Is The Travel Industry Finally In Recovery Mode?
After two years of watching the travel industry recovery navigate various obstacles, news outlets are reporting a pent-up demand for travel spending, with Americans alone adding nearly $4 trillion to their savings during the pandemic. In the face of world events, changing travel requirements, and waffling border restrictions, what is the best strategy for travel planners operating programs? Read our advice here.
Anti-Racist Plan: Year 1 Complete
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) efforts have kept our teams busy this past year! The start of 2022’s first quarter marked the end of our first complete year of the Anti-Racist Action Plan (ARAP)—our 10-year roadmap to becoming a more equitable and inclusive organization that better serves our students, travelers, employees, and communities.
In January, we had our first annual summit for reporting on the year’s ARAP work. Collectively, we made progress towards 19 of the 29 ARAP goals, and this year Chase Poffenberger, our Executive Vice President, joins forces with our current JEDI leader, Kate Maruyama, to lead the charge. Read our annual summary and see next year’s goals on our blog.
Innovative Travel at Home
When the U.S. Department of State deems the vast majority of the globe a “Level 4 – Do Not Travel” destination due to COVID-19, where should Americans travel? The answer is obvious—there is comfort in venturing closer to home.
With the success of last year’s bespoke itinerary in Kentucky with Chef Edward Lee, take two of this special bourbon-forward experience is in the works for September. The Friends of Boca Grande Community Center depart soon for their own Kentucky Bourbon experience, including a visit to Churchill Downs to watch morning workouts. This spring, Fred Plotkin—opera expert extraordinaire—leads fans through the best opera New York has to offer, complete with attendance at the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council Finals competition, where travelers will be the first to see the stars of tomorrow. ARTnews launches its travel program with an immersive Santa Fe itinerary in May, visiting private studios, meeting artists, and absorbing insights from an ARTnews expert along the way. We pride ourselves on designing programs that engage, immerse, and educate—whether it’s overseas or in our own backyard.
Wondrium and Mexico are a Perfect Match!
ATA’s first trip of 2022 was a smashing success for Wondrium, the educational video subscription service company, formerly The Great Courses. ATA designed a nine-day Mexico itinerary that closely mirrored each episode of Wondrium’s streaming travel series, Exploring the Mayan World, featuring popular archaeologist Ed Barnhart and exclusive interactions with Mayan artists and craftsmen. Nineteen intrepid travelers enjoyed a home-cooked meal in a Maya home, experienced the virtual solitude of Chichen Itza’s early morning hours, floated through a wetland preserve amid thousands of pink flamingos, and learned about the intricate process for crafting hats in a subterranean workshop with the artist.
After travelers returned home, Wondrium asked if the trip had delivered on the company’s mission to bring “mind-blowing non-fiction learning opportunities to the world through its content, products and experiences.” All respondents replied with a resounding “yes!”
