Blog

New Creative Collaborations We are delighted to announce two new partnerships that recently launched: American Girl Vacations debuted on June 25. Creating innovative family travel experiences through the lens of American Girl’s courageous characters had been on the drawing board at ATA for several years. We have long admired the brand’s values, authenticity, and commitment to historical accuracy. Chef Edward Lee’s Kentucky Bourbon Experience came together one night over dinner, when Senior Program Manager Samantha Barrie described to Lee and his wife Dianne how chefs could tell their own stories, share their passion for food and culture, and amplify their philanthropic mission by leading unique travel experiences. Samantha worked with Chef Lee to curate an itinerary full of special access and behind-the-scenes experiences that will delight Bourbon lovers. Increasing Racial Representation on Future Programs In the months following the release of the company’s Anti-Racism Action Plan, our teams took action to improve racial representation throughout the travel experiences we are creating. Our Zagat New Orleans program spends a full day exploring Treme, home to free people of color before the Civil War, as well as the history of Black-owned restaurants in the city. The day’s highlight is a private lunch at Dooky Chase’s, a meeting place for big names in music and entertainment, Civil Rights, and culture since 1941. Our Guest Services team is improving our pre-departure resources by applying an anti-racism lens and ensuring that all stories and voices of the local community are reflected. For example, we have revised our background materials on New Orleans to incorporate its Native American history and highlight all local food traditions equally, including Creole, Cajun and Soul Food in our culinary descriptions. ATA’s Vaccine Requirement Last month’s CDC’s guidance that fully vaccinated people can now travel domestically and internationally, followed by EU countries re-opening to vaccinated Americans, was the news we have been waiting for! Therefore, we decided that for the safety of our groups and the communities we visit, as well as for a more relaxed travel experience, we will be requiring proof of vaccination on our departures for anyone 12 years old and older, including our Experts, Tour Managers, and Local Staff.  We anticipate that validation of vaccination will be a requirement for entry into most international destinations as borders re-open.  We’re Returning to the Office! After Labor Day, DC area staff will return to our downtown office. Many of you have seen our office in the heart of the city, projecting a 1904 façade on to Connecticut Avenue, just south of Dupont Circle. We designed the space with collaboration, reflection, and light in mind, from our “soft space” living room to our sun-filled café and our glass walls along the M Street side. We have learned in the past year that we are experts at virtual work and can navigate all the technical challenges of being remote. However, what we have missed are the face-to-face interactions, the collaborative idea-sharing, the osmosis of learning that can only occur when we are physically close. This is why we are excited to return to the office. This time, our employees have the added freedom to work from home up to twice a week. Different teams are coordinating their overlap with their colleagues and other groups to maximize collaborative time and reconnect. As we revive from this pandemic, it is all the more important for us to carry forth the lessons that we have learned; to work closely together; to help new members of our team integrate; to immerse ourselves in the culture and ties that have won us two Top Workplace awards; to support our city as it revives; and to build an ever brighter future. We’re back, DC!

New Creative Collaborations We are delighted to announce two new projects in the works: Zagat Travel Through an exclusive partnership with ATA, Zagat, a trusted source for restaurant and entertainment recommendations since 1979, is bringing destinations to life through food with its new travel brand, Zagat Travel. The first “Culinary Escape” will celebrate regional culinary traditions, support chefs and restaurants, and take you behind the scenes in Charleston, New Orleans, Florence and Bologna, and Mexico City. Zagat is committed to supporting local businesses and helping to revive the restaurant industry. Dinner with Friends Abroad Restauranteur Nancy Silverton, Critic and Author Ruth Reichl, and Food Journalist/Editor Laurie Ochoa join forces this fall to host Dinner with Friends Abroad, an Italian food lover’s dream come true. This trip sold out in less than a day and has a long wait list! Clearly the experiential and affinity markets are poised to recover quickly! Time to Hit the Road Again? Vaccinations are happening at a rapid pace of 2.6 million doses a day in the U.S., many administered to citizens over 65. Travel bookings are flowing into tour operators and travel agencies, with eager soon-to-be-mostly immune customers ready to hit the road. In mid-March, news emerged that airports had seen the largest travel day since the beginning of the pandemic. At the time of this writing, 1.5 million passengers were processed by TSA (updated statistics are available here), up from 548,132 in 2020 and down from 2.2 million on the same day in 2019. A recent poll conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) captured data from 4,700 individuals who had taken a plane trip in the past 11 months. Responses point to a fall recovery, with some willing to board a plane when the vaccine has taken effect. 57% expect to be travelling within two months of the pandemic being contained (49% in Sept 2020). 72% want to travel to see family and friends as soon as Covid is contained (63% in Sept 2020). 81% will be more likely to travel once they are vaccinated. 84% will not travel if there is a chance of quarantine at destination (83% in Sept2020). 56% will postpone travel until the economy stabilizes (65% in Sept 2020). Our own Executive Vice President, Chase Poffenberger, and Chair of NTA, our trade association, will be heading to Memphis in early May for the annual tour operator meeting, “Contact”. Travel is in our blood and is coming back with renewed verve! ATA’s Reimagining Work Continues In our October newsletter, we told you about some of the ways we’ve pivoted toward promising future possibilities and new audiences. One example is our gap year portfolio. Our study abroad division, CET Academic Programs, has seen increased interest in gap years recently, and we’ve responded with an expanded and updated portfolio of programs. In addition to our intensive language gap programs, we now offer internship-based and virtual options. To further augment the experience, we connect our gap students across the world in a weekly virtual seminar where they will engage in discussion and share perspectives, making the impactful experience even more global. Previous Next Has your organization considered virtual options that support and complement your programs in the field? We’d love to talk to you about your plans! In the meantime, if you know a young person considering a gap experience, you can learn more here. Our fall term application deadline is May 1. COVID-19’s Silver Linings A few weeks ago, the commemorations that marked a year since the world went into lockdown were a sobering reminder of the pandemic’s toll on our lives, our families, and our industry. Yet when we asked our colleagues around the world about their “silver linings” from the last 12 months, we were inspired by the ways their stories—both personal and professional—have been forever changed. Read on to hear from them, in their own words.