was busy.

“The meetings are going well,” she said. “I’m looking for ideas for trips for 2017-2018 and unique domestic destinations for our 50- to 65-year-olds.”

Program director Cheryl Walter of Norwin Express Tours in North Huntington, Pennsylvania, was soaking up ideas.

“We’re here to develop new markets and places to take people,” she said. “We’re looking to take people to Alaska and down South. We’ve done some international trips but want to improve our domestic side, too.”

“I love all the camaraderie, all the informational booths and meetings,” said Trudi Bocott from the Puyallup Activities Center in Puyallup, Washington. “I’m always looking for something different in trips to send my seniors on. It has to be affordable.

Many of my people are low income, but they love to travel; so it’s all about them.”

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One of the conference’s first activities was a breakout session for buyers. Buyers met informally in ballrooms. Everyone was pitched 30 current travel-industry issues and trends to discuss. Among them were the impact of lower gas prices, terrorism concerns, the popularity of national parks, and city, river and marketing trips.

Breakouts produced interesting comments.

“The economy is bad in our area,” said Donna Adams of American National Bank and Trust in Wichita Falls, Texas. “Oil prices are down, affecting travel. Our travelers are also getting younger. For years, it was the 70-and-older crowd, fully retired. Now, boomers want to travel while they physically can and have money to do it. That’s great for us.”

Jill Ball at Southwest Bank in Fort Worth, Texas, worried about international news.

“The media plays a strong role in international travel,” she said. “They’re in our faces every five minutes about terrorists.

People are afraid to travel to some areas. At our club, domestic trips are soaring; international travel, not so much.”

Sam Burrell of Preferred Travel in Ellijay, Georgia, said, “It’s the fear of traveling overseas. Carriers should help by lowering prices and making better deals.” Burrell also said banks that put young people in charge of travel should realize that not all seniors want to book travel on the Internet or on smartphones.

“They’re reluctant to change,” he said.

The next Select Traveler conference is February 5-7, 2017, in Ontario, California. Denise Daves of the Greater Ontario CVB attended the conference. “Ontario is the gateway to all that southern California offers: Disneyland, Hollywood, Palm Springs, the beach and the mountains,” she said. “We’re right smack in the middle of them.”

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EVENTS

A T

S E L E C T

O

SHINE

T R A V E L E R

BY DAN DICKSON

ne of the nice things about attending a conference is getting to know the city in which the meeting is held.

Select Traveler Conference delegates found out that their host city, Little Rock, Arkansas, knows how to show folks a good time.

The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau threw an unusual Super Bowl party for its guests a few blocks from the convention center and hotel in the city’s popular River Market District. Delegates were each given a special Super Bowl “ticket” for the night’s festivities.

On the back was a list of eight restaurants and bars at which delegates could eat and drink all they wanted as they watched the big game on television. The restaurants featured everything from burgers and pizza to hot chicken.

Rosie Mosteller of Dalton Whitfield Senior Center in Dalton, Georgia, loved the idea.

“It was an awesome experience,” she said. “I like the idea of strolling down the street and seeing Little Rock and choosing where you want to have dinner with great people. It was perfect.”

Doreen McKinney of Mascoma Savings Bank in Lebanon, New Hampshire, agreed as she munched her meal at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken.

“I think it was great because there were so many choices for everybody,” she said. “Not everyone likes the same things. We could try different foods. We wouldn’t find this spicy fried chicken back home.”

Two others had praise for the city and the convention hotel.

“They had signs all over the town saying ‘Welcome Select Traveler,’ and the way they brought in the Central High School band to welcome us was great,” said Mary Beth Kurasek of Busey Bank in Champaign, Illinois. “I’ve never been to a confer-

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C O N F E R E N C E

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ence where you could go from restaurant to restaurant, including alcohol. It was impressive.”

Jean Jech of Home Federal Savings Bank in Rochester, Minnesota, enjoyed the hotel.

“I think the Marriott is the nicest we’ve ever experienced,” she said. “The staff was exceptional, very welcoming, friendly, caring, and went out of their way for us.”

“It’s been an incredible thing for Little Rock,” said Alan Sims of the city’s CVB when asked about the conference’s impact. “I asked people how many were here for the first time, and even I was amazed at the number of hands I got. The exposure we got and the clients who were here were both positive.”

Other conference events were a dinner sponsored by next year’s conference host, the Greater Ontario, California, Convention and Visitors Bureau, which included a rocking live rhythm-andblues band playing oldies. Conference attendees were quick to hit the dance floor.

A breakfast sponsored by East Coast Touring Company woke everyone up: A three-man band from Memphis gave attendees a musical history lesson as they played hits from the famed Million Dollar Quartet of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. The second breakfast of the conference, sponsored by Trips, featured Kenya, one of that company’s longtime specialties, and Masai tribesmen stayed afterward to take photos with delegates.

Delegates enjoyed a mixer before dinner on the second night of the conference sponsored by MSC Cruises, a new sponsor at the conference.

Two luncheons featured longtime tour operator sponsors, both of whom delivered international flair. In one, Collette brought in a bagpipe and drum corps to promote the wonders of Scotland. The second, sponsored by Globus Family of Brands, featured a dynamic visual presentation from its destination partner, the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

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Photos by Dan Dickson and Terrapin Blue

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SPEAKERS

GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES T O P

T

S E M I N A R

O F F E R I N G S

BY DAN DICKSON

he Select Traveler Conference always has outstanding motivational speakers who aim to inspire delegates and encourage them to imagine things beyond the ordinary. Two such speakers graced the stage in the theater area of the 2016 Select Traveler Conference.

Dean Lindsey is a humorous business speaker, author and coach. He wanted the conference attendees to understand his blueprint for forward “progress-based movement.” He said the best leaders help others progress in their careers, even in this age of mind-spinning change. Meeting this challenge makes for better leaders, team members and human beings.

His “Six P’s of Progress” are pleasure, peace of mind, power, prestige, pain and avoidance, and power. “A lot of people say they want change,” Lindsey told the audience. “But do they really want change, or do they want progress? There is a big difference between progress and change.”

Meagan Johnson, who calls herself a generational humorist, talked to the delegates about the hilarious differences between the generations as well as the frustrating ones that can affect business transactions.

Johnson discussed such groups as baby boomers, Generation X and millennials. Although there may be a lot of years between a baby boomer and a millennial, Johnson asked those who run travel businesses to consider the younger person’s point of view.

“If you’ve got a millennial-generation person on your team and they have a new idea, ask yourself this: Will it negatively impact cost, quality, safety or service?” said Johnson “If not, then take a look at the idea they’re proposing. The new millennial generation wants to make a difference in the workplace.”

Many travel groups use motorcoaches, minibuses, school buses, passenger vans, private passenger vehicles and limousines, but do the owners of those vehicles have the proper authority to operate them? Are those vehicles safe? Have they been inspected and maintained according to federal standards? Does the fleet have the full and correct amount of insurance? These are just a few of the vital questions tour group leaders should be asking themselves before they book a vehicle that will carry passengers for whose safety they must be responsible. Greg Nahmens of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration told delegates there is an easy way to get all the background on a particular vehicle operator by visiting www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Before the buyer breakout sessions, Leo Liu, owner of Citslinc International, made a generous offer to delegates regarding his company’s trips to China. Liu told attendees they could enjoy a free inspection trip to China if their schedule permitted later in the year.

“For you, it’s zero dollars,” said Liu. “Every year, we have two free inspection trips. The first is in April, and it is full. You can still sign up for the next one with our departure in October.”

Meagan Johnson addresses generational differences.

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Videos Vi ideos deos o hhig highlight ighl ig hlig hl ight ig h ddelegate ht eleg el legat ate te companies comp co mppan a iess and and destinations. de stitinat st atitions ions destinations

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T H A N K S TO THESE

SPONSORS ANDERSON VACATIONS Delegate Orientation CITSLINC INTERNATIONAL Buyer Breakout Sessions COLLETTE Luncheon – Day One EAST COAST TOURING Breakfast – Day One EUREKA SPRINGS VISITORS BUREAU Destination Showcase FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMIN. Presentation Time GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS Closing Luncheon GO AHEAD TOURS Marketplace KickOff One GO NEXT Conference Registration /Elevator Pitch GREATER ONTARIO CALIFORNIA CVB Evening Meal – Day Two ISLANDS IN THE SUN CRUISES & TOURS Super Session JOHN HALL’S ALASKA Elevator Pitch LITTLE ROCK CVB Best Practices Handbook/Delegate Registry Travel Industry Report/Conference Registration MAYFLOWER TOURS Presentation Time MSC CRUISES (USA) INC Icebreaker Reception Presentation Time NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES Presentation Time TRAVEL ALLIANCE PARTNERS (TAP) Marketplace KickOff Two TRIPS Breakfast – Day Two VISIT FRENCH LICK WEST BADEN Aisle Number Floor Graphics HAMPTON INN & SUITES - MYRTLE BEACH Phone Charger Station

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888-55-TRIPS (87477) www.gotripsinc.com P L A N N E R S

Travel Thoughtfully Designed Delightfully Executed

T A L K

888-55-TRIPS (87477) 18 selecttraveler.com www.gotripsinc.com

B A C K

what did you do when something went wrong on a trip?

SHELLIE ANDERSEN

DIRECTOR OF TRAVEL AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY | TRAVELING CYCLONES

AMES, IOWA “The first trip I hosted before I was the travel director, I had two elderly passengers who were on my trip. I had met them before we got on the flight to Frankfurt. When we landed there to make another connection, they thought we were at our destination, so they headed to claim their luggage.

“When I boarded the final flight, the Lufthansa flight attendant announced their names asking if they were on board. I realized they were my passengers. I then told the flight attendant I was their host. They never made it on the flight, so as soon as I landed, I met our program directors outside and confessed my whole story. They laughed and said the passengers were on their way, and they would pick them up in a limousine. Five years later, I became the travel director.”

CAROLYN COBB

PROGRAM DIRECTOR PLANTERS BANK | PLANTERS BANK PASSPORT 50

HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY “One incident I recall is a lost passport in Ireland. We were well on the road to the next destination when my traveler remembered leaving her passport in her hotel room. Fortunately, it had been discovered by the hotel housekeeping, so the hotel manager was able to overnight it to the next hotel on our itinerary. This is why we stress how important it is to always carry a photocopy of your passport when you travel abroad and to always leave a copy at home as well.”

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Tour

SOUTHEAST INDIANA

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VICE PRESIDENT CENTRAL BANK CLASSIC

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI “We were traveling back from a Panama Canal cruise and docked in LA. On our way to the airport, I received the dreaded text that all flights to St. Louis were canceled because of ice and snow. My first thought was that we had already toured Los Angeles, so I asked the agent at Southwest Airlines to secure the first leg to Las Vegas and rebook the second leg to St. Louis or Kansas City the following day. Our group of 50 had the best night in Vegas, and then a day later, we continued on to St. Louis. It was a lot of insurance paperwork, but all the guests enjoyed the extension of our trip.”

Spend a day along the Ohio River Scenic Byway and explore historic Aurora. Follow an urban arts trail with your artist guide, tour landmark mansions, enjoy a “Linens & Luxury” luncheon and visit a small brewery with a big history.

“Wonderful experience, Top-notch service!”

- CB&S Bank Shining Stars, Russellville, AL

DANIEL STYPA

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS RICE UNIVERSITY | RICE ALUMNI TRAVELING OWLS HOUSTON, TEXAS “During a trip to China with a large group of travelers, we had a variety of medical issues arise for a handful of different travelers. By having established such a great relationship with our tour director and local guides, we were able to assist each traveler and get them the care they needed immediately. If it wasn’t for the attentive service of our ground staff, these unexpected issues could have really disrupted the journey for our 50 plus travelers.”

“Windows of Aurora” Hillforest Victorian House Museum

DIANE BAKER

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI TRAVEL UNIVERSITY OF IOWA | IOWA VOYAGERS

IOWA CITY, IOWA “One situation that sticks in my mind is when I spent a solid 90 minutes on the phone with a major airline convincing them to reserve and pay for overnight hotel rooms for our small party of travelers. We found ourselves stranded late at night in an airport, having missed our connecting flight directly due to mishandling by the airline that the airline admitted was their fault. I wasn’t satisfied with the ‘Well, you’re on your own’ answer I initially got from the airline, so I kept on pressing the issue and negotiating with them until I was successful in getting complimentary overnight rooms for my exhausted travelers.”

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letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get

WET!

Guests should prepare for a wild ride on the Everglades Safari airboat tour.

Courtesy Everglades Safari Park

ADVENTURE travel

ISSUE

climb on board for these fast-paced adventures

BY KEREN HAMEL

P

icking the right vehicle to see natural wonders like Niagara Falls, the Everglades, Oregon’s coastal dunes, San Francisco’s skyline and Arizona’s Red Rocks can transform sightseeing into an unforgettable adventure.

Tour companies are beefing up their fleets of jet boats, dune buggies, airboats, Segways and jeeps to make sure groups of any size can join in on the fun. Here are five great vehicular tours to add some adventure to your group’s next excursion.

WHIRLPOOL JET BOAT TOURS LEWISTON , NEW YORK

In addition to viewing Niagara Falls, groups can hop into a Whirlpool Jet Boat and power through the whitewater rapids created by the falls. The 1,500-horsepower boats speed through Class V whitewater rapids on the Niagara River, take daring 360-degree turns and skirt past the Niagara Whirlpool, too dangerous for boats to enter.

The Wet Jet Tour operates in an open jet boat, so guests can expect a drenching, regardless of ponchos, wetsuits and booties offered by the company.

“Our boats are specially designed for the Niagara River and travel on top of the water and scoop up the water and throw it on the guests,” said Jessica DiCarlantonio, group sales director at Whirlpool.

“It’s like you’re jumping into a swimming pool — you get wet from head-to-toe, completely soaking wet.”

During the calmer stretches of river, guides give a detailed history of the Niagara Gorge. From Lewiston, New York (other tours leave from the Canadian side), guides explain the massive power plants, the battles of the War of 1812 and the history of the Underground Railroad with Lewiston being the last stop before slaves escaped into Canada.

For the thrill of the rapids without the soaking, groups can book a private tour in a Whirlpool Jet Dome. It’s the same tour, but the dome jets have pneumatic doors that close when crossing the rapids. The doors stay open during the historical portions, and guests can snap photos of the gorge that DiCarlantonio says are some of the most spectacular natural shots from the Niagara Falls area.

WWW.WHIRLPOOLJET.COM

EVERGLADES SAFARI PARK AIRBOATTOURS MI AMI

The swamplands and shallow waters of the Florida Everglades are best toured by airboat, which uses the equivalent of an airplane propeller inside a cage to fly across the tropical wetlands.

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“The airboat tour is the best way to see the real Everglades because the water is very shallow and full of lily pads, which make it impossible for just about any other form of vehicle to go out there without causing harm to the environment,” said Robert Szymankiewicz, the operations director for Everglades Safari Park.

Several airboat companies troll the Everglades, but Everglades Safari Park has run a fleet of airboats for nearly 50 years. Their boats accommodate groups of any size.

Every 30 minutes, a narrated Eco-Adventure tour launches from the dock for a 30- to 40-minute airboat ride. Guides point out exotic grasses and vegetation, as well as birds and animals like blue heron and alligators.

“Everglades Safari Park has been around for over 48 years, and many generations of wildlife have lived side by side with the airboats,” Szymankiewicz said. “The airboats are part of the environment, which allows the viewing of wildlife up close and personal without startling them.”

There are treks into the 1.4 million-acre Everglades National Park with a professional guide, a two-hour island-hopping tour and a spectacular ride into the sunset. Every tour includes an alligator show and access to the park’s jungle trail and exhibits, which include Gator Island and the chance to take the classic Everglades photo with an alligator.

WWW.EVERGLADESSAFARIPARK.COM

SANDLAND ADVENTURES DUNE BUGGY RIDES FLO RENCE, OREGON

Oregon’s long stretch of coastal dunes draw off-road enthusiasts from all over the world. Sandland Adventures, located in Florence, makes it easy for groups to take on the towering sand at high speeds or slower paces.

“The fast buggies are for groups looking for thrills on the dunes,” said Darla Hague, who runs the long-established family business with her husband, Chris.

The fast-paced tour covers 19 miles of dunes and one mile of beach in an hour. Around eight riders fit in each buggy, and they’re strapped in by harness for the wild ride. Drivers speed up and down the living dunes, which tower hundreds of feet and can grow as much as two feet a day from high coastal winds. Winter winds tear the dunes down, and summer winds build them back up, which means riders never get the same tour from season to season.

The large buggies pack in 27 riders and offer a more leisurely experience for groups who want to take in the scenery. They cover eight

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Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour charges the rapids

miles of dunes and two miles of beach in an hour. In addition to the shifting sand, guides point out tree islands, wildlife and the Siuslaw River, flowing into the ocean.

Sandland offers tours March through December and also operates bumper boats, go-karts, mini golf and a miniature railroad that runs a half-mile through woodlands, gardens and lakes.

WWW.SANDLAND.COM

ELECTRIC TOUR COMPANY SEGWAY TOURS

Courtesy Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours

Dune buggy ride with Sandland Adventures

Courtesy Sandland Adventures

SAN FRAN CISCO With a feet of more than 200 Segways, the Electric Tour Company helps groups cover San Francisco in a short amount of time. Te company prides itself — and gets rave customer reviews — on narrating every tour with large doses of history and humor from big-personality guides.

“A tour guide can make or break a tour, and we have the best tour guides in the city,” said Brandon Luse, assistant manager at Electric Tour Company. “Tese are actors, comedians, musicians; these are public speakers who are really comfortable entertaining people.”

Luse said several groups show up for the novelty of riding a Segway and end up fnding it’s the best way to tour a big city. Te most popular tours last two to three hours and include a 45-minute training session so groups can get their balance on the Segways before hitting the streets.

Designed for frst-timers, the Fisherman’s Wharf and Waterfront tour runs through Fisherman’s Wharf, the National Maritime Museum, Ghirardelli Square, the cable car turnaround, Aquatic Park and the back alleys of historic Little Italy in North Beach. Te route includes some of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. A similar nighttime tour allows guests to see the same sights and skylines all lit up.

Also popular is the Golden Gate Park tour, which covers seven miles of landscaped trails and roads within the park. Guides share the history of the park’s transformation from sand dunes to city treasure.

Groups already experienced with Segways can opt for the Advanced Hills and Crooked Street tour for more riding and bigger hills. Te Segways easily glide up super-steep Lombard Street, named “the crookedest street in the world” for its eight sharp turns.

WWW.ELECTRICTOURCOMPANY.COM

DEAR MEETING PLANNER: YOU’RE WELCOME.

With Butte’s built-in character and hospitality, it’s no wonder the best meetings happen here. Butte delivers on a variety of meeting ng spaces, including a recently remodeled and expanded resort venue, a thriving uptown with charming restaurants, night life and a historicall district ready for you to discover. Make Butte your smart choice. Get started at buttecvb.com .

PINK JEEP TOURS

SEDONA, ARIZONA Sedona’s towering red rocks and perfectly blue sky seem unreal, and so do snapshots from the Pink Jeeps Tours that deliver groups to those fery formations. Te customized jeeps haul visitors on of-road climbs that would be impossible in most vehicles.

“All of our pink jeeps are purchased new, broken down and custom rebuilt from the suspension to the pink paint,” said Donna Helfrich, general manager of Pink Jeep Tours in Sedona. “We put a lot of time and attention into each one, so they can climb the rocks and carry heavier loads.”

Once the fabrication and suspension work is done, the canopy and specialized seating are installed. Ten, the jeep receives its dramatic coat of pink paint and joins the largest touring feet in the nation. Groups can run caravans as long as they like.

Pink Jeep ofers six main guided tours, several of which can be combined, in the Sedona area. Pink Jeep’s original and most popular route, Broken Arrow Tour, has operated for 50 years, and the National Forest Service doesn’t allow access to any other company. Te twohour excursion frst stops at Submarine Rock, then Chicken Point, which is surrounded by giant spires and famous formations like Bell Rock in the distance. Te jeeps navigate more technical climbs to get to Mushroom Rock, Te 747, Chapel Butte, the Rock of Gibraltar and, fnally, the Road of No Return.

Other tours last from one and a half to fve hours, depending on which combination of formations and canyons groups want to see. If groups are willing to make the 11-hour commitment, Pink Jeep also ofers an incredible tour that stretches from Sedona to the Grand Canyon. Since the trip is longer than others, Pink Jeep commissioned Chrysler to design the Tour Trekker, a sturdy of-road vehicle that ofers luxuries like reclining leather captain’s seats for a comfortable ride.

Segway ride with Electric Tour Company

Courtesy Electric Tour Company

Jeep tour in Sedona, Arizona

WWW.PINKJEEPTOURSSEDONA.COM

Courtesy Pink Jeep Tours

DISCOVER WHAT’S POSSIBLE There’s plenty to discover in Houston. Hyatt Regency Houston/Galleria is located in the heart of Uptown Houston, steps away from The Galleria Shopping Center - Houston's #1 tourist attraction. This hotel features rooms that were designed with the traveler in mind. Built-in case goods are used throughout to give rooms a spacious, modern aesthetic feel.

The theme is derived from the geological aspect of the oil & gas industry.

Steel greys accented by earth tones and turquoise are found throughout.

Book by June 30, 2016 and receive complimentary on-site bus parking and guest room for bus driver. Minimum of 10 rooms on peak.

HYATT REGENCY HOUSTON/GALLERIA 2626 SAGE ROAD HOUSTON, TX 77056 832 803 1234 HYATTREGENCYHOUSTONGALLERIA.COM

The trademark HYATT and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

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MEKONG MAJESTY An ancient river is opening Vietnam and Cambodia to the world

BY MAC LACY

A

ngkor Wat, Cambodia’s exquisite Hindu temple complex in Siem Reap, is rated the top travel site in the world today by the staff of Lonely Planet. It outranks iconic sites like Peru’s Machu Picchu, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and China’s Great Wall.

We spent an astounding afternoon there following our Mekong River cruise aboard the Avalon Siem Reap. However, exploring Angkor Wat is not the first thing I recall when I look back on this journey to Southeast Asia.

Instead, my first recollection is a chance meeting we had in Phnom Penh with a street-smart guy named Meng, who took us on a daylong adventure in his tuk tuk, capped off by a late night, no-holds-barred dash through the city’s boisterous streets and boulevards.

We flew into Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, and took a day to shake off the jet lag before boarding Avalon Waterways’ new all-suite ship, the Siem Reap. We were a group of four: my wife, Kim, and I, and our travel companions, Hal and Elizabeth McCoy. Saigon is a great town, easy to walk through and filled with plenty to do day or night. We toured its Reunification Palace, where North Vietnamese troops arrived in 1975, ending America’s involvement in the war, and Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, built during Vietnam’s 19th-century French colonial period. Then we dined al fresco at Hoa Tuc restaurant in the city’s Dong Khoi neighborhood.

We sandwiched two rooftop bars in before and after dinner, first at the Caravelle Hotel near the City Theatre and, afterward, at Chill Skybar, high above the city night. There, we elbowed our way through throngs of millennials and laughed afterward that we were only able to get in because it was a weeknight.

The next day, our Avalon cruise director, Ha Do, answered one of my questions on our way to the ship.

“Tourism is changing the reputation of Vietnam in the world now,” he said. “Censorship still exists here, but capitalism is taking root. It’s allowed as long as you stay out of politics.”

VIETNAM UP CLOSE We boarded and left immediately for Cai Be. Most of us clamored to the front deck to enjoy the late-afternoon ride on a river we’d heard about all our lives. Compared to European rivers, the Mekong is as busy as Times Square. Millions of people still spend their lives on it.

Worn wooden boats, fishermen washing nets, barges towing sand, even container ships made their way around us.

Avalon’s Siem Reap is intimate. There were 36 of us in its 18 suites.

From the outset, its dining room had the feel of a bistro on the river.

It didn’t take long to pick up Australian and Canadian accents in the room, and the group became delightfully international.

Nam, our local guide for Vietnam, joined us for the excursion into Cai Be, a local fishing village. We took a sampan, a small open-air boat used to ferry ashore, and headed into the harbor. Our hosts provided fresh fruits on these sampans, and I was introduced to a new favorite: rambutan.

This prickly little treat is slightly bigger than a golf ball, and opens perfectly to reveal a gorgeous orb of white fruit. It tastes like pear and has a crunchy pit in the center that gives it character.

We surveyed a harbor teeming with wooden boats and houses on stilts pressed against the shore.

“These sellers use bamboo sticks to advertise whatever they have,” said Nam. “These are New Year’s flowers; others have fresh fruits like jicama, mangoes or papaya. They spend most of their lives on these boats. Those houses are on stilts because there is three meters difference between high and low tides.

“The Mekong is 2,700 miles long,” he said. “It crosses six countries: China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.”

That afternoon, we walked through our first outdoor market in Sa Dec. The markets take place seven days a week, and locals come twice a day. They throw your senses into overdrive. We walked past dozens of vendors offering live fish, frogs and eels, plus fruits and vegetables.

We dodged motorbikes, the vehicle of choice everywhere we went.

“The vendors here are not aggressive,” said Ha. “Hospitality is still the culture. In Vietnam, the marketplace is not just for food. It’s a local gathering place.”

Opposite page: Vietnamese culture remains closely tied to the Mekong River.

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The outdoor markets have changed little for generations.

Sunsets on the Mekong are events.

Photos by Mac Lacy

A MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY The following day, we took a sampan into Chau Doc, a fishing village filled with new-age fish farms, a modern approach to earning a living in Vietnam. We boarded a large floating home, one of many, where the family raises fish beneath the floor.

“There are thousands of fish farms on this part of the Mekong,” said Nam. “These families are doing very well compared to traditional fishermen. They have permits from the government and raise fish for exporting. When you see Basa fish in the USA, that’s from Vietnam.”

We entered a long canal for the Sam Mountain area at the Cambodian border and veered left, where the land opened up to reveal vistas we hadn’t encountered before. Rice farms stretched far into the distance.

This solitary mountain seems out of place on the Mekong delta.

Undoubtedly, that’s how it became home to more than 300 temples, pagodas and shrines over the centuries.

“This town is 10 hours by bus, including two ferries, from Saigon,” said Nam. “Most of these farmers have never been to Ho Chi Minh City.”

We entered its open-air temple and approached the altar. Several roasted pigs graced the altar, their snouts facing the Buddha. Mounds

of flowers, gifts of fruit and many cash offerings crowded the altar. The faithful gathered silently to pray, many holding incense sticks to their foreheads.

We heard a lot of discussion about whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy. Vietnam and Cambodia are both heavily Buddhist. For a novice, it can also be confusing about which temples are Buddhist and which are Hindu.

Afterward, we glided back up the canal past countless homes on stilts, their walls and roofs made primarily of sheet metal, and hundreds of small boats, their engines, which Kim likened to weed-eaters, churning the water behind them.

ROYAL CAMBODIA We toured Phnom Penh by cyclo, a one-person carriage powered by a bicycle. My driver wanted to discuss our presidential primaries.

We headed off to the Royal Palace, home to the king of Cambodia. We toured its Silver Pagoda and Throne Hall, and the Moonlight Building where the king greets the public.

“The king of the power and money in Cambodia is actually the

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

A traditional water blessing in Wat Hanchey

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At port in Chau Doc, Vietnam

gracious ELEGANCE

U

Photo by Mac Lacy

A suite on the Avalon Siem Reap Courtesy Avalon Waterways

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nlike ocean cruising, river cruising is designed to be intimate. The Avalon Siem Reap has the smallest passenger count on the Mekong. There are 18 elegant suites on the ship that spare no detail, from dark wood floors and cabinetry to recessed ceilings and an entire wall of sliding windows that open to the river outside.

People cruise on this ship to be enlightened, not entertained. The lounge reflects that in the evenings.

Jack Farris of San Antonio, Texas, said it best: “I like the lounge just like it is,” he told me. “I don’t need a guy sitting in the corner playing a piano.”

There is no sundeck, no shuffleboard. The deck on the bow is spacious and covered. Many passengers shared books on topics related to our itinerary that Avalon provides in the lounge.

The small bar was busy. Our group enjoyed Angkor beer on tap, wines and a cocktail of the day at no charge throughout the week. After seven days and nights of cruising, Kim and I had no bar tab.

The food onboard is outstanding. We had fresh salads like Vietnamese Banana Blossom, made with chicken, Thai basil, peanuts, shallots, peppers and lime dressing.

Soups were plentiful, like the Burmese Crab Noodle or Cambodian Spiced Pork. One evening’s Chef’s Selection was traditional amok, a local fish marinated in chili and fresh herbs, baked in a banana leaf and served with steamed jasmine rice.

After each excursion, we were greeted by the ship’s staff. Our shoes were taken for cleaning, and we were offered hand sanitizer, followed by a cold washcloth. Near the lobby, we were given fresh fruits and chilled juice.

“Have you noticed that we always hear ‘Welcome back home’?” Kim asked me after one such outing.

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Silver shopping in Konpong Louang

Water buffalo carts on parade

Ancient art at Angkor Wat

Photos by Mac Lacy

prime minister,” said our new guide for Cambodia, Chantha. After leaving the temple there, he said, “The primary teaching of the Buddha is that you get what you give. You reap what you sow.”

We had a free afternoon and evening in Phnom Penh and hired a tuk-tuk driver, Meng, to spend the day with us. A tuk tuk is a fourpassenger carriage pulled by a motorcycle.

We asked Meng to take us for a couple of hours for an overview of the city. He pointed out numerous sites along the way, like Independence Monument, a gift from France erected in 1958. We told him we wanted to see spots along the river where you could have a beer or people watch and see the vast development taking place across the river.

He asked us if we wanted to do some shopping. He took us to Lucky Heritage, a store with well-made silver products, jewelry and small gifts. We bought bracelets, necklaces, silver objects and an elephantheaded Hindu god named Ganesh. We liked his purpose: “Seeking new opportunities and avoiding obstacles.”

We headed to the French Correspondents Club, a landmark watering hole for journalists during the war. We climbed the stairs to the third floor and had a couple of Tiger beers overlooking the busy street and river. It was late afternoon, the best time of day on the Mekong; the sun was retreating, and a breeze had begun to stir.

We had dinner at Malis, a restaurant Ha recommended, and had superb meals including river lobster; curried beef; and fish amok, a curried fish served in banana leaves.

After dinner, Meng took us on a tuk-tuk ride through the streets of Phnom Penh that was pure chaos. We drove past all the hot spots in a torrent of tuk tuks, cars, motorbikes and taxis. We could barely hear each other above the mayhem. Then we made a late-night foray to the night market to buy elephant pants before walking back to the ship.

STORIES OF SURVIVAL Phnom Penh was sobering. We visited S-21, the Khmer Rouge’s prison for the genocide that took place in Cambodia following the Vietnam War. “They began by killing educated people like professors and teachers, including my father, who taught French,” said Chantha. “This prison was a former high school. They told people they were going

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“THE PRIMARY TEACHING OF THE BUDDHA IS THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.”

away for two weeks of training at the re-education center, but they were killed instead.

“I was separated from my mother. I learned to cook. I stayed in the rain, under the sky. I was 7 years old. After years of separation, I met my mom in shorts and that’s all. I told her, ‘You should not cry — I am here.’ One day a year, we have Angry Day.” “How remarkable is that?” Kim said. “They designate one day for anger so they can get on with their lives.”

The following day, we hiked up a steep embankment to Wat Hanchey, an eighth-century Buddhist temple high on a bluff, to receive a water blessing.

“Water blessings have several meanings,” said Chantha. “They are a gesture of respect for the Buddha who blesses you, respect for your fellow man and respect for life. The Buddha attaches a ribbon to your wrist, which means you are under his care.”

We sat with our legs crossed in front of us and faced the monk. The blessing was a beautiful chant that lasted maybe three to four minutes.

Sunlight fell across faces, and it seemed the most sacred moment of the trip.

“Of all we do in Cambodia, I most enjoy sharing the water blessing,” said Ha. “The monk’s chant is as beautiful as a song.”

That afternoon, we disembarked for Angkor Ban, a rural village. We visited an open-air classroom where several dozen children studied English. We sat with them and had animated conversations about their studies and their homes.

“I’m a student of ‘happy,’” Bob Coopman of San Antonio, Texas, told me back onboard. “I like to compare cultures, and these people are all smiling. Many of them don’t know what’s going on outside their villages and don’t care. They are happy with what is — and are unconcerned with what isn’t.”

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Faces adorn this Angkor Thom temple.

A FINAL ADVENTURE

AVALON WATERWAYS 866-821-2752 WWW.AVALONWATERWAYS.COM

On our last full day on the Avalon Siem Reap, we left the Mekong for the Tonle Sap River and walked into the village of Konpong Louang to watch silversmiths at work. These were authentic artisans, and our group bought a lot of silver: bracelets, earrings and decorative elephants.

Our walk through the village was invigorating. We were swarmed by kids anxious to sell us silver; but we had fun with it, and so did they.

Afterward, we drove several miles through the countryside to Kampong Tralach for our last adventure of the week. We boarded carts pulled by water buffaloes for a bumpy ride down to the river. Teams of two buffaloes pulled these lumbering wooden carts as drivers grunted out commands. With each grunt, the buffaloes picked up speed until they delivered us to the waiting ship.

That evening, during our final gathering as a group, Ha referenced a question that many of us had wondered about during this epic journey.

“Some Americans ask me, ‘How do the Vietnamese feel about us?’” he said.

“There is no hostility or resentment here of Americans. That’s the influence of Buddhism, I think. Buddhism teaches us to look forward, not back.”

Photo credit: Bruno Vega

With more than 2.5 million travelers visiting Peru’s 11 World Heritage Sites each year, it comes as no surprise that the country’s $168 million annual tourism revenue is on the rise.

That’s why in 2011, Tourism Cares selected Peru for a sustainable tourism initiative that engaged peers from both the North American and Peruvian tourism industries to make an impact through volunteering and distributing $80,000 in grant funding.

THIS LLAMA IS VALUED AT $168 MILLION.

Join a growing roster of industry-leading companies committed to preserving the places we love and depend on.

Visit TourismCares.org to see how your company can help make global sustainable tourism a reality.

S T A T E

o f

M I N D

chesapeake perfect COASTAL MARYLAND IS A MARITIME TREAT

BY GABI LOGAN

C

rab comes in two forms in Maryland’s portion of the Delmarva Peninsula: cakes or steamed, shredded or whole.

Cakes in eastern Maryland shouldn’t have the breadcrumbs, eggs or peppers you might find to the west: crabmeat, sauce and spices — that’s it. Whole crabs are similar.

They arrive on a tray and are nearly always red, dusted with Old Bay seasoning and with melted butter on the side, along with the mallet and paring knife that are your only assistance in liberating the fresh, succulent meat from its tight shell.

Though the regulated season for the state’s famous blue crabs runs from the beginning of April to the end of November, the obsession lasts year-round, with winter oysters offering but a brief palate cleanser. On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, it seems no matter where you go, life revolves around three things — the watermen, the waterfowl and the water’s bounty — and they all have one thing in common: the great brackish waters of the Chesapeake, the United States’ largest estuary.

There may be only a couple dozen water-covered miles that separate the peninsula from the rest of Maryland, but there might as well be hundreds. Before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened in 1952, the Eastern Shore was so isolated that it petitioned the Maryland General Assembly twice to become its own state, a sentiment so ingrained that its residents put up the proposal again in 1998.

Eastern Maryland today is frozen in time, thanks to excellent preservation of buildings from all periods of American history, and a place where time slows down to focus on the essential.

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Choptank River Light in Oxford

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CHE ST E R T OWN

ST. MI CHAE LS OX FO RD C AMB R ID GE S ALI SB URY

CHESTERTOWN

Chestertown hes es may lie just a few dozen miles across the bay from urban Baltimore, but it seems centuries away. Outside of Annapolis, there’s nowhere else today in Maryland where you’ll fnd such a high number of 18th-century homes. To experience an arrival in Chestertown as Colonial traders would have, take a two-hour sail on the Sultana, a reproduction of a 97foot schooner built in 1768 or, if pressed for time, tour the boat while it is anchored on the Chester River between sails.

Plein Air Easton Art Festival Courtesy Visit Dorchester, by Jill Jasuta Courtesy Talbot County Office of Tourism

One of the most pleasant ways to experience Chestertown is to simply take it all in slowly by foot along the planned main street — called High Street in the British tradition — running from the river to what was once the town square, with the main concentration of taverns and inns for commercial visitors.

Washington College, founded in 1782 under Gen. George Washington’s patronage, retains the largest Georgian structures in Chestertown today. For orientation, groups should start with the Geddes-Piper House, a Federal-style house museum that also serves as home to the Historical Society of Kent County.

Small groups can enjoy an overnight visit to the 1700s at the painstakingly restored White Swan Tavern, which began its life as a tannery and still accommodates guests in the original one-room dwelling.

THE NECKS

Continuing down Route 50, where the small, nesting peninsulas of eastern Maryland’s Chesapeake shoreline are known as necks, Easton sits right on the main peninsula. As the unofcial capital of this part of the shore, it’s home to two of the area’s biggest events, the 50-artist-strong Plein Air Festival, which celebrates outdoor painting in July, and the Waterfowl Festival, which draws 20,000 wildlife art enthusiasts each November.

On the shore in St. Michaels, the 10-building Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum ofers visitors a chance to meet working watermen and try their hand at hauling crabs and other chores of the shore life. Very hands-

on groups can try shaping bow stems and laying planks with a shipwright on many weekends through the museum’s Apprentice for the Day program.

Given its vibrant waterfront culture, it comes as no surprise that St. Michaels is home to one of the most beloved crab houses on the shore: the Crab Claw Restaurant. So close to the water you can throw your leftovers to the rockfsh, the Crab Claw is a hands-on experience of a very diferent kind. Once you place your order, your selection of crabs arrives without fanfare — fork or dishware right on your tablecloth, along with a mallet and a paring knife with which to get to work. Always ask for the jumbos, if available, as they deliver the most meat for your hard work, along with a favor that many locals insist is sweeter.

To wash it all down, St. Michaels has your group covered, whatever their preferred libation. In the historic mill, now

Chestertown’s waterfront

By Bernadette Bowman, courtesy Town of Chestertown

ON THE WATER

Crab cuisine in Talbot County

Courtesy Talbot County Office of Tourism

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home to the Eastern Shore Brewery, groups can sample rotating beers like Bufelhead Brown, Duck Duck Goose Porter and St. Michaels Ale, and wine lovers can head next door to quaf Maryland-grown chardonnay and merlot at St. Michaels Winery. For something stif, the Lyon Distilling Company, the state’s second legal distillery, ofers tours and tastings of its rums and whiskeys.

Once you’re out on the shore’s winding fngers, which inch out into the water as if to bring watermen one step closer to their crabs and oysters, the winding roads make driving the long way around. Tankfully, many local captains are happy to help you get around by water rather than bothering with land. Te nation’s oldest privately operated ferry, in Crab Cr Crabcake abcaake ab k in in Dorchester Dorche Do heest ster ter e County Cou C ount ntyy service since 1783, runs daily between St. Michaels and Oxford, home to two other crab inBy Jill Jasuta, courtesy Visit Dorchester stitutions.

A restaurant called Schooners has stolen some hearts from Crab Claw for its steamed crabs, but its main attraction is soft-shell crab, served — like most things on the shore — simply stacked on a roll with tomato and mayonnaise. On the opposite end of presentation, chef Mark Salter’s award-winning crab cakes at Salter’s Tavern and Tap Room in Oxford’s 18th-century Robert Morris Inn have been ranked among the best crabcakes on the shore.

When you’re this far out on the water, the only sensible place to go is farther out, and two tours ofer diferent takes on the shore. For a modern view of historic sites, groups can explore four unusual isolated lighthouses from the 1800s of the coast. From Tilghman Island, ffth-generation waterman Captain Wade Murphy takes groups out on the 1886 Rebecca T. Ruark, one of the oldest working skipjacks, for a sunset cruise and oyster-shucking lesson. Te special boat style is used for dredging oysters in the shallow Chesapeake Bay.

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DORCHESTER ON DOWN

coys in the museum’s extensive shop. Tours of the 2,500-piece collection and picnic lunches on the waterfront grounds are also available.

Back in Cambridge stands an 1890 company that bills itself as the world’s oldest crab packinghouse: J.M. Clayton. And that is exactly what it is. Tere’s no tour, barely a storefront to speak of and only one parking lot for both customers and shipping trucks bound for New York and Montreal.

But like so many things on the shore, that unencumbered, unsung exterior hides an experience you’ll never forget: in this case, a souvenir. Whether you want whole crabs, preshelled fresh meat or pasteurized meat, they’ll take your order at the clerk’s window and pack it fresh in the back. Tis unusual stop and send-of lets guests take home the unadulterated form of the shore’s water obsession in its purest form. www.visitmaryland.org

Back on the main peninsula, the smart brick downtown of Dorchester county seat Cambridge beckons with its historic center and long shoreline park. Cambridge has many famous native daughters, including Annie Oakley and Harriet Tubman, who is honored by a museum and the new Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument and State Park.

Groups can follow the historic High Street, with its cobBlackwater National Wildlife Refuge blestone stretches and Queen

By Jill Jasuta, courtesy Visit Dorchester Anne- and Federal-style homes, to the Long Wharf, where the 63-foot-long living-history muWard Museum of Wildfowl Art Salisbury coast seum and working skipjack Nathan of Dorchester is available for weekend visits and cruises on the Choptank River.

While many towns on the shore feature only small inns, which are historic, storied and worth a stay if group size Courtesy Wicomico County

By Tony Weeg, courtesy Wicomico County permits, Cambridge ofers the frst opportunity for groups to spread out at a larger property at the 400-room Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, far enough out OCEAN OCEA N CITY, CITY CITY, MD of town that you’ll be awakened by birds and waves instead of cars and delivery trucks.

South of Cambridge, civilization drifts away entirely at the 27,000-acre Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors see wild birds such as pileated woodpeckers and bald eagles, which are so prevalent that groups have a good chance of spotting one from the reserve’s main sevenmile loop, Wildlife Drive. For a deeper dive into the reserve, the 2.7-mile Key Wallace hiking trail and demonstration forest showcases one Planning a group trip has never been easier—or more fun! Whoever you’re of the refuge’s oldest stands of trees, and three planning for, let us be your tour guide. All you have to do is sit back, relax paddling trails of varying levels of difculty can and enjoy the OC view. There’s literally something for everyone, including: put your group face-to-face with a blue heron.

MORE THAN JUST THE BEACH! FUN UNDER THE OCEAN CITY SUN

SOUTH TO SALISBURY

Continuing southeast to Salisbury, the largest city on the shore, groups can create their own personal piece of Eastern Shore wildlife memorabilia. Te Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art ofers duck decoy carving lessons taught by master woodworkers. After the class, visitors can check out the gallery exhibit, which explores the relationships between nature and culture, or purchase professionally carved de-

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Our FREE award-winning boardwalk and 10-mile beach 200+ restaurants and non-stop nightlife Year-round festivals, concerts and events Shopping, wildlife and historical museums So start planning your group trip to Ocean City, MD, now.

BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW!

Call Norma Dobrowolski CVB Destination Sales & Marketing Manager | 800.626.2326

ococean.com/group-travel

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MONET & motorcycles

BY ELIZA MYERS

Harley-Davidson Museum

Photos courtesy Visit Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE MUSEUMS SERVE UP FUN

LIVE IT UP IN 2016!

A

n art museum building with a wingspan, a garden ďŹ lled with hundreds of ďŹ&#x201A;uttering butterďŹ&#x201A;ies and a 3-D tour of the Milky Way sometimes catch guests to Milwaukee by surprise. This Wisconsin city, often known for its beer and cheese offerings, also contains engaging world-class museums with such diverse subject matter as the history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and the history of the entire natural world.

Groups can take their pick of extensive museums with enough variety and hands-on exhibits to entertain a wide swath of interests.

Four of the giants in Milwaukeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s museum scene â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Harley-Davidson Museum, the Milwaukee Public Museum and Discovery World â&#x20AC;&#x201D; allow groups to explore a range of topics by encouraging curiosity and fun.

These four museums amaze ďŹ rst-time Milwaukee visitors and continue to reinvent themselves with enhanced offerings and additions.

MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM

As one scans the cityscape of Milwaukee, a white building with a wingspan of 217 feet over an arched structure always stands out. The MilDiscovery World waukee Art Museum resides partially inside the Quadracci Pavilion, which is attached to the movable and winglike brise-soleil architectural feature. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The art museum itself is stunning,â&#x20AC;? said Kristin Settle, director of communications for Visit Milwaukee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The architecture of the building takes your breath away. When you get inside, you realize the depth and breadth of the collection.â&#x20AC;?

The museum rotates 30,000 works dating from antiquity to the present day inside three buildings, among them the Quadracci Pavilion and a new structure that provides 30,000 additional square feet for art.

The 2015 expansion features a section devoted to photography and video with an atrium that is ďŹ lled with light and sweeping views of Lake Michigan.

The museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s galleries are in chronological order so visitors can visualize the evolution of artistic movements. Along with traveling exhibits, the museum displays four ďŹ&#x201A;oors of permanent collections that include 15th-century to modern European art and 17th-century to modern American art.

Art lovers praise the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive American decorative arts, German expressionism and folk art collections. Groups will love the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customizable docent-led tours, adult classes, lectures and MAM After Dark event, which offers after-hours access to the galleries, music, food and a cash bar.

Superb Musicals | Memorable Dining Family Hospitality | Spectacular Shops 1131 Janesville Ave, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 _ ZZZ ÂżUHVLGHWKHDWUH FRP

Opposite page: Guests can admire the Quadracci Pavilion as a masterpiece alongside the other works of art at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM Even guests who have never sat on a motorcycle will swoon when they see the culturally significant artifacts inside the Harley-Davidson Museum, among them Elvis Presley’s personal motorcycle.

“The Harley-Davidson Museum is, yes, a motorcycle museum, but it’s really more of a history museum,” said Settle. “It tells the story of a company that’s been around for over 100 years.

I’m not a rider, but I really love this place.”

Spread across 20 acres, the museum contains more than 450 Harley-Davidson motorcycles and thousands of artifacts chronicling the history of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, as well as its effect on modern culture. One exhibit contrasts the company’s origins from a wooden shack to its current status as the top U.S. motorcycle manufacturer. The oldest-known Harley-Davidson bike in existence sits on display for visitors to compare with the sleek, modern vehicles.

Interactive exhibits allow guests to design their own motorcycles, learn how engines work and sit on one of 10 motorcycles available.

The museum stays fresh with rotating exhibits, behind-the-scenes tours and new additions, such as the “Tsunami Motorcycle Display,” which features Harley-Davidson bikes that washed away during Japan’s devastating tsunami in 2011.

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM

someone who was born and raised in Milwaukee, you feel a real sense of ownership to the museum.”

The exhibit recently received a renovation for its 50th anniversary with additional storytelling elements like the newly incorporated Smell-O-Vision technology.

A recent addition to the 1884 museum, the “Crossroads of Civilization” exhibit chronicles the ancient civilizations of Africa, Europe and Asia with mummies and life-size scenes from history.

DISCOVERY WORLD The Milky Way unfolds before each person who steps in the Discovery World’s Hive 3D Environment. Using virtual technology that responds to a user’s actions, visitors can tour the Milky Way, Boeing aircraft and even nearby neighborhoods in this interactive exhibit.

This humbling experience is just one of 14 interactive science, technology and freshwater exhibits located in the 120,000-squarefoot facility of Discovery World.

“It’s definitely one of the most popular attractions in Milwaukee,” said Settle. “It’s a hands-on museum. You can touch everything there. The museum has a giant aquarium with a touch tank where you can touch sting rays and other freshwater fish.”

The museum’s Reiman Aquarium allows visitors to journey from the Great Lakes to the Caribbean with 10 tanks that represent the changes in underwater life one would encounter along the way. Other exhibits in the museum focus on the Great Lakes’ water system, with one station set up to allow guests to control the weather of a replicated hydrologic cycle.

A digital theater, learning laboratories and live theater highlight different themes, yet all come back to the process of innovation. Groups can decide if they would rather play guitar next to a virtual Les Paul, examine microscopic organisms, create a design project or attend one of the museum’s many customized classes and workshops.

Tropical garden surroundings, tranquil music and hundreds of exotic butterflies dancing in the air all around you: It sounds like paradise, but this colorful wonderland exists inside the Milwaukee Public Museum.

The natural and human history museum covers almost any subject you can imagine, including free-flying butterflies from around the world in the Puelicher Butterfly Museum.

With more than 4.5 million specimens in www.visitmilwaukee.org subjects including anthropology, history, botany and zoology, the museum allows groups to focus on what excites Harley-Davidson Museum motorcycle Science demonstration them. Despite the wide assortracing exhibit at Discovery World ment of topics, some exhibits stand out to most visitors, such as “The Streets of Milwaukee.”

“When you walk down ‘The Streets of Milwaukee,’ you smell beer and sausages,” said Settle. “It is a walk back in time to the early 1800s. You can see businesses from back then and what they would be like. For Photos courtesy Visit Milwaukee

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OUTDOOR CENTRAL

ADVENTURE travel

ISSUE

Billings, Montana, not only lies near outdoor recreation opportunities, but it also offers dramatic scenery at this overlook of the city.

Courtesy Visit Billings

S

BILLINGS IS YOUR GROUP’S BASE FOR ADVENTURE

BY ELIZA MYERS

way from side to side as your horse trots on toward the seemingly endless horizon in front of you. Below the ground, pictograph caves with art from 2,000 years ago await your exploration.

A trail ride past sweeping vistas combined with ancient cave drawings seems like an extraordinary day’s itinerary, yet this wealth of outdoor wonders is common in Billings, Montana, and its surrounding area. Known as Montana’s Trailhead, Billings lies three hours from Yellowstone and right next door to a utopia of outdoor adventure.

“A lot of people use Billings as a base of adventures,” said Andy Austin, public relations manager for Visit Billings. “We have a lot of

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amenities with our breweries, shopping and dining.”

From Billings, your group can choose its own adventure, whether it’s horseback riding, cruising on a pontoon boat through a canyon, hiking near historic sites or embracing the thrill of a jeep tour in Big Sky Country.

HORSEBACK RIDING BITTER CREEK OUTFITTERS To experience the western United States the way John Wayne would have wanted, you should see Montana’s vistas from atop a horse. Bitter Creek Outfitters, 10 minutes outside of Billings, offers this opportunity for horse-riding newbies who want just a taste of the Wild West experience.

Visitors first meet their horses to become acquainted, then get a short introduction to trail riding from guides. Then groups clamber up and head out at a leisurely pace across the outfitter’s 7,000-acre working cattle ranch.

Along the way, riders will view Montana’s Yellowstone Valley with the area’s distinctive rocky formations, ponderosa pines and fields of wild-

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flowers. Guides will point out five different mountain ranges, as well as local history, fauna and wildlife such as mule deer and wild turkeys.

The route also crosses over Pictograph Cave State Park, which runs partially beneath the ranch.

“The horseback-riding trails run on top of the caves,” said Austin.

“It gives people an interesting perspective on the caves. Your group can do a ride and then explore the caves from down below with one of the rangers.”

Prehistoric hunters lived in the park’s caves, which became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Tours explain the significance of animal and warrior images, as well as many artifacts excavated from the site.

BIGHORN CANYON BOAT RIDES

Bighorn Canyon Boat Ride

HIDDEN TREASURES CHARTERS

Looking up at the colorful stone walls, you can see a visual record of the ancient history of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. The area is best explored by boat along the canyon’s lake, and groups can book a cruise onboard Hidden Treasure Charters’ narrated canyon tours.

These scenic boat tours travel 16 miles into Devil’s Canyon, which is up to 1,000 feet deep in some places. Guests will learn about the geological history and wildlife of this lesser-known park on the narrated tour while enjoying the magnificent views all around.

“Bighorn Canyon is one of my personal favorite places,” said Austin. “It’s amazingly beautiful. It’s a 71-mile-long canyon that comes out of nowhere.”

Groups can also opt for the more laid back two-hour Sunset Cruise from Hidden Treasures Charters, with heavy appetizers and colorful skies to match the canyon. Bighorn Canyon’s lake also attracts fishing enthusiasts, which is why the operator also offers fishing charters.

After your float, your group should explore some of the remaining 120,000 acres of the park, including any of the 27 miles of trails.

During the summer, rangers lead tours to some of the park’s historic ranches preserved from original settlers’ early attempts at making a living on the open range.

Groups should also stay vigilant for sightings of bear, bighorn sheep and one of the largest herds of wild horses in the country.

HIKING AT POMPEYS PILLAR

POMPEYS PILLAR NATIONAL MONUMENT

After an arduous journey exploring uncharted territory and making discovery after discovery, William Clark decided to rest for a moment at the top of a stunning rock formation 30 minutes outside of

Big Sky Sunset Jeep Tour

Horseback ride near Billings

Courtesy Montana Fun Adventures

what is now Billings. He only had a few months left until his return to St. Louis, but he took a moment to engrave his name into the sandstone butte.

He named the formation Pompy’s Tower after Sacagawea’s son, Pomp.

His carved name remains visible at Pompeys Pillar National Monument as the only known physical evidence of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Guests looking to combine history with enjoying the vast beauty of the surrounding landscape can hike to this spot and continue to the top of the mesa for a remarkable vista.

“Rangers can give groups tours of the site,” said Austin. “There are amazing views from the top. You can see the Yellowstone River and everything around.”

Guided tours reveal the history of Clark’s connection with the area as well as the ancient human history at the site, which stretches back 11,000 years. The Pompeys Pillar Interpretive Center that opened in 2006 also provides information on Lewis and Clark’s 1806 exploration of the area.

BIG SKY SUNSET JEEP TOUR MONTANA FUN ADVENTURES

Combining a screen-saver-worthy sunset with an adrenalinepumping jeep tour equals a Wild West adventure you’ll not soon forget. Just outside of Billings, Montana Fun Adventures offers this customizable jeep tour, during which guides maneuver their vehicles down trails originally created by Native Americans.

The guides relate stories of the area as the jeeps pass by the Pryor Mountain Range and Blood Valley, where they stop for photos and wildlife viewing. The tour culminates in an open prairie with the sun setting over the mountains as a backdrop.

Groups can easily combine a jeep tour with one of Montana Fun Adventures’ other Billings city tours: a brewery district tour, a chocolate tour, a cemetery tour and a historic tour. These tours present tales about Billings’ lively past as a Western frontier town when it attracted folk legends like Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill Cody.

Visitors looking for an even more heart-pounding experience can choose another jeep tour, the Rocky Mountain Jeep Adventure, which goes through Beartooth Pass. Drivers navigate 22 hairpin turns as they climb out of the Clarks Fork Canyon with its spectacular views.

Those seeking a quieter experience can opt for the operator’s Scenic Beartooth and Red Lodge Mountain Drive, which offers a loop driving tour with numerous overlooks.

“Beartooth Pass just got ranked No. 1 Motorcycle Road in the West,” said Austin. “It’s an absolutely incredible drive. You are going above 10,000 feet, so it’s very scenic up there.”

www.visitbillings.com

Courtesy Visit Southeast Montana

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Courtesy Bitter Creek Outfitters

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OF NOTE C O L L E C T I O N S

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Cour Courtesy ourtesy tesyy Thee American Ame America rican Civil Civil War Muse Museum um

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SOU

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ome cities are inextricably linked with certain key attractions: Philadelphia and Independence Hall, St. Louis and the Gateway Arch, and Orlando and Walt Disney World. In many Southern destinations, these canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t-miss sites are museums, giving groups a slate of ways to enjoy the

site through private tours, on-site meals and receptions, and other exclusive experiences.

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KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Express

Yourself

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Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival April 2-3, 2016

Every May since 1875, thousands of spectators have gathered in Louisville to experience the two-minute race and week-long festival that is the Kentucky Derby. But if your group is in town any other time, they can still get in on the excitement at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Tours, included in the museum’s regular admission, begin with the 18-minute, ultrahigh-definition, racetrack-shaped 360-degree film “The Greatest Race,” which follows a foal from birth to training, climaxing with the final stretch of the most recent Derby race. “It pulls on your heartstrings and makes you want to be a winner,” said group sales manager Karen Schneider. “Coaches from visiting sports teams playing at the University of Louisville bring their team to watch it for inspiration. Even if I’m having a down day, I come over and watch the movie.”

The tour continues with a guided walk through Churchill Downs, focusing on the racetrack’s history; taking in the homestretch, where groups can catch the end of a race if there’s one on that day; and finishing with a visit to the museum’s resident thoroughbred and miniature horses.

Groups with additional time can choose from four specialty tours and behind-thescenes experiences. The Backstretch Breakfast tour takes groups through the receiving barn to the track kitchen for a hearty meal while they watch the horses warm up in the morning. “Very few people get to see that viewpoint with the twin spires in the background,” said Schneider. “We take them to the rail to hear the horses, and even if you’re not a horse fan, I’ve seen people get chills over it.”

Hat-ittude allows groups of any size — Derby Museum staff have done the activity for 3,000 at the ABA Marketplace — to create their own custom Derby hats and take them out on the Downs for photo shoots. For the Off to the Race activity, Schneider sets up betting windows and gives group members $5,000 in play money to bet on prerecorded races. For the holidays, they turn it into the reindeer games, with reindeer names for the horses. Small groups of 20 or fewer can take the Inside the Vault tour, where they can see Derby artifacts that are new to the museum or too fragile to display, accompanied by the museum’s curator.

W W W . D E R B Y M U S E U M . O R G

KENTUCKY

F E AT U R I N G Santé South Wine Festival and Ridgeland OBO Tandem Rally

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Courtesy The Kentucky Derby Museum

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BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Organized chronologically from the early 20th century to the present, the interactive galleries of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute — at times affirming, at times haunting and at other times simply inspiring — show visitors not only the progression of the American civil rights movement, but also how it has had a global impact and affected international human rights.

“The first time I came, I stayed for three hours,” said Laura Caldwell Anderson, the institute’s archivist and director of special projects. “I tried to see everything. We have films throughout the galleries, Bull Connor’s actual tank he rode around in juxtaposed with a tank in Tiananmen Square and a replica of the freedom rider’s bus cut in half that is really moving. Usually, you get into a gallery and you don’t want to move on.”

The museum has combined basic elements like videos into compelling experiences, as is the case with old clips of the Children’s Crusade, which guests view on old televisions set up in the window of a mock television repair shop. And some of the museum’s artifacts inspire pilgrimages on their own.

“We have the jail cell bars behind which King sat when he wrote the letter from Birmingham Jail, and people just make a beeline there and pray,” said Caldwell Anderson. “That’s almost a site unto itself.”

The visit to the institute is typically self-guided, but Caldwell Anderson says tours can be organized for groups short on time, and she can also connect groups with locals who are veterans of the civil rights movement, for historic tours of the surrounding Birmingham Civil Rights District.

W W W . B C R I . O R G

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Get ready for your adventure in the Rocket City!

Huntsville, Alabama | huntsville.org

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute exhibit

VIRGINIA BEACH ALABAMA Courtesy Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

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Embrace adventure at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center

2

Discover the nation’s largest seasonal butterfy house at the Huntsville Botanical Garden

3

Shop the Artist Market at Lowe Mill and stay for a concert & picnic

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Hear stories of spies, lies, alibis & ghosts while touring our Historic Districts, Historic Huntsville Depot, Weeden House ...and more!

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Tourism Sales Manager HuntsvilleCVB

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NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM

NEW ORLEANS

Forget jazz, beignets and Bourbon Street, at least for a minute. Though all of these Louisiana staples are must-do’s in New Orleans, the Smithsonian-affiliated National World War II Museum is not only the top-rated attraction in the city but also one of the top museums in the country.

While the museum visit is self-guided, “we do have a VIP behind-the-lines tour Friday for up to 10 guests, with five hours behind-the-scenes access in the vault and lunch with a curator,” said Ruth Katz, director of group sales.

Katz also creates custom itineraries for groups combining the museum’s special multimedia features and live performances. “Beyond All Boundaries,” a 4-D film experience narrated by Tom Hanks and featuring Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Gary Sinise and others reading first-person accounts from the trenches, is a powerful introduction to the war and its effect on America. “Final Mission” is an 11-minute, standing submarine simulation experience with each guest manning a position on the final war patrol of the USS Tang, which sunk 33 Japanese ships during the war. The experience can accommodate 27 people at a time and runs three times an hour.

The museum’s Stagedoor Canteen features live dinner shows on Friday and Saturday nights as well as a matinee lunch on Wednesday. Through August, the canteen is featuring “Songs That Won the War,” and from fall onward, the Victones, a male vocal trio, will bring visitors the swing, big-band and jazz music of the 1940s.

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Culinary Community

LOUISIANA

If you leave Greenwood hungry, you only have yourself to blame. Indulge in some unforgettable meals at any one of our well-known restaurants and then recharge overnight in a luxurious room at The Alluvian. And if you’re inspired to try your own hand at kitchen magic, sign up for one of Viking Cooking School’s classes, where you can become grillmaster or neighborhood pastry chef!

Stagedoor Canteen’s live dinner show Courtesy National World War II Museum

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COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Spreading over 350,000 square feet, Nashvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a world in itself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have over 2 million objects, but only a 10th of that collection is on display,â&#x20AC;? said group sales manager Lisa Wilkerson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most people spend about two hours, but you can easily do a whole day.â&#x20AC;?

The visit to the main museum is self-guided, but visitors have the voice of Bill Cody from 650 AM, home of The Grand Ole Opry radio, in their ear for a narrated tour triggered by each room.

For the Legends, Lunch and Lyrics program, the Hall of Fame brings in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top songwriters for talks over lunch on the unheard stories behind their hit songs, often Grammy Award winners. A member of Johnny Cashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, typically his son, who is a local music producer, can speak to groups for an artist-speciďŹ c experience, or groups can become musicians themselves, working with a songwriter to create their own song and record it on-site.

To dive even deeper into the recording experience, the Hall of Fame also has a studio downtown, RCA Studio B, as part of its museum experience. Still a working studio, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been the site of hit recordings from Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison and many more. After a guided tour, groups can lay down their own tracks with some of the same instruments used for decades of hit recordings.

W W W . C O U N T R Y M U S I C H A L L O F F A M E . O R G

TENNESSEE

VIRGINIA BEACH Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

By Donn Jones, courtesy Country Music Hall of Fame

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AMERICAN CIVIL WAR MUSEUM

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

“THERE ARE NO REPRODUCTIONS. THE ORIGINAL LAMPS PLACED IN 1828 HAVE BEEN THERE EVER SINCE. WE HAVE ONE OF THE FIRST CONFEDERATE

BATTLE

FLAGS.

WE HAVE THE ONLY PORTRAIT OF JEFFERSON DAVIS DONE FROM LIFE AND HIS COMMISSION WHEN HE GOT INTO THE U.S. ARMY.” — L. BRYCE VANSTAVERN

When, after just four months, the capital of the Confederacy moved from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia, where it remained until the end of the Civil War, Jefferson Davis and his young family took up official residence in a white 1818 Neoclassical home originally built for the president of the Bank of Virginia.

Union soldiers arrived in 1865 to find the house intact and used it as their headquarters. The home later served as a school for a short time, but when the city threatened to tear it down, a group of concerned local women bought it to create a museum dedicated to the Confederacy and set about tracking down everything that had once been in the Davises’ home.

“When I show you Jefferson Davis’ desk chair, it is his chair,” said interpretation supervisor L. Bryce VanStavern. “There are no reproductions. The original lamps placed in 1828 have been there ever since. We have one of the first Confederate battle flags. We have the only portrait of Jefferson Davis done from life and his commission when he got into the U.S. Army. Once the museum opened, a lot of folks began donating things back to the museum, and that process continues.”

Today, groups can explore the 15,000-piece Civil War collection at the three-story museum adjoining the White House, which is a self-guided visit, although VanStavern organizes seminars with staff members for groups that want to go deeper.

“They’re only seeing 10 [percent] to 12 percent of the collection at any time, so there might not be anything that addresses their particular interest,” he said. “Talks about Civil War-era Richmond are the ones people gravitate most to, but we have a whole list, from the use of balloons for reconnaissance to the Confederate navy.” Groups are then split into sections of 25 for a 45-minute guided walk through the White House.

The American Civil War Museum consists of the White House, the Museum of the Confederacy and two additional sites: the Museum of the Confederacy in Appomattox and Historic Tredegar, a site just on the other side of town that includes the Richmond National Battlefield National Park and the Tredegar Iron Works, which produced trains and ships for the Confederate army.

W W W . A C W M . O R G

The American Civil War Museum

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VIRGINIA

Courtesy The American Civil War Museum, by Penelope Carrington

The American Civil War Museum

VIRGINIA BEACHVIRGINIA Courtesy The American Civil War Museum

With architecture and amenities far ahead of its time, this Italian Renaissance Revival mansion is one of the many unique experiences you can only find in Macon. It’s more than a place on a map. It’s a vibe all its own.

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SITES R E V E R E D

Today a charming town in West Virginia, Harpers Ferry once played an integral role in the Civil War.

By Buddy Secor, courtesy NPS

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s most Civil War battles took place during the Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incursions into the South, there is no better place for groups to steep themselves in the history of one of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most signifcant struggles. Tanks to interpretive work on the part of the National Park Service, there are many

more ways to experience these sites than a run-of-the-mill walk around the battlefeld. Tis year, as the park service celebrates its centennial, groups can expect even more special events and programs.

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HARPERS FERRY NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA

Before the official declaration of the Civil War, several key events of aggression between North and South, slave owners and abolitionists, brought the country down the path to war. But few have painted as vivid an impression in the collective American memory as John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry.

The Harpers Ferry raid was significant not only for the force involved but also for its location.

“Harpers Ferry was literally on the border of North and South,” said Dennis Frye, chief historian and chief of interpretation, education and partnerships for the park. “The Potomac became the international boundary, and the city was literally destroyed by the Civil War.” Though the raid on Harpers Ferry is the conflict most often associated with it, the town changed hands eight times during the war over continued skirmishes for control of the city’s arsenal and armory.

The Harpers Ferry National Historic Park consists of much more than John Brown’s “fort,” the fire engine house where he made his last stand. If you only have time for a short visit, Frye recommends concentrating on the historic lower town, which has been reconstructed to show the industrial community that supported the U.S. armory in the 18th and 19th centuries.

“We have museums galore in the historic town: the John Brown Wax Museum, museums on the two Civil War battles, the natural history museum, a museum of African-American history and a museum on industry,” he said.

Active groups with more time can walk the Maryland Heights Trail, a four-mile, moderate hiking experience on the cliffs that overlook the Potomac and give a bird’s-eye view of the town, two rivers and the

Shiloh National Military Park

TENNESSEE

“IT WAS TRULY A SHOCK TO THE NATION HOW MANY MEN WERE KILLED AND WOUNDED. IT CAME TO CEMENT THAT THIS WOULD BE A LONG AND BLOODY WAR. IT WAS THE FIRST TRULY LARGESCALE BATTLE.” — DALE WILKERSON

Murphy-Chambers Farm. An easier alternative is one of the Bolivar Heights loops, two walking paths that offer aerial views of the terrain and battlements of the Civil War battle of Harpers Ferry, a precursor to the Battle of Antietam.

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SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK

SHILOH, TENNESSEE

During the Civil War, one of the key differences between the strategies of the Union and the Confederacy was in borders. The Confederates focused on maintaining theirs and holding their ground while the Union sought to push them back, and its main strategy for doing so was to control the transportation routes. In the 1800s, that meant railroads and rivers.

As they moved down the Tennessee River, the Union generals turned their gaze to Corinth, Tennessee, part of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, an east-west connector that was the only complete route from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic at the time.

Shiloh lay in the way.

The Battle of Shiloh on April 6 and 7, 1862, made its mark on U.S. history as one of the bloodiest days ever experienced in America.

Nearly 65,000 Union and 45,000 Confederate forces met on the field, and by the end of the second day of hostilities, 23,000 were dead, more casualties than all of the wars the United States had fought to that point put together.

“It was truly a shock to the nation how many men were killed and wounded,” said Dale Wilkerson, park superintendent. “It came to cement that this would be a long and bloody war. It was the first truly large-scale battle.”

In 1894, the commemorative park was one of the first set up by the National Park Service to honor the Civil War, spurred by monuments erected by states for their regiments. Today, there are 40 such markers on the field, most close to 100 years old. Rangers can lead interpretive tours dedicated to these historic monuments as well as interactive tours that focus on individual battles and maneuvers during Shiloh’s hostilities. Rangers walk groups through what the men would have seen and why generals made the decisions they did in areas like the “hornet’s nest,” a particularly bloody area of fighting on the battle’s first day.

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MANASSAS NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

MANASSAS, VIRGINIA

As the site of two major Civil War battles outside the pivotal point of power, Washington, D.C., the Manassas National Battlefield is one of the most significant Civil War sites. The First Battle of Bull Run, called First Manassas by the Confederate army, in 1861 was the first major battle of the war. In it, inexperienced soldiers found what they were up against, and generals began to prove themselves. In the Second Battle of Bull Run in 1862, more than 100,000 battle-tested soldiers were brought together as Gen. Robert E. Lee drove his army on an offensive to the Union capital.

Spread over more than 5,000 acres, the battlefield offers groups multiple points of entry, depending on interest, but Ray Brown, chief of interpretation and cultural resources management for the park, recommends groups begin at Henry Hill, the height of fighting during the first battle.

After the park’s 45-minute film “Manassas: End of Innocence” in the main visitor center, groups can explore the interactive on-site museum where, in addition to a display of uniforms and weapons, a six-minute light display features troop movements on a map of the grounds.

Groups can then join a ranger-led tour that focuses on either the first or the second battle.

“We can accommodate as many as 80 to 100 at a time,” said Brown.

“There are no reservations except for special events we have speakers for.”

The National Battlefield also offers a 20-mile, self-guided driving tour, but not all of the route is accessible by motorcoach.

W W W . N P S . G O V / M A N A

Historic home at Manassas National Battlefield

VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA

We’ve got you covered.

Plan your next motorcoach tour with someone you know … your friends on the A-Team. We know tours inside and out and can help you plan itineraries or suggest destinations you may not have considered.

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VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK

VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI

Vicksburg National Military Park

MISSISSIPPI

c

All photos courtesy NPS

ARKANSAS WHERE THE NEW SOUTH MEETS THE OLD WEST

By the time the Union army reached Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1863, the Union had made its way down the Mississippi River into the heart of Confederate territory, and the hilltop outpost offered the Confederates a chance for a last stand. And stand they did, for 47 days, ending on July 4, Independence Day. Bill Justice, park superintendent, recommends that groups begin in the visitor center at the southern edge of the park loop for a 15-minute film before setting off to see the city and the surrounding battlefield.

“A licensed battlefield guide goes with the tour on the bus doing a two-hour road tour, starting on the siege lines around the park, through the National Cemetery and the USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum and then back on the Confederate side,” he said.

Unlike your typical battlefield driving tour, guides on the Vicksburg loop interpret the largest collection of outdoor art in the country, more than 1,300 memorials, including bronze and stone regimental markers and busts of senior officers. “There was a big push after the park was created in the 1890s and 1900s, and many of the Union memorials date to then,” said Justice.

Veterans Day and Memorial Day feature major living-history programs in Vicksburg.

“We have an interpretive program that talks about the history of American soldiers,” said Justice. “People dress in soldiers’ uniforms and talk about life on the Confederate and Union lines and that it was very different. One year, a guy put together an entire 60-pound kit of all the things a soldier would have on him.”

In addition to regular ranger programs, which were being finalized for the year at the time of printing, the park has a number of special events for the National Park Service centennial this year.

W W W . N P S . G O V / V I C K

(67 1817

Relive 200 years of history, inside of America’s original gateway to The Wild West. Groups can tour historic sites like Miss Laura’s Visitors Center -- a former bordello -- and the National Historic Site where some of the most infamous outlaws were brought to justice by Judge Parker’s Deputy U.S. Marshals. Groups are also able to explore our diverse natural landscape and even take a train excursion through the Arkansas River Valley and Majestic Ozark Mountains.

“PEOPLE DRESS IN SOLDIERS’ UNIFORMS AND TALK ABOUT LIFE ON THE CONFEDERATE AND UNION LINES AND THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT. ONE YEAR, A GUY PUT TOGETHER AN ENTIRE 60-POUND KIT OF ALL THE THINGS A SOLDIER

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ANDERSONVILLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

ANDERSONVILLE, GEORGIA During the four years the Civil War raged through America, nearly 13,000 Union pris-

oners perished in the Confederate prisoner camp at Camp Sumter, now know as the Andersonville National Historic Site, taking its name from the Andersonville Prison. As the prison was filled to nearly four times its capacity, many fell to diseases related to rationing and overcrowding.

Today, the Andersonville National Historic Site consists of three main components: the historic Civil War site; the National Cemetery, which holds the remains of the soldiers from the prisoner-of-war camp and is still an active veterans cemetery today; and the National Prisoner of War Museum.

“All three are different in tone and have a bit of a different story,” said Jody Mays, chief of interpretation and resources management for the park. “We’re set up as the only National Park Service site to interpret the war stories of all POWs from the Civil War to today. You get captured and journey through the prison camp, it talks about what the families go through, and then at the end, you are released.”

The historic prison site can be visited on a self-guided or a guided tour, as the park offers groups a narrative CD that can be played from the bus, but there are also rangers available to walk people through the prison for a 45-minute tour.

In mid-March each year, Andersonville hosts a living-history weekend. “Re-enactors play soldiers, the priests who came to visit them, and the cannon crew,” said Mays. “One does a doctor and has a tent set up.”

W W W . N P S . G O V / A N D E

VISIT

VICKSBURG The Key to the South THE KEY TO HISTORY

THE KEY TO ENTERTAINMENT

THE KEY TO DINING “WE’RE SET UP AS THE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SITE TO INTERPRET THE WAR STORIES OF ALL POWs FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO TODAY.” — JODY MAYS

THE KEY TO ADVENTURE Andersonville National Historic Site

THE KEY TO SHOPPING

GEORGIA

Contact Ashley Gatian, Sales Manager, for itinerary planning assistance.

800-221-3536 Scan this QR ashley@visitvicksburg.com to visit our mobile site and get your keys to Vicksburg.

www.VisitVicksburg.com

/VisitVicksburg

SIPPING S O U T H E R N

Groups can sample some local ï¬&#x201A;avor at Bayou Rum, a craft distillery in Lacassine, Louisiana.

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Courtesy Bayou Rum

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ith the exception of certain historic areas like Loudoun, Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wine country, and the whiskey-distilling towns of Tennessee and Kentucky, many parts of the South have not had their own legal distilleries, wineries and breweries since Prohibition. But a new wave of craft enterpris-

es in the South has made drinking locally almost as easy as eating locally.

Groups beneft from the fact that these new entrepreneurs place tourism frmly at the core of their business models.

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FIREFLY DISTILLERY

WADMALAW ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA Thirty miles from Charleston, South Carolina, but a short walk from

Tasting room at Rock Town Distillery

ARKANSAS Courtesy Rock Town Distillery

ROCK TOWN DISTILLERY

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

When Rock Town Distillery launched in 2010, it was the first legal distillery in all of Arkansas since Prohibition.

“My passion was whiskey, and I realized there were no distilleries in Arkansas, and I thought, ‘Cool; I can be the first ever,’” said founder Phil Brandon. “We launched with vodka and gin and then, later, bourbon. I wanted to make whiskey, but that takes a while.”

Brandon started running tours of the 15,000-square-foot distillery on Saturdays as soon as the distillery opened, but now they’re available all days of the week, running approximately 30 minutes for the distillery tour and another 30 for the tasting. In addition to seeing the distillery’s operations, touring groups learn what qualifies a whiskey to be called bourbon and about Rock Town’s local sourcing.

“We try to buy locally as much as possible,” said Brandon. “Our corn and wheat and rye are all [from] within 25 miles, and the barrels are also made here in Arkansas.” He’s currently working on perfecting a “native” gin.

On Fridays, upon request, small groups can experience a special behind-the-scenes tour with Brandon in the warehouse, as he walks the group around popping the corks on casks he hasn’t tasted recently while telling stories of how each was made. Visitors each get four caskstrength tastes and a souvenir glass.

Larger groups can also set up private bottling parties or participate in a quarterly tasting series pairing Rock Town Distillery liquors with locally made meats and cheeses.

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the Wadmalaw River bank, in a graceful former winery space enveloped with hanging Spanish moss, Firefly Distillery looks from the outside like the picture of laid-back Southern hospitality. But to get to where they are today, founders Jim Irvin and Scott Newitt had to do some high-powered, big-city political maneuvering.

When winery owner Irving and business maven Newitt first decided to start a distillery, it was illegal to distill and sell spirits in South Carolina. Not to be deterred, they lobbied, created a bill and got the law changed so that it is legal to distill, sample and purchase spirits in South Carolina at a licensed distillery. To sell through third parties and in other states, Firefly partners with Buffalo Trace Distillery, which distills and bottles their recipes.

In keeping with the distillery’s origin as a winery, Firefly’s first product was a vodka made from locale Muscadine grapes. As it tasted more like grappa than vodka, Irving decided to try flavoring the vodka to create a more crowd-pleasing beverage, its now-famous sweet tea vodka.

Louisiana sugar cane sweetens the vodka, and the tea leaves come from five miles away at Charleston Tea Plantation, the only working tea plantation in the United States. Firefly also produces mint, raspberry, lemon and peach tea vodka from Charleston Tea leaves. In 2010, Firefly released a gold-medal-winning sweet tea bourbon in collaboration with Buffalo Trace Distillery.

After a tour of the petite distilling operation, which micro distills 500 gallons at a time, groups can taste special products not available outside the state. Firefly’s lemonade vodka, made with fresh lemons, can be enjoyed only at the distillery, and the tasting room is also one of the few places to get your hands on its Sea Island rums, with flavors like spice and java. Firefly Distillery is co-located with the Deep Water Vineyard winery, so groups can combine their distillery visit with a tour and tasting at the winery, if time allows.

W W W . F I R E F L Y S P I R I T S . C O M

“MY PASSION WAS WHISKEY, AND I REALIZED THERE WERE NO DISTILLERIES IN ARKANSAS, AND I THOUGHT, ‘COOL; I CAN BE THE FIRST EVER.’” —PHIL BRANDON

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Schnebly Redland’s Winery and Brewery

SOUTH EVEN THE COOKIE CUTTERS ARE ONE OF A KIND.

VIRGINIA BEACH FLORIDA

Visit WinstonSalem.com

Courtesy Schnebly Redland’s Winery and Brewery

SCHNEBLY REDLAND’S WINERY AND BREWERY

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA

Peter Schnebly, co-owner of Schnebly Redland’s Winery and Brewery, came to the wine business in a roundabout manner. Having grown up in upstate New York surrounded by wineries, he first gravitated toward the distribution of table grapes, not wine grapes, and then moved to south Florida to start a produce company focused on importing and exporting exotic fruits.

“He saw a lot of fruit going to waste because it was overripe or was B-[grade] or C-grade fruit,” said Julio Amado, marketing and media coordinator for Schnebly. “By the time it got to Winn-Dixie or Wal-Mart, it would have been unsellable. He had a friend who mentioned that wine could be made from lychees, which was one of the fruits he had; Doug Knapp from Knapp Winery helped him out with a couple recipes, and now we have 18 varieties.”

While Schnebly Redland’s may not have been the first winery in south Florida, it is the most unusual in the region, the state and maybe even the nation. Today, Schnebly’s wines include tropical fruit blends along with single fruit lines like avocado, mango, guava, star fruit, coconut, passion fruit and the original lychee, reminiscent of riesling. “We use only what is possible to be grown in Florida,” said Amado. “We don’t grow all the fruits for our wine anymore, but we buy everything local.”

Groups can easily spend anywhere from an hour to four hours at Schnebly taking in a tour of the production facility, which is typically closed to the public. The experience includes wine and beer tastings, and lunch is available at the on-site Redlander Restaurant or, privately, at the Waterfall Tiki, a 60-seat space between two waterfalls surrounded by koi ponds.

In 2011, Schnebly branched out into the beer business as well, opening Miami Brewing Company, the first commercial brewery in Miami-Dade County and an immediate hit with locals. At the new taproom, which opened last October, groups can taste beers featuring local produce, like the mainstay Big Rod Coconut Ale and seasonal products such as Mango Wheat Ale. W W W . S C H N E B L Y W I N E R Y . C O M

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®

For Details and Group Itineraries, Contact:

Kay Calzolari, Kay@VisitWinstonSalem.com 866.728.4200 • 336.728.4237 VisitWinstonSalem.com

BAYOU RUM

LOUISIANA

Bayou Rum

Courtesy Bayou Rum

LACASSINE, LOUISIANA

When the looming end of slavery was slowly killing the Caribbean sugarcane and rum industries in the late 18th century, Louisiana’s Mississippi shorelines benefited from the flood of escaped slaves and sugarcane farmers. But despite the continued prevalence of sugarcane farms today, there was no major Louisiana rum distillery until Bayou Rum started up its stills in 2013.

“It started with just an idea,” said president Trey Litel. “We talked for a while about why there was no world-class rum from Louisiana. With the craft distilling boom, it was the right time. We became the first ground-up distillery on record in Louisiana, though there was an older one in an old warehouse. It took a while to educate everyone and get the permits.”

Group tours begin with a short video on how the distillery got started before delving into an in-depth look at the distillery’s operations, from a visitor center showing the history of sugarcane in Louisiana and how it is harvested to where the raw materials are received to the molasses phase and through to the bottling room. Bayou Rum sources its sugarcane from 60 miles away at the largest working sugar mills in Louisiana, which have operated since 1825 and are still family owned.

Group tastings can feature a specialty drink as well as straight rum and prepackaged gift bags, if the tour leader chooses.

In the few short years since it opened, Bayou Rum has garnered awards for its flagship spiced and silver rums from the American Distilling Institute, the International Rum Expert Panel, the World Beverage Competition and the International Spirits Competition, among others. The distillery also won this year’s Attraction of the Year Louey award from the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association.

W W W . B A Y O U R U M . C O M

“WE TALKED FOR A WHILE ABOUT WHY THERE WAS NO WORLD-CLASS RUM FROM LOUISIANA. WITH THE CRAFT DISTILLING BOOM, IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME. WE BECAME THE FIRST GROUND-UP DISTILLERY ON RECORD IN LOUISIANA, THOUGH THERE WAS AN OLDER ONE IN We’re not just any small town. We’re the most beautiful small town in America, according to Rand McNally and USA Today. Whether you visit the Civil War Museum, the Kentucky Railway Museum, or the pictured Old Bardstown Village, history repeats itself every single day in Bardstown, KY.

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AN OLD WAREHOUSE. IT TOOK A WHILE TO EDUCATE EVERYONE www.visitbardstown.com 800.638.4877

AND GET THE PERMITS.” — TREY LITEL

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BILTMORE WINERY

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

The Biltmore Estate, which welcomes more than 1 million visitors each year, is widely known as the largest private home in America, but few realize it’s also the site of America’s most visited winery, with six times the visitation of mega Napa, California, winery Robert Mondavi.

Nearly half of the Biltmore Winery’s annual production is sold to onsite visitors, who often snap up hard-to-get bottles of its many single vineyard and reserve bottlings.

Though it is young as far as American wineries go, the Biltmore Winery was one of the first to open in North Carolina after Prohibition when it first laid down its vines in 1977. The winery uses its own grapes for about 20 percent of its production; it sources the rest from partnerships with growers in California to fill out its award-winning portfolio of more than 40 white, red, blush, dessert and sparkling wines.

The current winemaker, Bernard Delille, has been with the winery for 20 years and is extremely passionate — positively about his grapes but less so about the local weather. “A lot of the estate was overworked farmland when they got it, not the ideal soil for grapes,” he said. “The climate is more of an issue. Cabernet franc is best to grow here, but it’s hard to market. It has strong fruits and a very heavy mouth.”

Winery tours and tastings are complimentary with estate admission, but groups can choose to add on a premium tasting of reserve wines, a sparkling selection with petit fours or red wines paired with chocolate for a more exclusive experience.

W W W . B I L T M O R E . C O M

Dining Dining ing aatt Biltmore Biltmore Bilt re EEst Estate stat st atee at

VIRGINIA BEACH NORTH CAROLINA Courtesy Biltmore Estate

North Little Rock, Arkansas: a destination for all seasons!

“A LOT OF THE ESTATE WAS OVERWORKED FARMLAND WHEN

Our city’s natural beauty and bus-friendly attitude make it the perfect stop for your group! We ofer a Red Carpet welcome, gift bags for your passengers, a complimentary step-on guide and custom-designed itineraries for all ages and intrests.

THEY GOT IT, NOT THE IDEAL SOIL FOR GRAPES. THE CLIMATE IS MORE OF AN ISSUE. CABERNET FRANC IS BEST TO GROW HERE, BUT IT’S HARD TO MARKET. IT HAS STRONG FRUITS AND A VERY HEAVY MOUTH.”

The Old Mill — BERNARD DELILLE

day!

Call me to

Scott Sudduth 501-758-1424 Scott@NorthLittleRock.org NorthLittleRock.org

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known

F O R

ARCHITECTURE

THE SHARD

FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE

LONDON, ENGLAND

LAKELAND, FLORIDA Courtesy The View from the Shard

RISING FROM THE SHORES OF THE RIVER THAMES, Te Shard joined the ranks of London’s most notable sites in 2012.

Te building’s name comes from the project’s critics at a historic preservation group in London who called the building “a shard of glass through the heart of historic London.” Te building has since become an icon of the English capital alongside other notable sites like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Eye of London.

Te 95-story Shard is topped with glass and steel pinnacles, a design infuenced by London’s cathedral spires and the masts of ships sailing the Tames. Te eight glass “shards” surrounding the building were designed with light in mind. Te white glass used for the skyscraper’s windows were designed to refect light and create a clever interplay with the weather and seasons.

Upon its completion, Te Shard ofcially became the tallest building in the United Kingdom and the European Union. Te building’s topmost foors are home to London’s highest viewing gallery, Te View From the Shard. Te viewing platforms are located more than 785 feet above street level and are about 40 stories taller than other viewing platforms in the capital. Looking out from the viewing decks, visitors can see up to 40 miles in any direction. Also in the building are multiple hotels and restaurants.

WWW.THE-SHARD.COM

Courtesy Florida Southern College

FOR FANS OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, Florida Southern College will be a pleasure to visit. Te college campus is located in Lakeland, about halfway between Tampa and Orlando. Te campus is the largest concentration of Wright architecture in the world and is designated a National Historic Landmark.

Florida Southern is home to 13 Frank Lloyd Wright original buildings, with many unique features of Wright architecture. Te campus has the only Wright-designed planetarium and theater in the round. Te college’s water dome is the largest water feature ever designed by Wright, with streams of water shooting 45 feet into the air. Te campus also has the last stained-glass window designed by Wright and two of his nine chapels.

Wright, who is known for incorporating themes and context into his work, based the campus design, Child of the Sun, on the citrus groves that occupied the space before development. Te campus is laid out on a grid that mimics the lines of citrus trees.

Circular designs and the esplanades connecting all the buildings also bring a sense of architectural unity to the campus.

In addition, the campus archive building is home to more than 20 years’ worth of Wright’s drawings and letters, which can be seen by special appointment. A small portion of the collection, including photographs, sketches and furniture, is on display in the visitor’s center.

WWW.FLSOUTHERN.EDU

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BY ASHLEY RICKS

V I R G I N I A S TAT E C A P I T O L

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

C H I C A G O WAT E R T O W E R A N D C H I C A G O AV E N U E P U M P I N G S TAT I O N

CHICAGO Courtesy Richmond Region Tourism

THE VIRGINIA CAPITOL WAS THE FIRST STATEHOUSE built after the Revolutionary War, so Tomas Jeferson saw a unique opportunity to use it as showcase for our newborn country.

Wanting to diferentiate from the Colonial-style statehouses that the Colonies favored under British rule, he reinforced our ties to Grecian democracy with a Neoclassical architecture design.

Te Virginia Capitol has become the standard for U.S. government buildings. It has many of the features that visitors expect, including the tall white columns and the portico gracing the entrance to the original structure. A conspicuous diference is the dome. Te outside view of the building is simply modeled after an ancient Roman temple, but once visitors enter the rotunda, they see the magnifcently painted interior of the building’s dome along with an original sculpture of George Washington, the centerpiece of the rotunda.

Mark Greenough, the tour supervisor and historian at the Capitol, describes it as a beautiful piece of jewelry with the Neoclassical building as “the jewel” and Capitol Square as “the setting.” Te statehouse sits at the top of the hill presiding over the 12-acre square that incorporates a public green space with the state’s executive mansion, a public library and various government buildings. Visiting groups can also see a rotating exhibit of art and sculptures related to Virginia and U.S. history.

Courtesy Chicago Architecture Foundation

FEW INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDINGS ARE AS BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED as the Chicago Water Tower and the accompanying Chicago Avenue Pumping Station. Te tower was designed as a building to encase and protect the 138-foot-tall standpipe that stabilized the infux of fresh lake water for the pumping station. Despite the structure’s simple purpose, its architect, William Boyington, created a masterpiece of yellow-tinged Joliet limestone that became a rallying point for Chicagoans after the Great Fire of 1871.

Te Water Tower is a Gothic Revival building featuring minarets and a castlelike design with a tall central tower housing the standpipe.

Te building was such an important symbol to the city that it was preserved as the city developed the surrounding area.

Now the site includes a small art exhibit, a branch library and the theater for the Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Teatre Company at the renovated Pumping Station.

Groups visiting the Old Water Tower can also expand their architectural sightseeing with a Chicago Architecture Foundation tour to include nearby sites: the Willis Tower, the Hancock Building and the Fourth Presbyterian Church. Te Water Tower and Pumping Station are located at the corner of Chicago and Michigan avenues at the heart of the Magnifcent Mile, making it an ideal stop before a shopping trip.

WWW.ARCHITECTURE.ORG

WWW.VIRGINIAGENERALASSEMBLY.GOV

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marketing Y O U R

P R O G R A M

ALL IN FOR AN ALL-INCLUSIVE

BY ELIZA MYERS

S

ometimes, a hotel serves the single purpose of sleep on your way from point A to point B. Other times you can step out of your room into a soulhealing Adirondack forest with 40 acres and all day to explore.

Although group travel often comes with the reputation of keeping guests moving too quickly to enjoy the hotel, many groups are increasingly planting roots at accommodations that are destinations in their own right, with some planned time for the group members to just roam as they wish.

Tese resorts or all-inclusive accommodations often sit on large tracts of land and ofer groups both freedom from strict itineraries and opportunities to create custom experiences travelers couldn’t book on their own. Consider these group travel planning tips before you send your group to a resort destination.

THIS ONE OR THAT ONE

Even if you’re convinced that your group would love the fexibility of a resort destination, how do you start to choose from the multitudes of potential locations across the country and around the world? First, decide what type of group travel resort trip you’d like to start with.

If you want only a weekend getaway with your group, fnd a venue within driving distance. Skytop Lodge, a Poconos mountain retreat that combines luxury with 5,500 acres and numerous outdoor activities, prides itself on its location, a two- or three-hour drive from many cities that retains a remote atmosphere.

If you want to include a resort as part of a longer trip, search for a site that would ft into a larger itinerary, such as Camp Orenda. Te all-inclusive glamping, or luxury camping, retreat in the Adirondack State Park could easily turn into a two-night stay on a tour through New York’s Adirondack region.

Tough at frst glance, a “camping” trip might not appeal to many of your travelers, Camp Orenda weaves luxury into the experience to ofer guests the comforts of a regular hotel, such as canvas cabins with upscale bedding and an on-site spa, as well as the connectivity to nature that draws many to camping in the frst place.

Camp Orenda and Skytop Lodge appeal to a wide range of travelers, as both combine luxury and the outdoors and ofer a range of activities, from adventurous whitewater rafting trips to relaxing short hikes through the woods.

A fnal consideration: Make sure your chosen resort is accustomed to working with groups. For example, Skytop Lodge

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has its own groups department.

“We have a trip planner that we can set you up with, so you can plan out however much you wish with your group,” said Jef Rudder, general manager for Skytop Lodge. “We have nature trail walks that are guided. So whether it is in a group setting where the group can learn about nature or on your own, it is a wonderful experience.”

TALK, TALK, TALK

Tough it may seem tempting to simply show up at your hotel destination and turn your group loose, it’s better to discuss what type of experience you envision with the management beforehand. Determine how much downtime and how much “together time” feels right for your group, then arrange the details.

Camp Orenda often organizes activities outside of the retreat’s borders for groups wishing to whitewater raft, take an introductory rock-climbing class or go on a horseback-riding excursion together.

“We are the concierge to our section of the Adirondacks,” said David Webb, owner of Camp Orenda. “People can come here and feel they are in a backcountry setting, but they don’t have to worry about the hassles normally involved in planning.

Tey can just enjoy.”

Tese guided activities sometimes aren’t available to individuals, which makes your tour more valuable for their inclusion.

Skytop Lodge will custom create cooking classes for groups looking for an experiential activity to do together.

“In one class, guests can pick their own vegetables and create their own food magic,” said Rudder. “Te culinary team will assist them in the process. All our interactive culinary experiences are extremely popular for us.”

Whether it’s custom activities or custom meals, these venues whip up one-of-a-kind experiences on a regular basis. Many resorts ofer groups private meal venues that enhance their stay and prevent them from growing tired of the site’s main dining locations.

PREPPING THE GROUP

Once you’ve fnished prearrangements with the site, continue to prepare your group for the experience. Hand out information on the accommodations’ amenities, included activities and nonincluded activities. Make sure travelers begin thinking about what to do during their free time before they arrive, so the options aren’t overwhelming.

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“We give people the opportunity to come to a beautiful retreat and mountain setting where they can explore the area or just stay at the camp and relax,” said Webb. “We can customize the experience for each person or arrange activities based on what the group wants to do. Tey just have to sign up.”

Walk them through the process of signing up for activities, in case they want to kayak on Skytop Lodge’s lake or arrange a mountain biking excursion with Camp Orenda. Handing out the itinerary ahead of time with the unstructured time noted

helps group members know which activities they might have time for and which they won’t.

Even on a trip where the entire day is unstructured, be sure to let the group know what your personal plans are for at least a good portion of the time. Tat way they can tag along with you if they wish, since some travelers would always rather stick with the group.

However loose your schedule, your group can always unite at the end of the day at mealtimes when you can all refect on the day’s adventures you had alone and together.

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Please call for information on single supplement (there is no single supplement on the ES stateroom). The deposit required is $500 per person and is due at the time of booking. Full payment is required minimum 90 days prior to departure. 2017 itineraries, hotels and inclusions are subject to change. Visit emeraldwaterways.com for full terms and conditions. ©Emerald Waterways 2016 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | 20 Park Plaza, Suite 903, Boston, MA 02116.

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Best River Line For Value

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C A R E E R

C O R N E R

growing your group

BOOMERS

the boomers – are you?

ARE READY

BY BRIAN JEWELL

B

aby boomers are traveling, and they’re doing it in droves. So if you struggle to attract them to join your group tours, the problem is not them — it’s you.

Of all the generations of adults alive in the world today, boomers travel the most by far. Their parents, for whom the group tour industry was created, are quickly aging out of the market. Their children, Generation X, have their hands full raising young families. And millennials, though curious and largely uninhibited, don’t have the resources to travel as extensively as boomers do.

As a result, baby boomers are the prime demographic for sellers of travel. But many group travel coordinators struggle with attracting customers of this age group to their tours, and some travel clubs are in danger of closing as fewer and fewer of their faithful senior citizens are able to continue.

For your travel group to thrive, you’re going to have to make some changes to attract baby boomer customers.

UNDERSTANDING BOOMERS

Baby boomers are the behemoths of the American travel industry. A recent AARP study estimated that boomers account for $120 billion in annual leisure travel spending, and an astounding 99 percent of boomers surveyed in that study reported that they plan to take a leisure trip in 2016.

Te survey also found that most baby boomers expect to travel multiple times this year, with an average of four or fve trips planned. For 32 percent of respondents, at least one of those trips will be international.

“One-third of all trips in the U.S. are done by boomers,” said Michael Sullivan of 50+ Communications Consulting, a marketing frm specializing in fnancial services and travel. “Tey take more annual trips than any other group. Tey purchase 80 percent of all luxury travel. And there’s a lot of interesting things developing.”

Sullivan said those developments include a surge in the popularity of girlfriends getaways and “mancations,” as well as activities such as ecotourism, adventure travel, multigenerational travel, spiritual trips and learning vacations.

“Te thing that is important to them is ‘sight-doing’ versus sightseeing,” he said. “Boomers have a penchant for involvement in things and getting their hands dirty. It’s pretty signifcant.”

As a result, the kind of leisurely, staid, predictable tours that were winners with the World War II generation aren’t very appealing to boomers. In order to appeal to this generation, group travel planners will have to restructure the way they arrange tours, allowing for more immersion, cultural connection and free time.

“Plan fexible programs,” Sullivan said.

“Boomers don’t want to be tied down all the time.

Tat can be hard for some tour planners to accept. And cultural immersion is really important, along with active travel experiences. Hands-on learning is pretty signifcant, too. It’s one thing to talk about something, but another thing to do something about it.”

Tere are some other key diferences between boomers and their parents’ generation, Sullivan said. Baby boomers are much more likely than their parents to try adventure activities such as kayaking, scuba diving, hiking or skiing, and they will be drawn to group tours that allow them to do that. And boomers appear less thrifty than the previous generation.

“If you look at their bank accounts, you’ll fnd that boomers are willing to spend more than their parents were,” Sullivan said.

“Tey don’t save as much money as their parents did. Tey’re spending their money, and they will go for more expensive things if they are presented in the right way.”

Above: Tower of London photo op, courtesy Globus

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A SUCCESS STORY

Some organizations in the group travel industry have found ways to succeed with boomers. Te Globus family of brands, which includes the independent-tour arm Monograms and a river cruise line called Avalon, is seeing a lot of business from boomers in its most innovative products.

“We have found that the most success with the boomer market has been with Avalon,” said Joanna Dyer, Globus’ national groups and specialty markets manager.

“We encourage people to do the included excursions, but we’re fnding that a lot want to venture out on their own, take optional excursions or utilize the cruise director to fnd hidden gems.

“Tat breaks away from the tradition of group travel because, traditionally, you want to keep everyone in the group together. But boomers want to break of and explore on their own. Ten you can still come back and enjoy dinner together with your group.”

Trip length is also an important consideration for groups looking to attract more boomers.

Traditional group tours often last more than a week, with some international tours dragging on for up to 20 days. Boomers, some of whom are still working, don’t like to commit to such long trips.

“Time is of the essence for boomers,” Dyer said. “We’re seeing more of them looking for seven-night trips because they don’t want to miss too much work. So the two-week trip isn’t a good way to go. Get all the value you can pack into one week.”

Value is still important to boomers, but because they aren’t as thrifty as their parents, they perceive value differently. Instead of looking for low-cost options, Dyer said, boomers who take group trips want high-value experiences to which they wouldn’t necessarily have access if they traveled on their own.

“Tey’re a little more adventurous, and they want experiences like cooking classes or having a meal in someone’s home,” she said. “Tose rich cultural experiences are setting them apart. You can really catch their eye with uniqueness. Make them feel like they are having a unique experience, and make them feel special.”

J E F F E R S O N V I L L E & N E W A L B A N Y, I N

Explore

RAISE A

GLASS

& HOIST A

MUG WELCOME TO A DESTINATION WITH REAL FLAVOR. Explore

wineries nestled in the countryside...and in the heart of the city. Enjoy a half of dozen breweries pouring an eclectic array of the craft industry’s fnest, and a region’s menu bursting with favor and creativity. All just a bridge away from great attractions such as Louisville Slugger, Kentucky Derby Museum and Churchill Downs® in Bourbon Country. Don't miss the eclectic charm of Clark and Floyd Counties. With a variety of lodging choices, and one of the lowest bed taxes in the area, it's nothing but sweet dreams. Book your group today for Destination Fermentation!

www.SunnySideOfLouisville.org

Top: A Cuban tobacco farm Middle: Dining at a Havana restaurant Bottom: Touring the Cuban countryside, photos by Brian Jewell

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contact our group guru

Kate Kane, Director of Sales • (812) 282-665 Clark-Floyd Counties Convention-Tourism Bureau kkane@SunnySideOfLouisville.org

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W H E R E

w e ’ v e

B E E N

west plains bank & trust company WEST PLAINS, MISSOURI TRIP: Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies TOUR OPERATOR: Sunrise Tours DATE: August 2015 The Go Club traveled for 12 days from Vancouver, Canada, down to Leavenworth, Washington. On the trip, they beheld several national parks in the Canadian Rockies, as well as Glacier National Park.

“I think one of the highlights of our trip was riding on a snow coach out to Athabasca Glacier, then walking on the actual glacier and drinking the water. It was amazing.

Everyone also enjoyed riding on the Red Jammers as we toured Glacier National Park in Montana along the Goingto-the-Sun Road. We got to see where the forest fires had been burning and where some were still burning.”

— CHERYL FINLEY, SENIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND GO CLUB DIRECTOR

nodaway valley bank ambassadors ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI TRIP: Spectacular South Africa TOUR OPERATOR: Collette DATE: November 2014 For 18 days, the Nodaway Valley Bank Ambassadors group explored cities and parks across South Africa with major stops including Johannesburg, Knysna, Cape Town and Victoria Falls.

The group spotted African wildlife on safaris at Kruger National Park and Featherbed Nature Reserve.

“We got to see great mountain scenery, beautiful coastlines and the wildlife in the Kruger National Park, where the group saw the Big Five. The part of the trip that the group still talks about was the optional tour to Victoria Falls and the Elephant Safari.”

— SHERI MCCOY, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT AND AMBASSADORS DIRECTOR 66

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