BOULDER, CO, June 4, 2007 – More people than ever before are opting out of group departures in favor of designing their travel itineraries to fit their timeframe, budget and interests. Boulder-based Asia Transpacific Journeys has specialized in Custom Journeys to Asia and Pacific region for 20 years, but lately they have seen demand grow by leaps and bounds.
“Unlike group departures open to the public, custom-designed travel means a private itinerary that accommodates only family or friends. More and more people find that appealing,” says Marilyn Downing Staff, CEO of Asia Transpacific Journeys. Furthermore, being able to call the shots on the departure date is a big draw, with many people juggling complex schedules. “We’ll have folks interested in a group trip call us and ask if there is another departure date, because our dates don’t work for them. When we tell them they can have the entire trip customized to fit their schedule, they are generally delighted,” says Downing Staff
Synchronizing dates with an individual’s schedule is just the beginning. Sometimes a group trip is used as a template for a Custom Journey, other times a traveler will call with a specific interest, and Asia Transpacific Journeys will build a customized trip around it. “For example, we get calls from art devotees who want to spend most of their trip immersed in Asia’s art scene. We arrange meetings with museum curators, behind-the-scenes tours of galleries after hours, and cocktails receptions with artists from Shanghai to Hanoi. The potential for customization is nearly limitless.”
Following is a Q & A about ATJ and custom travel.
What are the advantages of using a professional travel company when considering a trip to exotic destinations? Insider access, expert locals guides, flawless logistics, and expert advice on where to go, what to see, and where to stay tops the list of advantages. Time-deprived professionals also value the one-stop nature of letting a reputable company arrange everything upfront.
Can the traveler have input into what he/she wants to do and see? Absolutely. It’s an interactive process to come up with a perfectly tailored customized itinerary. Custom Journeys are defined by ultimate flexibility, and the freedom to pursue your interests at your pace.
If a couple is traveling to, for example, China, can the professionals take care of such details as where are the trendiest new places to dine? Yes, that’s the beauty of working with regional experts. The Travel Specialists at Asia Transpacific Journeys make frequent annual trips to Asia, and report their findings company-wide. This finger-on-the-pulse approach means they always know the latest on what’s in, what’s out, what’s past its prime and what’s up-and-coming, from restaurants to hotels to newly opened archaeological sites.
Who are prime candidates for Custom Journeys? Custom Journeys appeal to sophisticated travelers who value the flexibility to create their journey their way, and demand more than one-size-fits-all itineraries.
What is meant by “insider access”? It means the ability to access unique, different and special experiences not available to most travelers.
Following are sketches of what a Custom Journey to India could include: Exquisite accommodations including restored maharaja’s palaces, safari camps and eco-lodges. Superb local guides such as art historians and renowned experts in their field, and guides and drivers at one’s disposal 24/7. Private elephant safari in the jungle, or camel safari in the desert to tribal villages. Attend sacred infant blessing ceremony by special arrangement. Buy a camel at the Pushkar Camel Fair, then denote the proceeds of its subsequent sale to a local orphanage that you can visit. Private traditional music and dance performances, visits to the country’s finest spas. Guided tiger photo safari with a naturalist guide. A cooking demonstration by one of India’s leading chefs at a maharaja’s palace. Spice plantation visit with lunch at the farming family’s home. High tea with a member of the royal family by special invitation on the grounds of a palace. Dinner by invitation only hosted by a prominent citizen of Delhi, with other members of the business and political elite.
The per diem cost of a Custom Journey varies by country, but starts from $200 per person per day. This rate includes beyond-the-ordinary accommodations, private guide and driver, nearly all meals, transfers, visa fees, tips, entrance fees, medical and emergency insurance and a comprehensive pre-departure packet.
Asia Transpacific Journeys can also arrange international air through its in-house air department. Asia Transpacific Journeys has been crafting private Custom Journeys and Small Group Trips to the Asia/Pacific region since 1987. Their regional expertise also makes them the operator of choice for dozens of America’s most demanding universities and museums.
For 2007 Asia Transpacific Journeys itineraries of Small Group Trips and Custom Journeys encompass over 20 countries in North Asia, South Asia, SE Asia and the Pacific. Some trips also support global conservation and cultural preservation. Asia Transpacific Journeys own non-profit Asia Transpacific Foundation, established in 1998, works with rural Asian communities to provide clean drinking water through locally made ceramic water filters.
National Geographic Traveler (Oct 2006) has selected Asia Transpacific Journeys’ Myanmar Trip as one of “50 Tours of a Lifetime”
For more information please see www.asiatranspacific.com or call toll free 800-642-2742.
Press contact: Sara Widness sara@widnesspr.com 802 234 6704
