Select Traveler March April 2017

THE MAGAZINE FOR BANK, ALUMNI AND CHAMBER TRAVEL PLANNERS

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A SUPER CONFERENCE | EXPERIENTIAL COLUMBUS | BALTIMORE GOES BIG | SOUTHERN TRAVEL GUIDE

Endearing, EXPERIENTIAL

travel

ISSUE

enduring

INDIANA MARCH/APRIL 2017

FEEDING GIRAFFES AT THE ZOO WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TOUR ‘TIL WE HIT THE DESSERT TRAY AT SCHMIDT’S

Columbus ranked “Highest in Visitor Satisfaction in the Midwest”

Great tours are Made in Cbus. Pair a visit to the zoo Jack Hanna calls home with a cream puff at iconic Schmidt’s in historic German Village. As a leader in experiential tours, Columbus is a perfect fit for a group of any size (or taste)!

experiencecolumbus.com/tours

Columbus, OH received the highest numerical score among 8 cities in the Midwest in the J.D. Power 2016 Destination Experience Satisfaction Study, based on 26,124 total responses, measuring the experiences and perceptions of travelers who visited a top 50 U.S. destination, surveyed February-July 2016. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com

THE MAGAZINE FOR BANK, ALUMNI AND CHAMBER TRAVEL PLANNERS

EXPERIENTIAL

travel

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T R A V E L E R

VOL.25 NO.2

MARCH/APRIL 2017

INDIANA: ENDURING CHARM Courtesy Indianapolis Museum of Art

contents checking in: DANIELLE YOUNG

toolbox: conference marketing: SEGMENTING TRIPS

COVERAGE

POST-TRIP PLAN

ON THE COVER: The sun sets on the fossil-filled Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana. By Dan Lubbers

career: FAITHFILLED

8 10 12 46 48

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

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STACEY BOWMAN

888.253.0455

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR

STACE Y@ BANK TR AVELMANAGEMENT.COM

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

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COLUMBUS

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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.

perspective P U B L I S H E R ’ S

I

just finished my favorite “quick read” on travel trends for the year ahead. Nothing tells me more about what groups are doing and not doing than the comments we

get from our buyer breakout sessions held at the annual Select Traveler Conference each February.

So here are seven travel trends or ideas I gleaned from this year’s session that I’d like to share with you: One bank has opened a “mini-branch” in its local retirement community and is offering trips to the residents there whether they bank with them or not — that’s smart.

Watch for other banks to do the same.

All-inclusive tours are the rage for a lot of groups that like the amenities of an upscale resort and book it as a group so they can enjoy each other’s company.

Winter is the new summer. We asked if groups were enjoying cold-weather destinations and learned they are doing winter eagle watches and visiting places like Yellowstone, Calgary, Whistler, Snowshoe, and the Arctic Circle, and taking flights to Winnipeg for train trips up into Canada’s frozen tundra. And the Iditarod is on a lot of to-do lists.

The strong dollar isn’t what’s driving group travel overseas. Group after group said that the strong value of the dollar doesn’t really drive travel decisions to other countries. They say traveling with a smaller group and enjoying luxury services are much more influential to their outbound customers than the exchange rate.

Nowhere is too far to go for these groups. By a two-to-one margin, these planners answered that their groups are going to long-haul destinations including Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia/New Zealand. Sounds like the world really is getting smaller.

Meal plans for groups are in transition. Everyone agrees: Younger travelers want meals on their own, and older travelers want meals as a group. More than one planner said their younger travelers often pay for included meals they have no intention of enjoying.

Travel is going deeper. More and more groups are opting for trips to a single city where they can immerse themselves in the culture for a week or so instead of packing up and heading to the next stop.

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

Mac Lacy 6

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checking in DANIELLE YOUNG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

W I T H

D A N I E L L E

Y O U N G

OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

OBERLIN COLLEGE

Oberlin College alums pose together on the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

OBERLIN, OHIO Founded in 1833, Oberlin College was one of the earliest colleges to admit African-American students. The alumni association began in 1839 and now serves more than 40,000 graduates. The college has offered alumni trips ever since its first successful trip to Bavaria, Germany, in 1975.

Born: Minneapolis, Minnesota, but raised in Denver Education: B.A. in English at Colorado State University Employment: Before coming to Oberlin College, Young worked in alumni relations at Pennsylvania State University. She joined Oberlin’s alumni association 12 years ago.

Family: Young and her husband, Patrick, met in East Berlin in 1986 as exchange students.

Hobbies: Young’s passions include travel, photography and playing the mandolin.

BY ELIZA MYERS

I

n 1986, Danielle Young found herself in East Berlin on an unexpected trip that would dramatically alter the rest of her life.

Not only did this formative trip teach her the joy of immersing herself in a foreign culture, but on it, she also met the love of her life: her husband, Patrick.

“I was a senior in high school, and I received a surprise scholarship to study in Germany for a year,” said Young, executive director of the Oberlin College Alumni Association. “I’d never traveled internationally before that, and I did not know German. Of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

Young discovered a lot about travel during that year. She gained perspective on navigating a different culture and staying flexible while facing challenges.

“I learned a lot about my own capabilities,” said Young. “I got a lot of

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confidence while I dealt with unexpected things that happened along the way. I experienced that and met my husband, so it was life changing in every way.”

The love of travel she gained during this year still drives her enthusiasm for Oberlin College’s thriving alumni travel program all these years later.

TRAVEL BUG After her year in Germany, Young had stayed on the lookout for any excuse to travel. When she was promoted to executive director in 2008, she felt excited that among her new tasks, she would oversee Oberlin’s alumni association’s travel program.

“I had never done any professional travel planning before, but I was already very passionate about travel,” said Young. “It’s been a favorite part of my job here. I learned a lot on the job and while working with great travel partners.”

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Though Young had not yet planned group travel when she started as executive director, she had plenty of alumni relations experience from a previous job at Pennsylvania State University and her three years working at Oberlin College.

“I did a lot of event planning at Pennsylvania State, which I think was great preparation,” said Young. “There are several components of event planning and travel planning that are similar.”

She inherited an already-robust travel program, as Oberlin has sent alumni on tours since 1975. Young continues that tradition by helping to craft four major trips a year for its more-than 40,000 graduates.

IN FI N ITE AF F IN I T Y Young quickly realized that one of the keys to the alumni travel program’s enduring success lay in focusing the tour back on the college.

“When I first started the program, we met a lot of other schools that were sending only a few alumni on a trip,” said Young. “How is that building affinity? Our program has to be more than a travel agency. Instead of selling a lot of tours, we prefer exclusive trips that are only Oberlin travelers.”

Young takes a group photo with an Oberlin banner, includes visits with Oberlin students studying at the destination when possible and makes sure a current faculty member goes on every trip.

“Pairing a faculty host on each trip is really a priority for us,” said Young. “Faculty can add an educational component that the tour might not otherwise have. It’s also important to have someone who is connected back to the college on the tour.”

Young also partners tours with the college’s art museum and conservatory for customized art-themed and music-themed tours.

“I think the travel program really brings people closer to the college,” said Young. “Many of our travelers are alums who haven’t interacted with the college in other ways.”

SM AL L B U T M IG H T Y Though the program offers only four trips a year, those tours stay in demand with many repeat travelers.

“I am proud of our program,” said Young. “It is respected because we have kept it a small program with high-quality trips. We try to find a good balance of trips that span the globe. A lot of our alums are very serious travelers and are excited to join our trips.”

Oberlin alumni journey across the continents, with trips to Galapagos, China and Europe regularly scheduled. The group also plans a yearly domestic trip with an active itinerary filled with camping, biking, kayaking and hiking.

Of all the exotic locales Young has explored with the college, China’s Lhasa in Tibet stands out.

“I fell in love with Lhasa,” said Young. “It’s one of those trips that had both the amazing and the challenging. Lhasa is about 12,000 feet altitude, so it is one of the highest cities in the world. We, of course, had warned our travelers about this.”

But even with the cautions, three travelers came down with altitude sickness almost immediately after landing. Despite these worries, she reveled in the city’s monasteries, markets and mountains.

“It’s such a gorgeous city,” said Young. “The

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people are so friendly, and their clothing is so colorful. It was a highlight, and simultaneously, I had a lot of anxiety.”

Even with the unavoidable complications that come with travel, Young remains just as dedicated to traveling as she did after her first taste of it in Germany.

“If I don’t have a trip coming up in the future, I’m nervous until I can figure out where I can go next,” said Young. “I’m always looking for some new adventure.”

T R A V E L

tips

• Include as many touch points for your travelers as possible, such as welcome letters, post-trip photo sharing and thank-you notes.

• Enhance the educational travel aspect of your tours with faculty hosts who have relevant expertise and a willingness to socialize with your travelers.

• Offer as many exclusive tours as possible, since they enhance the connection your travelers have with the college and each other.

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T R A V E L

T O O L B O X

segment your travel groups

BY BRIA N JE W EL L

I

t may be the biggest challenge in group tourism: How do you keep a diverse group of people with a wide range of interests happy and engaged on a trip together?

For years, the standard solution to this problem was to create tour itineraries that offered “something for everyone” in the hopes that each tour participant would find enough activities they liked that they wouldn’t complain about the other activities that they didn’t like. And while that approach may have worked well a generation ago, today’s travelers are more demanding than they ever have been and demonstrate a much lower tolerance for boredom on their trips.

When people travel in groups now, they don’t want to sacrifice their personal interests for the sake of the group itinerary.

That leaves travel planners with the difficult task of finding ways to engage and delight all types of travelers in one trip.

Among the most innovative ways to do this is to segment trips, offering multiple choices to travelers along the way and allowing them to customize their experiences in the context of the group tour. Here are five strategies for segmenting your trips in ways your travelers will appreciate.

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OFFER A R ANGE OF VALUE S. Though group tours often offer better value for the dollar than individual travel does, they don’t always have to cater to the smallest common budget. Some people in your group will always be looking for the cheapest rate they can get, while others are likely to enjoy some upgraded amenities and are willing to pay extra for them. Instead of choosing to cater to one faction or another, why not come up with some ways to satisfy both? Giving your travelers the option to upgrade to a better hotel suite, cruise cabin or airline ticket will allow those who want extra luxury to pay for it while everyone else in the group still gets the best value possible. The tour operators, hotels and transportation providers with whom you work should be able to make this possible for you.

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MAKE GUIDE SER V ICE OPTIO NAL. Some people book group tours because they enjoy traditional, fully escorted trips that include the services of a professional guide throughout every moment of the day. Others bristle at the idea of being locked into a jam-packed itinerary on a tour and crave free time. Many itineraries attempt to strike a balance between these two camps by integrating some free time into the middle of busy tour days. An even better option, though, is to train guides to give in-depth advice to independentminded travelers and then turn around and offer a full day of guided activity to the members of the group who prefer a completely escorted experience.

PL AN MULTIPL E T R ACKS. Most popular destinations offer more activity options

don’t get to do. But you can make more activities available

BE SMAR T ABOUT OPT IONAL E XCU R SIONS.

to your travelers by breaking up portions of your day into

For decades, some tour op-

various tracks based on a variety of special interests. You

erators have offered optional experi-

might have a day when people can choose to visit historic

ences to travelers who want to pay

attractions, tour some area wineries or go on an extended

more for special activities, longer

hike. At the end of the day, bring the group back together

stays and other perks. These options

for dinner to compare notes on their experiences.

can be a good way to provide vari-

than you could realistically fit into a single tour itinerary, which can leave some travelers disappointed by what they

ety to a segmented group, but they sometimes rub travelers the wrong way if they are sold with too much pressure. To avoid this problem, take a service-focused approach to optional activities, making them avail-

PLA N F OR SPONTANEIT Y.

able to people who want them with-

If you’re an experienced travel planner, you know that flexibility is es-

out pushing them on the ones who

sential for group trips, as emergencies and unexpected events can throw

don’t. Options shouldn’t be seen as

off even the best-made plans. If it’s important to be able to appeal to a

an opportunity for upselling or earn-

diverse set of interests during a tour, you need to allow some flexibility on

ing extra commissions; instead, they

your trip’s timing and activities, too. You never know what ideas or special

should be all about making custom-

requests someone in your group might have in the middle of a trip, and if

ers happy.

you plan some extra time and budget to say yes to those requests, it will go a long way toward making those travelers feel satisfied.

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C O N F E R E N C E

connection

PLANNERS ARE BULLISH AT SELECT TRAVELER CONFERENCE Photos by Dan Dickson

Delegates were enthusiastic about their teams and their travel programs at the Select Traveler Conference.

BY DAN DICKSON

I

f there was one recurring theme heard throughout the 2017 Select Traveler Conference, it was this: “Don’t be afraid to travel.”

During a presentation, Bob Buesing of East Coast Touring told the 325 assembled delegates a moving story about his 19-year-old father coming ashore on D-Day in France during World War II and how he overcame fear. “When it comes to travel, go for it,” said Buesing. “We’re all Americans and should never give up. I’m a travel seller. You’re travel buyers. Don’t fear traveling anywhere, whether it’s Israel, Turkey or Europe. Travel is what we Americans do.”

The conference held in Ontario, California, featured trip planners and program directors from banks, colleges and chambers of commerce around the nation, as well as travel industry representatives who presented their sites as potential destinations for travel groups. “We really appreciate Se-

lect Traveler picking Ontario to be its host city this year,” said Larry Kaufman of the Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Select Traveler Conference kicked off with a buyer breakout session at which dozens of ideas were exchanged.

“There’s a lot going on in the world,” said Mac Lacy, publisher of Select Traveler magazine. “At the breakout, they discussed the negative aspects we deal with in Europe and other places.

And yet the tour operator industry as a whole has been on a very strong run lately, and that’s great news.”

Sandra McComb of Glenwood State Bank Heritage Club in Glenwood, Iowa, loves inventive ideas. “It was good to hear both sides. Everybody has the same problems — but maybe someone found a way to correct it, so it’s nice to hear. Or maybe someone has a success story to give. When moderators later share all the comments from the tables, it will be helpful.”

“TRAVEL IS WHAT WE AMERICANS DO.” — BOB BUESING OF EAST COAST TOURING

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APPOINTMENTS

TRAVEL IDEAS A R E

E N D LE S S

AT

M A R K E T P LA C E

SE S SIONS

BY DAN DICKSON

T

hree marketplace sessions were scheduled for the conference, giving everyone dozens of opportunities to sit down in six-minute business appointments with people they might not ordinarily meet.

“It’s a way for us to network with other banks, meet new vendors and gain a better understanding of what’s coming,” said Jeanne Matthews-Fox of Geddes Federal Savings and Loan in Syracuse, New York. “It’s our third conference. We now understand how it all works and use that to our advantage.”

Rosie Mosteller of the Dalton Whitfield Senior Center in Dalton, Georgia, wanted great ideas. “I’ve done this for 30 years, and we have literally been around the world. Our Rosie’s Recycled Teenagers Club 50-Plus travels everywhere. They act like teenagers, but they’re recycled.”

Doreen McKinney of Mascoma Savings Bank in Lebanon, New Hampshire, wanted fresh suggestions, too. “Yes, [I want] new destinations for my customers and to give them something innovative and exciting that they haven’t seen before, domestic or international.”

A chamber and a college are ramping up their travel programs. “We’ve only been doing travel a couple of years,” said Allyson Krull of the Mason City (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce.

“This atmosphere of meeting so many people in a short time is huge for me. I’m excited to see what vendors offer.”

Steve Balza of Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, wanted his people on the road.

“Our program is fairly new, and we need to meet potential partners. Every year, we do one

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alumni tour. That will grow to two. We also have two annual student tours to book.”

On the travel industry side, attractions and destinations of every imaginable type were displayed. Gary Biddle of Atlantic Tours in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, courts American visitors. “I want groups to come to my part of Canada. The U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar is attractive. A tour that costs $1,000 Canadian could be $700 dollars American. Also, the Atlantic part of Canada is a safe place to travel.”

Two travel reps set personal goals for the conference. One was Rob Batchman of Welk Resorts in Branson, Missouri. “When I came to Select Traveler, I set a goal of 15 bookings with banks, chambers and alumni associations.

I know I’ve made at least 15 for this year and 2018. It’s all about follow-through.”

Heidi Ryan of the Lodge at Mount Magazine in Paris, Arkansas, was also a go-getter. “I wanted to get more tour groups into my facility, and I think I’ve done that with new leads and old leads. It’s been a really good conference.”

Matthew Jaeckel of Premier World Discovery in Redondo, California, had a strategy. “We wanted to check in with our current clients and look for new partners. We’ll learn as much as we can about the new ones, and our 20 reps around the country will follow up and, hopefully, meet them at their locations.”

Lindsey Beasley of the Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau sought new and return visitors. “Perhaps it’s been 15 to 20 years since they last visited. We want them back. Maybe they’ve seen Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, but haven’t done Custer State Park or the annual Buffalo Roundup. There are many other attractions for them to see.”

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ENTERTAINMENT

SUPER BOWL DERBY SHINE A N D

J

T H E

BY DAN DICKSON

ust a few hours into the conference, delegates were whisked off to Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario for a Super Bowl party on the floor of the arena. It featured delicious stadium-type food and drinks and what turned out to be one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time. It was shown on arena video boards and screens on the floor. Delegates sat in comfy couches, as if watching at home. Fans wore their favorite NFL jerseys and, of course, Patriots and Falcons fans stood out. “Does the Ontario CVB know how to throw a Super Bowl party or what,” Joe Cappuzzello, conference president and CEO, asked the crowd.

“I just loved the football game but was sorry we lost,” said Falcons fan Barbara Bowen of Barb’s Travel Club in Cedartown, Georgia. “The party was wonderful and the food so good. I enjoyed every minute of it and stayed to the end.”

Jessica Tibbetts of the White Mountain Hotel in North Conway, New Hampshire, was impressed, too. “The Super Bowl party was incredible. It was fun to walk in on the red carpet and be on the arena floor with all the big screens.”

The second night’s dinner and entertainment was sponsored by the Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, which will host the conference in 2018. “We believe there is no better way for us to sell Louisville as a destination to group tour planners than to have them first experience Louisville themselves,” said the CVB’s Nicole Twigg.

A live band prompted delegates to hit the dance floor for a night of fun. Other mealtime entertainment during the conference included Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable impersonators. Delegates also enjoyed Spanish guitar players and singers and a youthful jazz band.

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Photos by Dan Dickson

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T H A N K S TO THESE

SPONSORS A & S SIGNATURE JOURNEYS Custom Marketplace Drape ANDERSON VACATIONS Delegate Orientation CHEROKEE NATION CULTURAL TOURISM Hotel Key Cards COLLETTE Monday Luncheon DIAMOND TOURS Vendor Spotlight DOUBLETREE BY HILTON ONTARIO AIRPORT Sponsor Booth EAST COAST TOURING Monday Breakfast EUREKA SPRINGS AD.& PROMO. COMMISSION Destination Showcase FATHOM CRUISES Banker Breakouts FED. MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMIN. Seminar FRENCH LICK RESORT Conference Padfolio GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS Closing Luncheon GO AHEAD TOURS Seminar GO NEXT Conference Registration GREATER LOUISVILLE CVB Monday Evening Event GREATER ONTARIO CALIFORNIA CVB Delegate Registry, Travel Industry Report, & Best Practices Handbook ISLANDS IN THE SUN CRUISES & TOURS Super Session JOHN HALL’S ALASKA Vendor Showcase LITTLE ROCK CVB Sponsor Booth MAYFLOWER TOURS Seminar MSC CRUISES (USA) INC Icebreaker Reception NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES Sponsor Showcase SONOMA COUNTY TOURISM Marketplace Aisle Signs TRIPS Tuesday Breakfast US TOURS Name Badges

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SPEAKERS

IDEAS SPRING PODIUM F R O M

T H E

BY DAN DICKSON

G

uest speakers offered delegates helpful professional advice, and travel company representatives presented fascinating travel options around the world. Suzette Brawner, a motivational speaker, offered tips for better personal communication.

“Listen to people. Ask questions. Don’t make assumptions,” said Brawner. “We can be so testy and defensive and quick reacting. Learn the value of the delayed response. I think we’re all in a hurry and can’t slow down. Life isn’t an emergency, it’s a gift. We need to lighten up.”

Amber Lattner, a positivity expert, offered surprising insights into happiness and success. “About 70 [percent] to 90 percent of mental and physical health issues have a root cause in how we think. For negative thinkers, the good news is what we wire in we can also wire out. If you keep thinking right thoughts, soon you develop that mind-set.”

Jim Warren of Anderson Vacations in Calgary, Alberta, talked about trips across Canada, some by rail. “When you’re going from Montreal to Quebec City, you spend a lot of time along the St. Lawrence River. It is beautiful farmland and a relaxing way to see the area, a nice break from motorcoaches. People say, ‘That was such a nice break.’ The trains run on time, and they’re very modern.”

Jodi Ann Danyluk of the Norwegian Cruise Line reported that “we already have recordbreaking bookings for 2018. If your groups want to travel to our many destinations on our award-winning ships, I highly recommend you block space with our tour operator partners.”

Susan Rosenberry of Islands in the Sun Cruises and Tours shared a trend: “We actually had more people travel by river last year than by ocean. That part of our business is growing. Each trip can be tweaked or customized for you.”

Oliva Hershiser of Go Ahead Tours spoke of the role of the tour operator. “Safety is a huge priority for us. The world is changing. Life is unpredictable. You need experienced people to take care of things. Ease is important. We want to give you a smooth pretour, ontour and posttour experience.”

Wayne Peyreau of MSC Cruises told of the company’s launch of 11 ships in the next decade. “One out of every four boats being built between now and 2026 will belong to MSC Cruises. That’s 25 percent of all inventory constructed in shipyards. Our product isn’t well known yet in North America, but it is a key to our success.”

Jim Edwards of Collette gave away a trip for two with airfare to Italy and told the audience, “I always loved this quote: ‘We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.’

That’s so true,” said Edwards. “We also travel for wellness, exploration and experiences.

Since life is a story, we want to make travel part of your story.”

Photos by Dan Dickson

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must

DO

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Guests take an active part in winemaking by stomping on grapes at Grgich Hills Estate.

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By Rocco Ceselin, courtesy Grgich Hills Estate

EXPERIENTIAL

travel

ISSUE

travel today is anything but passive

BY RACHEL CARTER

E

xperiential travel is more than a passing trend; it’s a sea change in the way people travel. Gone are the days when tourists were satisfied with passive and passing entertainment. Today, travelers want to do more than they want to see.

These group experience allow people to get ink on their hands while operating a century-old letterpress, get onstage during an improv comedy class and get a glimpse of what it’s like to rehearse for a Broadway show from a Broadway performer.

H ATC H SH OW P R IN T NASH VILLE , T ENNESSEE

Because Hatch Show Print has been in continued operation in Nashville since 1879, and because their printers do all the design in-house, a poster made today could — and does — use hand-carved wood or linoleum blocks that are 138 years old.

“Sometimes you’re using a hand-carved image block that was on a Kenny Rogers poster or a Dwight Yoakam poster or a Cyndi Lauper poster — you just don’t know,” said print shop manager Celene Aubry. “It’s all part of the fun of the connection, both to Nashville and to the history of the shop.”

In 2013, Hatch Show Print moved to its new location next to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which now owns and operates the shop. The new space features a 5,800-square-foot production area where passers-by can watch printers at work; an expanded store where visitors can buy original Hatch posters; an art gallery that displays and sells restrikes of historic prints; and Hatch Show Print Space for Design, a classroom where groups can learn about letterpress printing and make their own pieces.

During a group tour, two guides take up to 25 people into the production shop where they “can see what’s coming off the presses that day,” Aubry said. One guide focuses on the history of Hatch and letterpress printing while the other places it in the context of Nashville and country music. The group then moves to the classroom, where guides help them hand-ink the third color of a three-color print — an “official poster” that Hatch designs specifically for the experience, with a new design each year. Guests get to take home their own 8-by10-inch print, and “we even have locals who come and take the tour every year to make sure they get the new poster,” Aubry said.

WWW.HATCHSHOWPRINT.COM

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BROADWAY WORKSHOP NEW YORK CITY

Ever wonder what it would be like to perform on Broadway? New York City visitors can get a glimpse through experiences with Broadway Workshop. The company offers opportunities to work with Broadway performers and professionals, learning everything from vocal warm-ups to stage makeup.

The most popular experience for groups is the Broadway Rehearsal Workshop coordinated with a Broadway show they plan to see, such as “Wicked.” Broadway Workshop will bring in a music director to lead vocal warm-ups and sing a small selection from the show. After that, a performer, oftentimes one from the very show the group is seeing, will come in and teach staging and simple dance steps before hosting a Q&A session about what it’s like to be a performer living in New York City.

“We typically like to reach out to people currently in the show [the group is seeing] so they can see their teacher performing on the stage,” said groups director Yvette Kojic.

Students can take the workshop before or after a performance, and it works well either way for different reasons, she said. Doing it the afternoon before, guests will take what they’ve learned into the show with them. The day after, students may have more connection with the performer or the music.

Broadway Workshop can scale classes for small and large groups, from as few as eight people to more than 200. The company rents studio space, usually in midtown Manhattan; each studio holds 50 students, but the ideal class size is 25 to 30, Kojic said.

Groups can also sign up for a choir workshop that focuses on the chorale aspect or a dance workshop that teaches more advanced choreography. Other options include a stage combat class or a stage makeup session.

WWW.BROADWAYWORKSHOP.COM

THE SECOND CITY CHICAGO

The first rule of improv is to say yes and then add something, a concept known as “Yes, and… .” Saying no shuts down everything because no one can move forward from no.

“Saying yes and listening and validating your partner’s idea, that’s how you stay married and employed,” said Jeff Poole, program head for workshops for The Second City in Chicago.

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Hatch Show Print Courtesy Country Music Hall of Fame

Footprint souvenir at Grgich Hills Estate

Groups can learn the basics of improv during classes at the famous Chicago theater that has trained the likes of Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Bill Murray and Mike Myers, to name a few of the famous Second City alumni.

For smaller groups, usually 12 to 15 people, the theater offers one-, two- and three-hour Intro to Improv workshops that cover the basics and allow people to get onstage and get crazy. For larger groups of up to 200 people, workshops are held in a theater and are more presentation style, which gives guests a chance to remain anonymous in the audience or get in front of one, either for big laughs or full-on flops.

“We always say at Second City, you’re either going to get so good you never fail, or you get so good at failing you never care,” Poole said.

Groups typically take a midday or afternoon class, then break for dinner and return for an evening show. The theater’s first restaurant, 1959 Kitchen and Bar, opened last March, taking its name from the year Second City opened its doors. The restaurant offers group dining packages and allows people to stay on-site between an improv class and an evening show.

WWW.SECONDCITY.COM

GRGICH HILLS ESTATE

RUTHERFORD, CA LIFO RN IA

Courtesy Grgich Hills Estate

Blue Man Group

By Kelly Day, courtesy Blue Man Group

In 1976, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich stunned the wine world during a blind tasting in Paris when a panel of French judges deemed his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay the finest white wine in the world. Today, Grgich Hills Estate has a winery and a tasting room in Rutherford, California, and 366 acres of vineyards throughout Napa Valley.

Every year, Grgich Hills allows guests to stomp grapes during harvest time, roughly from Labor Day to Halloween, although it could run earlier or later depending on Mother Nature.

Every harvest starts off with a blessing of the grapes, and this season will mark Grgich’s 41st blessing, an event that’s free and open to the public. A Catholic priest will “bless the grapes and bless the people who are there,” said Ken Morris, communications manager for Grgich Hills Estates.

Once the harvest is underway, grape stomping can begin. It’s available every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors take off their shoes, roll up their pants, step in a sawed-in-half barrel “and squish some grapes.” The barrels are large enough that five people can get in together for a photo op. When finished, visitors stamp their purple, grape-stained feet on a T-shirt printed with “I stomped at Grgich Hills” for a personal memento. The experience also includes a glass of wine.

Groups of eight or more must make reservations and can also add a tasting or a guided tour of the working winery. During a harvest-time tour, visitors will also see grapes being pressed and the juice being pumped to tanks. The winery is surrounded by 20 acres of vineyards, including a demonstration vineyard where guests can learn about the different types of grapes grown at Grgich’s five estate vineyards.

WWW.GRGICH.COM

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Second City music act Courtesy Second City

BLUE MAN GROUP

UN IVERSAL ORLAN D O, FLORI DA

Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman debuted their Blue Man concept on the streets of New York City in 1991, putting on small “performances,” or humorous happenings, anywhere and everywhere. Now, 26 years later, Blue Man Group has resident shows in New York; Chicago; Las Vegas; Boston; and Orlando, Florida. A world tour kicked off last spring, and a U.S. tour spent nearly six years on the road. The group also has three studio albums, and a book was Broadway Workshop demonstration released in October.

And as if that isn’t enough, the Blue Man Group’s show at Universal Orlando Resort introduced a new VIP experience in November that allows people to get behind the scenes and the blue makeup. The package is designed to give guests a deeper understanding of the performance and a hands-on glimpse of what it’s like to be a Blue Man, one of 50 who are performing around the world at any given time.

Guests who opt for the VIP package get to learn about the group’s 26-year history and see some rare photos and company artifacts. Visitors will be able to try out one of the crazy homemade instruments and even have the chance to try on the fluorescent blue stage makeup. The experience includes a guided backstage tour that showcases areas previously off limits to guests.

Full-day excursions departing daily from two locations: The upgraded package also includes a chance Chama, New Mexico & Antonito, Colorado to meet a Blue Man, along with goodies that include a souvenir program and a free download · Mid-May to Mid-October of “Creature Feature” from their latest album, · Group Friendly Restrooms “Three.”

Courtesy Broadway Workshop

Special Summer Pricing for Groups

WWW.UNIVERSALORLANDO.COM/ SHOWS/BLUE-MAN-GROUP.ASPX

· Lunch Included · ADA Accessible · Bus Parking Group Sales Office: 1.877.890.2737

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www.cumbrestoltec.com/groups

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S T A T E

o f

M I N D

a state that moves GET OUT AND ABOUT IN INDIANA

T

hings don’t stand still for long in Indiana.

Whether it’s the suburban areas in the southeastern end of the state, the booming and blooming city of Indianapolis or the home of Purdue in Lafayette, destinations throughout the Hoosier state continue to innovate, ideate and create new attractions and experiences for groups to enjoy. Even in the Amish country in northern Indiana, a region known for its time-tested traditions, travel planners will find new and exciting ways to connect their customers to the heart of the destination.

If your group hasn’t toured Indiana before, you’re missing out on a state full of underappreciated natural beauty and surprising diversity. And even if you have been to Indiana, the changes and new products in the state’s top tourism communities offer plenty of reasons to take your group back.

Here’s a south-to-north itinerary through Indiana that highlights both new tourism opportunities and tried-andtrue group favorites.

BY BRIAN JEWELL

Indiana Art Guild finger painting class

DEARBORN COUNTY About 20 minutes west of Cincinnati on the eastern edge of the state, the towns of Lawrenceburg and Aurora sit in Dearborn County, a largely rural area where the local tourism community has tapped its creativity to come up with some inventive and attractive experiences for tour groups.

Popular itinerary options include teas and dinners at Hill Forest Victorian House Museum, a local historic home, as well as hands-on gardening and decor classes at McCabe’s Greenhouse and Floral, a local family business. Based on the success of these programs, the Dearborn County Convention and Visitors Bureau has collaborated with the area’s artists to create additional activities.

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Choptank River Light in Oxford

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ELK HAR T COUN TY

LA FAY ET TE/ WE ST LAFAYETT E

INDIANAPOLIS IN BLOOM

EXPERIENTIAL

travel

ISSUE HE N DRI CKS C OUNT Y

I NDI AN APO LIS

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Courtesy Dearborn Co. CVB

“I asked one of our artists to come up with something that isn’t painting with a brush, that is kind of messy but doable and fun,” said Sally McWilliams, the bureau’s group sales director. “She came back with an idea to finger paint a garden. It’s messy, but since your hands are doing it, you’re not intimidated by it. It’s just fun.”

After trying the finger painting or other hands-on art projects, travelers can celebrate with a meal at Knigga Haypress Barn, an 1853 barn in Dillsboro where groups can see a demonstration of the working hay press and learn about farming practices of the period.

Though it still may be most famous for its eponymous auto race, Indianapolis is surging on multiple fronts and has received a lot of attention of late for its wide variety of visitor offerings.

Travel + Leisure named the city one of the best places to visit for 2017, and Zagat picked Indy as one of the best food cities in the United States in 2016.

Groups that have toured Indianapolis know that there are numerous first-rate museums and attractions to explore, and some of the biggest developments this year are coming from organizations you might already know.

“The Indianapolis Museum of Art has a couple of new things coming,” said Lisa Wallace, senior communications manager at Visit Indy. “March 31 to May 31, they’re going to have ‘Spring Blooms.’ They planted 250,000 tulip bulbs on their grounds, and those are going to be full of color. They’re also opening a new beer garden. There will be opportunities to sample local beers and have trivia games, so groups can make a night out of that.”

Though the “Spring Blooms” exhibition is temporary, the beer garden will be a permanent fixture of the museum and will feature food in addition to craft beer. It is set to open in April.

Fans of literature may know that author Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, and the city has a museum in his honor.

Work is now underway on an expansion to the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, which will debut in September.

Tour SOUTHEAST INDIANA

RiveR Town 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

“Windows of Aurora” Hillforest Victorian House Museum

lis in Hendricks County. The tourism office, Visit Hendricks County, has put together a menu of four themed itineraries to give groups a taste of what the area offers.

One of the most popular choices is the Indiana Foodways Progressive Dinner, which highlights locally owned establishments that specialize Gardens at the in Indiana cuisine.

Indianapolis Museum “We do that tour here in Danof Art ville,” said Josh Duke, communications manager for Visit Hendricks County. “You can have appetizers at Diesel’s Sports Grill, a pub here on the square, and then you walk a few doors down to the Mayberry Café and have your entrees there. Then you go a couple blocks east to the Bread Basket Café and Bakery to have dessert and maybe take in a movie at the historic Royal Theatre on the square.”

The other tour itineraries offer similar variety. The Arts and Culture tour follows a culCourtesy Indianapolis Museum of Art tural trail through the area, with stops at a glassblowing workshop, a hands-on pottery demonstration “The new library is about four and a Mardi Gras-themed dinner with live mutimes what it was before,” Wallace sic at Zydeco’s. The Green Spree highlights garsaid. “There’s some private space to do dening opportunities with workshops at a local things like docent talks, or groups can garden center, a visit to scenic Avon Gardens even have the museum owner come and a behind-the-scenes tour of Beasley’s Orand talk to them. Vonnegut is popular chard. all over the world, and the museum During December, groups can take the Ho has amassed a great collection.”

Holiday Tour, which includes a visit to the GinIf you travel with intergeneragerbread Christmas Show, a juried craft show tional groups or even if you just have with more than 120 booths and vendors. sports lovers in your tribe, you might want to plan a visit to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, which will open the immersive Sports Legends experience next year. This outdoor installation is being created in partDriving about an hour north of Danville nership with the area’s professional will bring travelers to the twin cities of Lafaysports teams and famed golf-course ette and West Lafayette, most famous as the designer Pete Dye. It will feature home of Purdue University. The school is a high-end mini golf, a racetrack, bashub of agricultural studies in the state, and the ketball, tennis and lots of inventive area’s tourism office, Visit Lafayette-West Laprogramming. fayette, offers several agricultural experiences for groups, such as tours of wind farms, and shrimp and tilapia aquaculture facilities.

One of the most popular farm-related attractions in the area is at Prophetstown State Park.

“The farm used to be a draft-horse facility,” The bedroom communities of said Jo Wade, president and CEO of Visit LafayBrownsburg, Avon, Plainfield and ette-West Lafayette. “It’s still a 1920s working Danville sit just west of Indianapo-

LAFAYETTE’S AGRICULTURE HERITAGE

OHIO Indianapolis

INDIANA

1

Cincinnati

KENTUCKY

Louisville

Lexington

South of I-74 & west of I-275, 20 minutes west of Cincinnati

www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com 800-322-8198

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HENDRICKS COUNTY’S TOUR MENU

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farm, now with a variety of working animals from rescue horses to a lot of chickens, ducks and sheep. You can experience what life on a 1920s farm would have been like.”

Another attraction that is unique to the area is Wolf Park, a wolf refuge and research facility started by a Purdue professor. Groups can tour the park during the daytime to see the wolves, bison, foxes and other animals that live there.

Wolf Howl events at night are popular, too.

“Tour guides can go in with the wolves and show you the pack behavior and talk about their howling communications. You get to see how the wolves interact and learn about the order of the pack.”

ing to give travelers reasons to stay longer and do more in Amish country.

A big part of the area’s tourism growth is due to the Quilt Gardens initiative, which has installed colorful gardens that mimic the patterns of Amish quilts at attractions and other sites.

“This year is the 10-year anniversary of our Quilt Garden project,” said Sonya Nash, director of group and experiential sales and marketing for the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“This year will have 19 gardens again, with 150,000 plants in six cities and towns. It’s increasingly popular and exciting with both residents and visitors.”

NORTHERN INDIANA’S AMISH COUNTRY Picturesque backroads and a thriving Amish community have made the region around Elkhart County in northern Indiana a popular group tour destination for decades. And while core attractions such as Amish Acres, the Blue Gate Theatre and Das Dutchman Essenhaus remain essential pieces of the visitor experience in the area, new ideas and opportunities are help-

Vonnegut Museum

Amish in Elkhart County

By Larry Ladig, Raidious

Courtesy Elkhart Co. CVB

SOUTHERN INDIANA

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CT CONFERENCE FAM TRIP

Quilt garden Photos courtesy Elkhart Co. CVB

Amish camel farm

“WE FIND THAT PEOPLE LIKE THE AUTHENTIC, THE RURAL, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE AND GET TO KNOW PERSONALITIES.” — SONYA NASH, ELKHART CO. CVB

SAMARA, a Frank Lloyd Wright designed house

In honor of that anniversary, residents have arranged for a series of 56 outdoor sculptures to be displayed in six cities in the region alongside the quilt gardens. The bronze sculptures were all created by one New Jersey artist and depict everyday events in American communities, such as a child licking an ice cream cone or a police officer writing a ticket.

“One of the pieces is 25 feet tall and weighs 27,000 pounds,” Nash said. “It’s an interpretation of the painting ‘American Gothic.’ We’re going to have a giant couple with a pitchfork standing in downtown Elkhart. It will be here for four months for the duration of the Quilt Garden season.”

Groups that make the trip to see the gardens and sculptures can also take advantage of numerous interactive experiences offered by the CVB, including opportunities to meet Amish families and to sample some of the handmade goods in workshops and stores throughout the area.

“We find that people like the authentic, the rural, the opportunity to meet people and get to know personalities,” Nash said. “The in-home Amish meal experience, the Amish camel dairy farm, the family making baskets, the Amish coffin-maker: Those personal, interactive experiences are really taking off.” www.visitindiana.com

Located one hour north of Indianapolis and two hours south of Chicago, off of Interstate 65.

We are home of Purdue University and home of exciting attractions featuring art, architecture, outdoor adventures, clean energy, agritourism and history!

Wolf Park

Wabash & Erie Canal Park

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Agritourism

Contact Ashley Gregory and start planning today, agregory@HomeOfPurdue.com

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P L A N N E R S

T A L K

B A C K

what is your favorite part about group travel?

CARRIE FEDIUK LEAD TRAVEL PROGRAM MANAGER | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN “The camaraderie. New travelers do not necessarily come to us stating they are attracted to our program because of the camaraderie. It is more because of the destination and educational content they will receive while on the tour.

However, once someone goes out on one of our trips, it is the camaraderie that brings them back. They are amazed at the connection and common passion for travel and learning among Michigan travelers.”

SYBIL WOOTEN VARSITY PROGRAM MANAGER | HOMETOWN BANK CORBIN, KENTUCKY “Travel is safer in a group. I love that we bank coordinators, managers and travel directors can make things happen for people that can’t travel alone.”

FRANCES STANFIELD SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER | EMORY UNIVERSITY ATLANTA, GEORGIA “Aside from the alumni engagement that it fosters, I have to say that the planning process is my favorite part of group travel. Once a year, I get to select trips to exciting destinations around the world from Japan to indulging in ‘the most exciting two minutes in sports’ at the Kentucky Derby. It is always my sincere hope that our alumni will check off the next item on their bucket list while traveling with fellow Emory alumni.”

CINDY TORGERSON CORCLUB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | CORTRUST BANK MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA “My favorite part is when my customers have a smile on their face and are having the time of their lives. I had one lady get on the bus on a day trip and said she couldn’t possibly think of what I was going to show her that would wow her. At lunchtime, she told me I did my job and she was enjoying everything we had done so far. Plus, you build a relationship with them and create memories together.”

ANDY ENGLISH DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS | SIMPSON COLLEGE INDIANOLA, IOWA “Our alumni travel program allows alumni and friends of the college to continue their educational endeavors and experience other parts of the world in an organized and cost-effective setting. Most importantly, group travel allows our participants to build strong and lasting relationships with one another.”

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BUCKEYE I N G E N U I T Y

EXPERIENTIAL

travel

ISSUE

The Candle Lab

All photos courtesy Experience Columbus

COLUMBUS IS DEFINING EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

BY ELIZA MYERS

W

hen faced with the choice, would you rather have a scent labeled Old Books, Bacon or Santa’s Pipe? If you think those options are too narrow, don’t worry.

The Candle Lab offers 120 fragrances for group members to create their own signature fragrance for a take-home candle.

This popular experiential activity is just one of the many handson experiences available to groups in Columbus, Ohio. Ten years ago, Columbus convention and visitors bureau officials decided they didn’t want groups to simply passively see the city’s sites. Instead, they

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launched experiential activities that promote creative outlets, like the Candle Lab’s hands-on candle making and BalletMet’s dance workshop.

Today, the local CVB is known as Experience Columbus, and the city offers experiential activities of all shapes and sizes, with new hands-on tours popping up all the time, among them a whoopie-piecooking class and a soap-making demonstration. Rather than another typical tour that lectures facts to groups, these activities give groups lasting memories as they become part of the experiences.

CANDLE LAB Discover whether you prefer flower scents like lavender and hydrangea, or culinary smells like grapefruit and cinnamon spice at the Candle Lab. Even nontraditional smells such as First Snow and Morning Dew can make wonderful candles.

Opened in 2006, the Columbus-based fragrance brand specializes in custom scents and a workshop where groups can hand pour their own custom-scented candle. You can choose from Columbus’ two locations in the shopping districts of Worthington and the Short North.

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“The Candle Lab is constantly one of the most popular stops on any itinerary here in Columbus,” said Roger Dudley, senior tourism manager for Experience Columbus. “It’s really fun for a group.

People love to pass the candles around and smell them to see what everyone made.”

Groups first sniff a wide range of fragrances to determine their favorites. The store stocks more than 120 fragrances throughout the year, with seasonal and new options constantly being introduced.

Once they settle on about three fragrances, participants hand pour the amount of each scent they would like in their candle.

After this 30- to 45-minute process, the candle needs about 90 minutes to harden before groups can take it home. During this time, you can either send your group shopping or dining, or combine the experience with the Igloo Letterpress, which lies across the street from the Worthington location. There, groups can engage in another experiential activity and learn how to hand set antique wooden type while they wait.

MAKING WHOOPIE PIES Learn the secret behind creating an unforgettable cream-filled bite of whoopie pie at Mrs. Turbo’s Cookies. Groups can decide how much cream is too much when they squirt filling into their take-home whoopie pies.

This new experience allows groups not only to drool over the other gourmet cookies, brownies and cakes in the shop, but also to understand the process behind making a dessert from scratch. Mrs. Turbo herself gives the tours and talks about how baking cookies for her husband’s co-workers in 2012 led to her own shop.

“You get to meet the owner and hear her story on how the shop came to be,” said Dudley. “After you make your cookie, you can either eat your cookie right then or take it with you. It’s great because you don’t have to wait for them to bake.”

Mrs. Turbo also explains the shop’s unusual name, which originated from her husband’s nickname of Turbo, given because of his love of cars. She also loves discussing the kitschy interior modeled after retro 1950s-style bakeries, compete with pinup girl artwork.

After the tour, groups learn a few easy ballet steps with a BalletMet Academy faculty member to see if they’ve missed their calling as a dancer.

GLENN AVENUE SOAP COMPANY You’ll never look at your bar of soap the same way after you’ve attended a workshop with Glenn Avenue Soap Company. The craft soap shop has recently started offering a hands-on way for groups to discover the secrets behind the cold-process method of making soap.

“We just started marketing this experience this year,” said Dudley.

“It’s not a huge production, so you get to hear from the owner about the company and what goes into creating these products.”

Instead of being an enterprise to make money, the Glenn Avenue Soap Company first began because founder Sandra Metzler wanted to create skincare products for her family with only organic ingredients. She used her doctorate in biomedical engineering to experiment with the chemistry and aromatherapy involved in soap-making.

Her first batch of soap became an immediate hit with family and friends, leading her to eventually open the shop filled with a variety of products, such as beer soaps, body butters and bath bombs.

Groups learn how to turn essential oils into custom soaps before cutting some already-cured bars for their own soup souvenirs.

www.experiencecolumbus.com

ALL ACCESS PASS AT BALLETMET OPEN HOUSE If you’ve ever marveled at the graceful twirling and twisting of a ballet performance, you can try your own plié moves during the All Access Pass at BalletMet Open House. The dance class designed for the typical novice goes through some basic dance moves and stretches for a glimpse at the hard work ballet dancers go through every day.

Groups can book the experience when the ballet company is active in Columbus from September through May. The workshop begins with a tour of the facility and a chance to watch the professional ballet dancers rehearse for an upcoming show. The rehearsals illustrate some of the behind-the-scenes work involved in making complicated choreography look effortless during the live performance.

Part of the magic of ballet also lies in the elaborate and fanciful costumes, which is why most groups love to tour the costume shop, where you can touch the fabrics and learn the intricate process involved in constructing them.

“Visiting the costume shop is everyone’s favorite part,” said Dudley. “The costume designer talks to them about the type of fabric needed to be able to do all the jumps and moves a ballerina needs to do. You get to ask questions to a member of the professional design team of the ballet.”

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Whoopie pies from Mrs. Turbo’s Cookies

BalletMet class

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JOIN US FOR A TRIP TO COLUMBUS IN AUGUST. EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS FAM

All Access Pass at BalletMet Open House

Brian and Kelly will be highlighting the trip in real time on social media, and Brian will write an article on this tour for publication in Select Traveler magazine.”

— MAC LACY, PUBLISHER

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Have you always wanted to experience the top attractions in Columbus, Ohio? Are you looking for ways to learn more about trip possibilities in central Ohio and have a great time doing it? Do you have a few days to see Columbus firsthand in August? Would you like to spend a few days with executive staff of Select Traveler magazine while you’re at it?

If so, we have just the opportunity for you.

Experience Columbus is inviting up to 25 of our travel planner readers to enjoy a four-day site inspection trip August 1-5 in and around Columbus. Qualified travel planners will be guests of the Experience Columbus staff and will enjoy sampling more than a dozen of Columbus’ signature tourism experiences such as a butterfly immersion at Franklin Park Conservatory and Breakfast on the Savannah at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

And once you get to Columbus, all your expenses are covered.

“Join Select Traveler’s executive editor, Brian Jewell, and Kelly Tyner, our director of sales and marketing, for this fun and educational site inspection trip to experience the best of Columbus and its surrounding communities,” said publisher Mac Lacy. “Brian and Kelly will accompany our Columbus hosts on this trip and will be sharing their travel experiences with everyone in attendance.

“Brian and Kelly will be highlighting the trip in real time on social media, and Brian will write an article on this tour for publication in Select Traveler magazine,” said Lacy. “Tour participants will have the opportunity to share their impressions and experiences about Columbus with our staff and meet some wonderful hosts from the state. It’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

All accommodations, sightseeing, transportation and meals are included once participants arrive in Columbus. No travel expenses to and from Columbus will be reimbursed.

This readership event and site inspection tour is limited to 25 qualified travel planners. Applicants will complete a brief travel profile that will be used by Columbus tourism staff to select attendees.

To submit your travel profile and request a spot on this exciting trip, go to www.grouptravelleader.com/2017columbusfam and fill out your profile online. To inquire by phone or to ask a question, call us toll-free at 888-253-0455, and ask for Kelly.

Registration for this complimentary site inspection trip in Columbus closes May 15, so don’t delay.

Join Brian, Kelly and Experience Columbus for a wonderful trip August 1-5.

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te Experience the best of COLUMBUS on this one-of-a-kind

fam - Aug. 1-5, 2017

From fashion to microbrews and everything in between, there are plenty of creative ways to inspire your group’s trip to Columbus. This FAM will take you on unforgettable experiences that will explore all the local restaurants, attractions, dining and more that are made in Cbus.

Here is a sampling of the activities that await you in Columbus: • Craft your own card on an antique, hand-operated letterpress and then pick from dozens of scents to hand pour your own custom candle.

• Catch a baseball game at America’s best ballpark.

• Take a lesson in how essential oils are blended to create custom scents, then weigh, blend and pour the ingredients for your own beer soap crafted with local brews.

• Explore the largest Planetarium in Ohio at the nation’s top-rated science center.

• Be the first through the gate of the 30th anniversary of the Dublin Irish Festival. *Itinerary subject to change, based on availabilitity

We look forward to hosting you in Columbus!

Apply to attend at grouptravelleader.com/2017columbusfam This FAM invitation is limited to qualified tour operators with at least 2 years of professional experience and is non-transferable. FAM attendance is for business associates only and limited to 1 attendee per company. Travel accommodations to and from Columbus and personal incidentals are NOT included in the FAM trip and is the responsibility of the individual attending the FAM. This FAM includes four nights of accommodations, transportation during the FAM, and all meals and attractions as listed on the itinerary. A pre/post hotel FAM rate will be available for those wishing to extend their stay.

experiencecolumbus.com/tours

BANNER C I T Y

EXPERIENTIAL

Fort McHenry

travel

ISSUE

Photos courtesy Visit Baltimore

COME ENJOY AN INSIDER’S BALTIMORE

BY ELIZA MYERS

D

on’t just look at the colorful fish — feed them a krill pop or two on the National Aquarium’s Insider’s Tour.

Groups participating in the Insider’s Tour discover the beautiful aquarium just like the rest of the public but with VIP access to areas of the aquarium rarely seen by anyone except the employees.

This tour, like many of Baltimore’s behind-the-scenes tours, allows groups to avoid the throngs and enjoy an exclusive experience. An immersive tour can add interesting extras to a Baltimore itinerary, such as a pizza-making demonstration at an acclaimed restaurant or

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a dramatic interpretation of life in Jim Crow Maryland at an AfricanAmerican museum. Groups can also learn the intricacies involved in unrolling a 30-by-42-foot Star-Spangled Banner at the Fort McHenry National Monument by joining in the process.

Whether you want to know how the National Aquarium cares for its 20,000 aquatic animals or how to make a slice of some of the best pizza in the state at Verde, Baltimore has an exclusive tour to match your group.

INSIDER’S TOUR NA TI ON AL AQUARIUM

Stand so close to sharks circling below you that you could almost reach down and grab a dorsal fin at the National Aquarium. Of course, you wouldn’t want to do that, but the proximity gives guests a thrill during the aquarium’s Insider’s Tour.

The tour arranges some close encounters with sharks and other animal residents being cared for in staff-only areas of the attraction.

Participants can cross a catwalk over the shark tank for a slightly

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scary experience that they won’t soon forget.

Guides tell stories about the animals and explain the complexities behind running one of the country’s most popular aquariums.

“You get to see the filtration and the plumbing of the entire aquarium,” said Eric Masterton, director of group sales for Visit Baltimore.

“You can hear the hums of the process and see a side of the aquarium that is usually not open to the public.”

Visitors glimpse the inner workings behind some of the aquarium’s main exhibits, such as “Australia: Wild Extremes.” There groups watch the spotted archer fish attempt to snag a cricket meal by spitting a little stream of water.

Groups can choose from other exclusive tours of the aquarium, such as the Dolphins Explorer; the Animal Care Experience; the Sharks Behind-the-Scenes Tour; and the Icky, Creepy, Slimy, Cool Tour.

FLAG TALK

FOR T M CH E NRY N ATI ON A L MONUME NT AN D HI S TO R IC SHR INE “By the dawn’s early light” Francis Scott Key beheld the imposing 30-by-42-foot Star-Spangled Banner flag above Fort McHenry in 1814. The author felt a rush of emotion when he saw the flag and knew U.S. soldiers had successfully defended the fort, compelling him to pen the poem that became the country’s national anthem.

Today, groups can experience a similar patriotic pride during the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine’s Flag Talk.

Rangers lead groups of up to 100 people in the unrolling of a full-size replica of the flag that flew on the site 200 years ago.

“It’s remarkable for people to see the size of this flag because the stars are huge,” said Masterton. “I’ve never known anyone who’s ever done it who hasn’t talked about it all the time. It really has an emotional connection with our country’s history.”

Participants learn about the history of the 15-star, 15-stripe flag while working together to unroll it. The 45-minute program also explains the words of the national anthem so groups will learn the true meaning behind the lyrics.

A trip to Fort McHenry also reveals its vital role in the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, when American troops stopped a British invasion. The site also features guided walks, cannon demonstrations and a museum with more than 54,000 artifacts.

pizza varieties. The laid-back demonstration includes wine or beer with homemade tiramisu for a finale.

TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WITH MS. MASIE R EG INA LD F. LE WI S M US E UM

The hardships endured in Maryland’s Jim Crow era become more real to visitors during the Reginald F. Lewis Museum’s program Travel Back in Time With Ms. Masie. The dramatic interpretation follows Ms. Masie, an African-American who owns a hat store during segregation.

“Ms. Masie talks about what’s happening in her life at that moment by going through the things in her store and answering questions,” said Masterton. “It’s about living in Jim Crow Maryland and the plight of men and women during that time. She makes such an amazing connection with the people in the group with her.”

Participants listen to Baltimore’s jazz legends like Chick Webb while they see glimpses of Baltimore’s Pennsylvania Avenue during the 1950s. Ms. Masie explains the process of desegregating public education while leading groups through a re-created one-room schoolhouse.

Through stories, guests learn of prominent African-Americans striving for equal rights in Baltimore. The 75-minute experience can also feature an add-on question-and-answer session with the actor or an educational session on the museum’s hat collection. Groups can also combine the interpretive tour with lunch at the museum’s cafe.

The 82,000-square-foot museum doesn’t focus only on segregation; visitors also learn about the state’s African-American history and culture with interactive exhibits and an art gallery.

www.baltimore.org

Verde pizza-making class

NEAPOLITAN PIZZA-MAKING VER DE

Not every recipe requires ingredients as specific as tomatoes picked from the volcanic plains of Mount Vesuvius and mozzarella made with milk from Italy’s semiwild water buffalo. But authentic Neapolitan pizza calls for traditional cooking methods for a reason — deliciousness that can’t be replicated.

Verde, an acclaimed Neapolitan pizza restaurant, teaches groups the art of this method during its Neapolitan Pizza Making workshop.

Groups tour the restaurant and learn the back story of the famous pizza as they chow down.

“The great thing about Verde is that it’s a family pizza restaurant,” said Masterton. “The father and son are the ones that conduct the experience. They explain the historical background of Neapolitan pizza in America and what makes it really good. Groups get to ask questions about the cooking process.”

The one-hour experience invites participants to feel fresh, fluffy dough; sample warm mozzarella; and taste at least three different

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any paths lead to soul-satisfying Southern cuisine, but chefs across the board agree: You can’t skip quality ingredients.

Groups looking to delve a little deeper into the stories and techniques behind the South’s best recipes have several

kitchens willing to show them the way. Experiences range from preparing the dishes from start to finish to demonstration-style classes by popular chefs. The backdrops are as different as the states themselves, from the party beat of New Orleans to the quiet Smoky Mountain foothills of Tennessee. Prize ingredients vary from state to state as well, with bourbon the favorite in Kentucky and oysters and crab among the finest of Virginia. In each state, these are the top spots to end up with a delicious meal and the ability to re-create the experience back home.

Chefs teach lessons in Southern cooking at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

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Courtesy Blackberry Farm

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ATTEND

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SOUTHERN

BLACKBERRY FARM

WALLAND, TENNESSEE

The artisans at Blackberry Farm, a celebrated luxury hotel in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains south of Knoxville, want people to know that Southern food goes way beyond fried food and casseroles with extra butter. Southern cooking is about combining the right ingredients — think green tomato pie and lamb meatballs with green garlic, roasted peaches and brook trout with grits.

Blackberry Farm cooking demonstrations are available only to groups who book a stay on the pastoral 4,200-acre estate, with its heirloom gardens, dairy, creamery, salumeria, honey house and preservation kitchen. Using ingredients that are grown or made on the farm, the artisans create a three-course lunch paired with a great wine.

“The artisan will guide the guests through food history, growing healthy plants and animals, knife skills and the preparation of the dishes,” said Mallorie Mendence of Blackberry Farm. “Recipes will be included for the group to take home.”

The presentation takes on the flavor of the artisan leading the class.

The gardener focuses on seasonal produce from the garden and wild edible plants found on the property, and the butcher is meatcentric and features charcuterie and cheese from the larder. Groups are also encouraged to take part in the farm activities and learn about the land and the food it provides from a culinary aspect.

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COOKING

SCHOOLS

CASUAL GOURMET AT THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF VIRGINIA

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

Popular demand inspired the chefs at the Culinary Institute of Virginia to open their kitchen to the public, and several culinary students sign on to assist each semester. The Casual Gourmet program allows groups to work alongside chef instructors and culinary students as they prepare local recipes with local ingredients.

“Our Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern classes are filled with recipes based on ingredients indigenous to our area,” said chef Troy Camacho, director of Casual Gourmet.

The list of attractive ingredients is extensive. Inland, Virginia is known for its apples, blackberries and other fresh produce, as well as peanuts, bacon and ham. Because of Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern shore, groups also get to work with fresh batches of flounder, crab and oysters.

“There’s something about being able to go right down to the pier to buy our fish,” Camacho said, adding that groups often learn to make she-crab soup or stuffed oysters, in addition to Southern favorites like chicken pot pie.

The chefs also couldn’t resist having a little fun with their state’s travel slogan and offer a “Virginia is for Dessert Lovers” class. Chocolate aside, most of their baking ingredients come from around the state as well.

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Blackberry Farm cooking demonstration

EXPERIENTIAL

travel

ISSUE

TENNESSEE Courtesy Blackberry Farm

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ZERO GEORGE COOKING SCHOOL

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Zero George

SOUTH CAROLINA

Attached to a boutique hotel and award-winning restaurant, Charleston’s Zero George Cooking School is in an 1805 kitchen carriage house off the courtyard. The space reveals the beauty and history of old Charleston as the hotel chefs chart a new course for the future of Southern food.

Chef Vinson Petrillo, a winner of Food Network’s cooking competition show “Chopped,” stands at the heart of the kitchen school. Groups watch and ask questions as he prepares the dishes they get to enjoy as a multicourse meal with wine pairings. Beyond learning to replicate the menu, the Zero George experience is about learning techniques that carry across several dishes.

“We’re a Southern restaurant using Southern ingredients, but Petrillo doesn’t view himself as a traditional Southern chef,” said Zero George manager Kendall Moore. “He sees each individual ingredient and balances them off each other to create new dishes.”

Kendall said Petrillo finds the best meats and produce in Charleston and turns them into something a little different. “The big benefit to these classes is that you are going to learn to interact with ingredients in a different way,” Kendall said. “You get to interact with someone who is creative and using modern techniques, and you’re no longer trapped inside one recipe.”

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By Eric Kelley, courtesy Zero George

Book your Space Camp family experience today!

Space Camp® has nearly 750,000 alumni worldwide, including the first Italian woman in space – astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti – and astronaut Dr. Kate Rubins, who flew on ISS Expedition 48/49 in 2016.

Family Space Camp is a special program for families with children ages 7 and up. It offers an exhilarating weekend of adventure as parents and children train like astronauts and take part in authentic simulated missions to space.

Call 1-800-637-7223 today to plan your journey!

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LANGLOIS

NEW ORLEANS

Born-and-raised south Louisiana chef Amy Sins describes Langlois’ cooking classes as an intensive crash course in one of Louisiana’s classic dishes.

“I want people to understand that there is a difference between Cajun and Creole cooking that developed from all these foods and flavors that met up in south Louisiana,” she said, mentioning everything from French to Vietnamese cuisine. “We focus on the cultures that helped bring this great food to us.”

The trained chefs who work alongside Sins are fellow storytellers and food nerds who delve into the narrative behind the classic and modern cooking techniques and ingredients they use.

“Groups who join us want the feeling of an authentic New Orleans dinner party, and we give them that fun, unintimidating feeling,” Sins said.

Part of the fun is deciding where to take the class. Groups get to choose from an impressive lineup of unique and historic private event spaces and homes around New Orleans, including the Southern Food and Beverage Museum and the Dryades Market. With more than 1,700 restaurants in the city, Sins doesn’t want her guests cooped up in a commercial kitchen but out in a space of their choice. And if groups don’t want to get their hands dirty, the Langlois chefs are happy to oblige by doing all the cooking and storytelling themselves.

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VIRGINIA LOUISIANABEACH

Culinary entertainment at Langlois

Courtesy Langlois

hello

Huntsville

Get ready for your adventure in the Rocket City!

Huntsville, Alabama | huntsville.org

bucket list 1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

Pam Williams

Tourism Sales Manager HuntsvilleCVB

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@Go2HuntsvilleAL

VisitHuntsvilleAL #iHeartHsv

256.551.2204 pam@huntsville.org

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EGGSHELLS KITCHEN COMPANY Class at Wild Thyme Cooking

KENTUCKY

WILD THYME COOKING

Courtesy Wild Thyme Cooking

BEAUTIFUL We’re not just any small town. We’re the most beautiful small town in America, according to Rand McNally and USA Today. In Kentucky’s secondoldest city, you can relive history, tour bourbon distilleries, indulge in fine Southern cuisine, and embark on afternoons of endless shopping. Come to Bardstown, KY – the small town with big escapes.

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LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

Former accountant and lifelong foodie Lindsey Gray, is living her dream as the owner of Eggshells Kitchen Company, a one-stop kitchen shop that hosts the most popular cooking classes in Little Rock.

Nearly 40 local chefs take turns guiding groups through the recipes that will end up on their plates. As in most cities, the chefs have migrated to Arkansas from all over the country, and Gray said the chef who cooks the most classically Southern cuisine is from Montana. Groups often request that the menu include traditional Southern comfort food like fried chicken, black-eyed peas and drop-biscuits, “the sorts of dishes your grandma used to make.” But some groups like to pick the genre and leave it up to the chef, who usually plans a modern spin for the old favorites.

All the staff at Eggshells like to cook as well, and part of the goal is to help people learn the right kitchen tools to make preparing meals more manageable. The neighborhood kitchen store also prides itself on being a resource for cooks who need a menu suggestion or help tackling a tough recipe.

“We’re the sort of class you can take whether you know what you’re doing or you’re the sort of person who is afraid to step into the kitchen,” Gray said.

WWW.EGGSHELLSKITCHENCOMPANY.COM

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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

For chef Allison Davis, food is the common thread that pulls people around a table and draws them into conversation and laughter. She welcomes groups into her kitchen studio nestled in one of Lexington’s oldest neighborhoods where she and her fellow chefs model Southern hospitality.

“Being born and raised in Kentucky, I have an emotional attachment to Southern food,” Davis said. “I love inviting people into that part of our history.”

Several classes at Wild Thyme Cooking are built around local, organic grass-fed beef and pastured pork.

“We like to teach groups that where you get your protein makes a big difference,” she said.

The great sources of protein are paired with fresh, local produce.

Groups are also likely to learn how to cook with Kentucky’s most iconic ingredient: bourbon. “I love using bourbon in everything,” Davis said. “It can go into any dish and pull out an amazing layer of flavor.”

A typical bourbon menu might be smoked pork loin with a bourbon cherry glaze; broccoli gratin with sour cream, ricotta and bourbon; and a cream cheese brownie drizzled with bourbon caramel sauce. If guests want the hands-on experience, they can be part of each course’s preparation, or they can opt for a demonstration-only evening.

WWW.WILDTHYMECOOKING.COM

www.visitbardstown.com 800.638.4877

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St. James Court Old Louisville

TOP DESTINATION ON THE RISE

IF YOUR GROUP FEASTS ON ART,

TRY OUR DELICIOUS BANQUET

Speed Art Museum Old Louisville

21C Museum Hotel Museum Row

With so much art at every turn, there’s always something inspiring to satiate your group’s artful palate. From the ancient artifacts and contemporary collections in the freshly renovated Speed Art Museum to the modern interactive art experiences of 21C Museum Hotel, you will be immersed in some of the finest art in the world. Your group can even take some art home by visiting this year’s St. James Court Art Show® held among the country’s largest collection of Victorian homes. Get a different taste of the many artful experiences that await your group by visiting GoToLouisville.com/TravelProfessionals.

Louisville is proud to host the 2018 Select Traveler Conference.

#LouisvilleLove

St. James Court Art Show Oct 6-8 • 21C Hotel Museum Free Group Tours, open 24 hours • Speed Art Museum Free Admission on Sundays

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A LITERARY L A N D S C A P E

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t would have been bad form for groups to knock at the front doors of these six Southern literary giants while they were working, but today, thousands of visitors step into the homes where some of America’s greatest stories traveled from ink to paper.

Because Southern fiction is characteristically tied to a

sense of place, Southern writers steal most of their fiction from the house, the grounds and the people around them. By visiting their homes, groups The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum still houses about 54 cats with six toes that descended from cats Hemingway once owned.

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get to see the real-life details that wound their way into fiction. These six homes also divulge the storied lives of the writers and their families, from Ernest Hemingway’s expensive party home in Key West to Flannery O’Connor’s quiet dairy farm in Georgia.

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Courtesy Rob O’Neal Photography

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THE

SOUTH

HAS

INSPIRED

ERNEST HEMINGWAY HOUSE

KEY WEST, FLORIDA

While stuck in Key West in 1928 waiting for a Ford Roadster to arrive, Hemingway began writing with such clarity that he banged out the first draft of “A Farewell to Arms” in just three weeks. He and his second wife, Pauline, decided to stay. The 1851 Spanish Colonial home that they purchased and remodeled is now open as the Hemingway House, one of the most fascinating author’s homes in the country.

Hemingway ended up writing most of his major works in his studio, which was only accessible by a bridge that extended from the upstairs bedroom. Visitors can still see the Royal portable typewriter sitting at the desk where he wrote. Almost everything in the home is original, from the European antiques the Hemingways collected during their travels and the trophy mounts and skins from their hunting trips to the urinal garden fountain and the monastery gate the author used as a headboard.

“One thing many people stop by to see are the famous six-toed [polydactyl] cats,” said curator Dave Gonzales. Hemingway kept nearly 50 cats for good luck, and today, 54 cats — all descendants of the originals — roam the estate.

Several Hemingway aficionados guide groups throughout the home and gardens and offer details about three new exhibits that focus on his Paris years, his fishing yacht Pilar and his trip to Africa.

WWW.HEMINGWAYHOME.COM

COUNTLESS

CLASSICS

WILLIAM FAULKNER’S ROWAN OAK

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI

Rowan Oak was William Faulkner’s home for more than 30 years until the time of his death in 1962. When he bought the Greek Revival house in Oxford, it didn’t have running water or electricity, and the author made many of the home renovations himself.

The 29 acres of woods and trees surrounding the home include 55 species, none of which are the “Rowan” or the “Oak.” That’s Faulkner’s sense of irony showing through. He wrote several of his most important works at Rowan Oak. The outline of the plot for his novel “A Fable” remains on the walls in one of the rooms. The story goes that the room was part of a new addition he began while his wife was away, and he planned to paint over the writing when she returned. But his wife was so upset about the new addition that she wouldn’t let him paint it.

Both husband and wife were equally stubborn.

Ernest Hemmingway Home and Museum “The house is set up for you to discover Faulkner at your own pace,” said curator William Griffith, suggesting that groups stop to listen to a recording of Faulkner’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech. “The house is full of paintings and furniture original to the Faulkners, as well as exhibits and galleries.”

Groups can request tours, but Griffith said he keeps them short so they can explore the house and grounds on their own; the tours include a walking trail through woods that haven’t been logged since 1872.

W W W . R O W A N O A K . C O M

GROUP RATES AVAILABLE

Featuring an All-New, Immersive Entertainment Experience OPENING MARCH 2017

Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

FLORIDA GRACELAND.COM/GROUPS • 800-238-2010 Courtesy Rob O’Neal Photography

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© EPE. Graceland and its marks are trademarks of EPE. All Rights Reserved. Elvis Presley™ © 2017 ABG EPE IP LLC

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William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak

MISSISSIPPI

AMERICAN~HISTORY Mississippi Music ~ Southern Charm

By Robert Jordan, courtesy University of Mississippi

O. HENRY MUSEUM

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Contact Ashley Gatian, Sales Manager for planning assistance.

800-221-3536 • ashley@visitvicksburg.com

Before embezzling money from the Austin bank where he worked, running from the law, serving three years in an Ohio prison and then moving to New York City to become one of the greatest short-story writers of all time, O. Henry lived in a quaint little cottage with his wife and daughter. Today, the cottage is the O. Henry Museum, and groups can wander the rooms where the author lived from 1893 to 1895.

The museum collection includes his correspondence, his drawings and his unpublished manuscripts, as well as several of his personal belongings.

“Everybody wants to know, ‘Did he take the money or not?’” said Michael Hoinski, culture and arts education coordinator for the museum. “We actually have the chair that he sat in when he worked at the bank and allegedly embezzled the money.”

Two other prize possessions at the museum are O. Henry’s writing desk and his personal dictionary. The author would offer his guests nickel bets that he could spell any word they chose from the dictionary. As a nod to O. Henry’s love of word play, the museum sponsors the O. Henry Pun-Off the first weekend in May. It’s in its 40th year and a favorite event in Austin.

Other personal items around the house show the author’s interests beyond writing. The museum houses the piano his wife played; both husband and wife performed in music and theater around Austin. His artistic skills are on display through his drafting table and several sketches.

W W W . A U S T I N T E X A S . G O V / D E P A R T M E N T / O - H E N R Y - M U S E U M

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Scan this QR to visit our mobile site and get your keys to Vicksburg.

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THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Novelist Thomas Wolfe immortalized the Asheville boardinghouse where he grew up in his autobiographical novel “Look Homeward, Angel.” As the youngest of eight siblings, he was the only child to live with their mother as she ran the Old Kentucky Home in the early 20th century. The tourists and other boarders who moved in and out of the home became the characters for his 1929 novel.

Wolfe’s brothers and sisters turned the home into the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in 1949, a decade after his death, and made sure things were left to look much like they did when he lived there.

“It was an inexpensive Victorian boarding house, so it’s a little different than visiting a family home,” said site manager Tom Muir. “But visitors really like to see the communal dining room and kitchen where his mother worked around the clock to make sure boarders had two meals a day.”

Guides run tours at the top of every hour that include a walk through 29 of the rooms and several stories directly from Wolfe’s siblings. An adjacent visitors center and museum contains a self-guided exhibit hall and a 22-minute film on Wolfe’s life and writings.

WWW.WOLFEMEMORIAL.COM

MORAVIAN CULINARY TRAIL • HEIRLOOM GARDENS COLLECTION HISTORIC HOMES TOUR • GATEWAY TO YADKIN VALLEY WINE REGION

O. Henry’s Texas home

TEXAS

Courtesy O. Henry Museum

Childhood home of Thomas Wolfe

Step-On Guides • Welcome Reception with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Mystery Tours • Fam Tours • Itinerary and Marketing Support

NORTH CAROLINA Courtesy Thomas Wolfe Memorial

FOR DETAILS, CONTACT: Kay Calzolari, Group Tour Manager Kay@VisitWinstonSalem.com 336-728-4237 • 866-728-4200 VisitWinstonSalem.com

®

A courtroom from Harper Lee’s hometown

ALABAMA

HARPER LEE’S MONROE COUNTY COURTHOUSE

MONROEVILLE, ALABAMA

Harper Lee’s childhood home is now an empty lot, but the Monroeville courthouse where she often sat to watch her father practice law in the 1930s is less than a half-mile away. The courthouse is one of the most memorable settings in her book “To Kill a Mockingbird” and was later recreated on a Hollywood sound stage for the film version of the book.

Now a museum, the old Monroe County Courthouse draws thousands of visitors who want to see the town made famous by her book.

The main attraction is the courtroom itself, but the museum also houses two permanent exhibits: one on Lee and another on her childhood friend and fellow author Truman Capote.

“After her first interviews, Harper Lee chose to live a private life with no spotlight on her,” said museum director Nathan Carter. “The citizens of Monroeville have respected that, so we haven’t acquired anything that belonged to her. That is all very tightly controlled by her lawyer.”

Since Lee’s death in 2016, her gravesite near the town square has become another important stop, and her lawyer has suggested that he might open a museum that displays several of her belongings, Carter said.

WWW.MONROECOUNTYMUSEUM.ORG

FLANNERY O’CONNOR’S ANDALUSIA Courtesy Monroe County Heritage Museums, Inc.

MILLEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA

In late 1950 just as she was beginning her first novel, Flannery O’Connor began to exhibit symptoms of lupus, the disease that had killed her father. After spending time in the hospital, O’Connor and her mother moved to the family farm, Andalusia in Milledgeville, where O’Connor lived until her death in 1964. The dairy farm became the setting where she would complete her novels and short stories and offered her a landscape in which to set her fiction.

Groups can now explore Andalusia, which is an estate of more than 500 acres and 12 historic OUR ORIGINAL SONG structures, including the home where O’Connor wrote daily from morning until noon. When the author was alive, her famous peafowl roamed the property; today they are kept in an aviary.

Andalusia director Elizabeth Wylie said she hopes the sound of the birds and peaceful farm encourage visitors to slow down to O’Connor’s pace.

For half a century the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum has “Flannery was a deep thinker, well-read, very erudite, and we want visitors to think about the been home to a growing collection of over 2.5 million artifacts. Make a milieu in which she created some of the best litday at the Museum your group’s Nashville experience and come celebrate erature of the 20th century,” Wylie said.

50 years of music and history firsthand with one-of-a-kind recordings, Several copies of O’Connor’s short stories are films, instruments, and more. scattered throughout the home, and organizers hope visitors will carve out the 30 minutes it BOOK TODAY takes to read one of the stories in the spot that it was written. .

WWW.ANDALUSIAFARM.ORG #PressPlayRecord • @CountryMusicHOF

PRESS PLAY RECORD

CountryMusicHallofFame.org

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Nashville, Tennessee

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Home of scenic gulf drive & 30a Miramar Beach Seascape Sandestin Dune Allen Gulf Place Santa Rosa Beach Blue Mountain Grayton Beach WaterColor Seaside Seagrove Watersound Seacrest Alys Beach Rosemary Beach Inlet Beach

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A retreat,

for those who don t. ,

Between the sugar-white sand and pristine turquoise water, you ll find a host of versatile venues, luxury accommodations and everything you need to plan a perfect meeting.

marketing Y O U R

P R O G R A M

GREAT FOLLOW-UP

BY ELIZA MYERS

I

magine coming across a 5-year-old photo of you standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Memories of the trip instantly surge back, allowing you to relive parts of the experience through reminiscence.

As loyalty group travel planners, you should always tap into this lasting power of travel. After a group trip with you, members will forever tie that joyful feeling of eating pizza in Italy or the awe of the Rocky Mountains to your organization.

Instead of letting that memory fade with time, do what you can to keep it strong.

Continue to engage your travelers post tour using targeted follow-up tactics after each tour. These strategies will keep your tour fresh in travelers’ minds years after the trip so they can’t wait to tell their friends they have booked yet another adventure with your program.

In these handouts, don’t just ask about the tour and future destinations; also let them know what upcoming trips the organization is promoting now, before the euphoria from the present tour has worn off.

PHOTO CONNECTION After a vacation, people tend to fall back into old routines, so a well-timed email filled with photos from your recent trip helps travelers reconnect with the group. You can either send some of your photos from the trip or send out a Dropbox invitation so everyone can post their photos in one place.

Make sure you at least send out a group photo you took somewhere during the trip, since they may not have such a photo. People tend to treasure photos, so if you want a souvenir that won’t be thrown out, send some images

SURVEY SERVICE Ask your group to reflect on their tour before it officially ends at the farewell meal. You can hand out surveys asking groups to rate everything about the trip from the hotels to the attractions to the guides. Leave plenty of room for comments so you can fully understand their ratings.

Evaluations allow you to understand how much your travelers enjoyed the trip and what ways you might improve future tours. When you are asking them to provide their thoughts on the tour, go ahead and ask them about future trips while you have their attention.

“We come up with 12 destination options and give a survey to our members to let us know what they are most interested in,” said Nicola Wissler, education and workforce development manager for the Visalia Chamber of Commerce. “It helps us plan for future trips. If there is consistent interest in one trip that we can’t do yet, we’ll save it for a future year.”

Prioritize the answers of past travelers, since these members are more likely to book your tours in the future.

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SPRINGS YOU FORWARD of their trip by email or mail. Carolyn Grieve, business development and adventure coordinator for Arvest Bank Benton County, used photography not only to jog people’s memories about their recent trip but also to spread the word about the bank’s tours.

“I created a brag book of each trip that they would be telling their neighbors and friends about,” said Grieve. “I put pictures of everyone that went on the trip as a memory tool for my customers. I had a number of people after that called me and said they didn’t know the bank offered trips until they saw their friend’s brag book.”

Social media can also engage your group and others post trip. For example, one Facebook post from your page that tags other members will allow the travelers and their social media connections to see the image. With social media, you can even post something a year later as a reminder of last year’s fun that might encourage them to go ahead and sign up for another trip.

should always follow up with your members post trip because you benefit from the authentic connections made during these tours as well. Many group travel planners admit these friendships are their favorite part of the job.

“I love keeping in touch with groups after the trip,” said Amy Klus, assistant director, alumni travel for Northwestern University. “The group I went to Florence with still emails each other, and that trip was a couple of years ago. The best part is making those personal connections.”

FAST FRIENDS Experiencing the grandeur of a destination together can bond people in ways that can’t be duplicated. Veterans of group travel know how quickly strong friendships can form on the road, which is why you should help cement those ties after the trip.

When you send out photos post trip, include the email addresses of the other travelers in the information.

If your members agree to share their contact information, it is an easy way for the group to keep tabs on each other.

Travelers who made friends on one of your group tours are likely to book other trips, since they know they can make those close bonds on a tour where they might not know anyone else. Some travelers might even develop lasting friendships, where they book tours together to stay connected.

However, if for no other reason, you

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SPECIAL

interest tours

FAITH-BASED

faith moves mountains – and groups

BY BRIAN JEWELL

M

any travel leaders face a quandary when it comes to the matter of faith-based travel: Although religious attractions both in the United States and abroad often prove incredibly popular with visitors, the current political and social climate might make leaders uneasy about including faith-based activities in their travel programs.

Fortunately, faith-based trips don’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition, and there are numerous ways for travel planners to introduce religious attractions and activities into their trips without overwhelming travelers. We spoke with a representative of the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, as well as the owner of faith-based tour operator Select International Tours, to gather five tips for helping you integrate faith-based travel into your affinity program.

1) KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

To determine whether faith-based activities would be a fit for your travel program at all, as well as to pick the right destinations and attractions, understanding your audience is crucial. Travel programs based in small communities with strong faith cultures will likely attract customers who would enjoy faith-based activities on a trip. But organizations with government ties might encounter some push-back for promoting religious travel.

If you think your travelers would be open to faith-based activities, the next step is to determine what destinations will interest them most. Though Israel is perennially popular, many faith-based des-

tinations are chosen according to a group’s religious tradition.

“Catholics will go on a Catholic pilgrimage to places like Italy, Fatima and Lourdes, and Lutherans will want to go on a Lutheran trip, maybe to Germany to see sites of the Reformation,” said Edita Krunic, owner of Select International Tours.

If your group isn’t up for taking an overseas trip, there are popular faith-based attractions in places such as northern Kentucky; Branson, Missouri; and Eureka Springs, Arkansas, that might make good alternatives.

2) APPRECIATE THE ATTRACTION APPEAL.

Don’t assume that faith-based attractions and activities appeal only to travelers who are active churchgoers. Many travelers who don’t consider themselves very religious are still interested in visiting faiththemed sites because of their history, their cultural importance or even just for the spectacle of it all.

“We get a lot of groups that are not faith based at all,” said Eddie Lutz, who represents the Creation Museum and the new Ark Encounter attraction, both in northern Kentucky. “A lot of traditional motorcoach groups see the opportunity, and their travelers want to do this, whether they are believers or not. The ark is so unique, and it’s something that everyone at least has an understanding of. Some people will come just because they want to see the architecture and how the thing is constructed.”

If a faith-based site is an attraction itself, it will likely have a lot to offer to a wide variety of travelers, not just those who consider themselves true believers.

Above: Full-sized replica of Noah’s ark from two different angles, courtesy Ark Encounter

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3) MIX THE SECULAR AND THE SACRED.

A common misperception of faith-based trips is that they must focus entirely on religious attractions and activities. But that’s just not true. Like everyone else, people of faith want to see all the major attractions in the places they visit. They also enjoy free time to shop, explore the area’s restaurants and generally enjoy their vacation.

“The Ark Encounter is the centerpiece of most of the tours that I book, but when they get here, they want to experience other parts of northern Kentucky,” said Lutz. “They want to take a riverboat cruise, go to the aquarium and stay in area hotels. So, we help them package in other attractions and restaurants in the area.”

Including a mix of religious and nonreligious activities can help your tour appeal to a broader market as well so travelers don’t feel like they must be religious to join the trip.

“IF YOU FORM A PARTNERSHIP WITH A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR WHO IS ON BOARD AND COMPLETELY ENGAGED IN THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF PLANNING THE TRIP, SUCCESS IS GUARANTEED.”

4) FIND TRAVEL PROVIDERS WHO FIT YOUR OBJECTIVES.

When planning a trip to the Holy Land or another trip that is heavily focused on faith heritage, recognize that a tour company with faith-based credentials may provide a more immersive religious experience than a general tour operator who packages standard itineraries in the area. If you want a broader mix of history, culture and sightseeing, though, a less specialized tour operator may do the trick.

“There are so many companies now selling faith-based travel, so it’s all about doing your research,” Krunic said. “The products may seem similar, but they’re not the same. Are you looking for a guaranteed departure that goes to some religious destinations, or looking for a customized trip just for your group that focuses on the faith-based aspects of a place? Are you working with a company that started selling faith-based travel five years ago, or a veteran that has been selling it for 20 to 30 years?”

5) PARTNER WITH LOCAL FAITH LEADERS.

If you want to go all out on a faith-based trip, consider enlisting the participation of a wellrespected pastor, priest or other faith leader from your community. In addition to helping to draw the attention of potential travelers to your trip, a faith leader can help set the direction for the itinerary and activities during the trip, as well as be the spiritual guide during the journey.

“The most important aspect of these trips is often partnering with a spiritual director,” Krunic said. “Trying to get a trip off the ground without a religious leader who is interested in partnering with you is likely to fail. But if you form a partnership with a spiritual director who is on board and completely engaged in the entire process of planning the trip, success is guaranteed.”

Top: Faith-based group in front of historic church, courtesy Select International Tours Bottom: Church service during a tour, courtesy Select International Tours

— EDITA KRUNIC, SELECT INTERNATIONAL TOURS

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conyers-rockdale chamber of commerce CONYERS, GEORGIA TRIP: Best of Japan TOUR OPERATOR: Asia Gateway Inc. DATE: April 2015 For nine days, the chamber group explored exotic Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Hiroshima. The tour contrasted the country’s modern life and ancient history for an immersive look at Japanese culture.

“The highlight for us was the full-day excursion of Hiroshima and Miyajima by public transportation. We visited Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum, a memorial museum of the nuclear bomb victims. Our people couldn’t stop talking about this great trip.”

— FRED J. BOSCARINO, PRESIDENT AND CEO

security bank’s venture club DYERSBURG AND TRENTON, TENNESSEE TRIP: New York City and the Statue of Liberty TOUR OPERATOR: Diamond Tours DATE: October 2016 This seven-day tour dedicated three days to exploring all the attractions in the heart of the city, among them the September 11 Memorial, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Little Italy, Chinatown, Grand Central Terminal and Ellis Island.

“Our tour guide in NYC was a native of the area, so he was able to share a ton of history of the city. One of my favorite places was Little Italy. There were so many Italian bistros and bakeries. They all had outside terraces that you could just sit and enjoy the surroundings. The last day we spent most of the day going to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We went inside, up to her feet on the pedestal, and walked out to the lookout. Standing there and looking at NYC, the view was spectacular.”

— CHASITY NORVILLE, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT AND BRANCH MANAGER 50

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