D-Day Crossing:London and Normandy via the English Channel Crossing the English Channel as the Allied Forces did on June 6, 1944 is on the bucket list of many family members of the Greatest Generation. For this reason, we have operated D-Day programs for over 30 years. Each 5th commemorative year, the experience takes on added poignancy, and is now the jewel in the crown of ATA’s military history-themed programs. Participants visit key Churchill sights in London, like the War Room itself, and learn about the Enigma Machine at Bletchley Park that deciphered the German’s encoded messages. During anniversary years, they also attend official D-Day ceremonies alongside of British, French and American dignitaries. In many cases, family members of D-Day veterans return home from this trip understanding for the first time the true nature of their loved one’s wartime experience. Previous Next This program highlights how ATA can take a well-told story and skillfully weave it throughout an itinerary. The places we visit are carefully curated and showcase the destination through the lens of history. It also demonstrates the seasoned organizational skills required to manage a myriad of details, including securing official invitations for travelers to attend the official D-Day ceremonies. Our planning for the 75th anniversary began two years in advance, allowing us to secure prime hotel space and add departures as space filled up. After travelers were booked, we also communicated extensively with them to set expectation vis-à-vis traffic logistics, security concerns, and Brexit! In the end, all nine groups had very memorable experiences.
Los Angeles Times Expeditions
Los Angeles Times’ Expeditions Design in the Desert
Los Angeles Times’ Expeditions Design in the Desert The L.A. Times has a loyal readership for architectural topics. To tap into that market, we designed a trip with Christopher Hawthorne, the Times’ architecture critic from 2004 to 2018. Hawthorne had written pieces for the paper about the architecture of Dubai. Dubai trips are fairly unusual in our corner of the travel industry, but with Hawthorne’s expertise, we saw an opportunity to tap into a new destination. With the content and activities he helped curate, other journalists were able to replicate the program for multiple departures. Participants visited a variety of neighborhoods in Dubai, learned about the city’s ultramodern architecture, and traveled to Abu Dhabi. One guest commented, “Each day was so different, it’s hard to say [what I enjoyed the most]. Memorable moments: the dinner at the Burj Al Arab, Christopher Hawthorne’s talk at the hotel, the days on the bus with Richard Wagner’s packed with informative talks, the talk on construction of Palm Island to name a few.” The trip fit the market perfectly and was an immediate sell out. The first program was led by Hawthorne himself. With the content and activities that he helped curate, other journalists were able to replicate the program on subsequent departures.
