Interview with Lisa Presley
Manager - Globus Family of Brands
What are the differences between the brands within the Globus Family of Brands?
Globus - First Class Escorted Tour product, offering more value, more included features and more quality! Globus hotels are first class and above located in the heart of the destination.
Cosmos - Value/Budget Escorted Tour product, offering a variety of packages as low as $75 per day including International destinations for under $1000 per person.
Monograms - Independent Travel- Simplified! Included are choice of hotels, local host for guidance and travel assistance if needed, all transportation, a half day of sightseeing and breakfast each day. Monograms is perfect for travelers who want all the details arranged without being part of an escorted tour group.
Avalon Waterways - Legendary river cruises, inspired design. Avalon offers the youngest fleet, largest staterooms and modern amenities. Included are all onboard dining, wine and beer during dinner, shore excursions at every port with certified guides and much more. Destinations include Europe, Asia, Egypt, Galapagos Islands and North America.
What's new with Globus in 2013 & 2014?
Six new countries, 25 new cities and that's just in Europe alone! A few of our new tours offered in North America include Alaska's Iditarod, A Taste of the Pacific Northwest, Exploring America's Great Parks and Footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr,. Exotic locations, new tours include my favorite, Exploring South Africa; this is a fantastic tour offering 13 days starting from $3,929! Africa is definitely affordable!
New in 2013 Local Favorites Exclusively from Globus! Local Favorites takes you behind the scenes to the people and the places you wouldn't be able to find on your own, or with any other tour. Plus they are always included! A few examples are:
- Learn the Tango in Buenos Aires with a private lesson
- Hit a few balls at the St. Andrews Golf Practice Centre
- Walk through the Ngorongoro forest with a Maasai heeler
- Enjoy a private tour of Churchill Downs, including breakfast while watching the horse in their morning workouts
New at Avalon Waterways: We will be welcoming two new Suite Ships into our fleet. Including new itineraries plus theme cruises, including music, wine, culinary and more.
What separates the Globus Family of Brands from their competition?
- The Globus family of brands offers 85 years of experience showing travelers the world. We offer the largest variety of itineraries, travel styles and departures worldwide.
- Our Exceptional Tour Directors! The average experience of our Tour Directors is 14+ years; each are experts in the area and are committed to providing a memorable vacation experience.
- A Tour is not a Tour, the Globus difference.
- More Inclusions. Better hotels in better locations. More destinations. Better Tour Directors. More insights. More Stories. All for less money. That's our value equation!
- Globus has been in the travel industry for a very long time.
What significant changes have you seen take place in escorted tours through the years?
Guests are looking for a more personalized, in-depth experience. Our new Local Favorites was added to enhance our guest's vacations.
Wifi onboard our motorcoaches! With the age we live in, everyone wants to keep connected even while on vacation. New in 2013 we are offering free Wifi onboard our motorcoaches in Europe and North America.
What do you see as the coming trends in the travel industry?
River Cruising! River cruising is a wonderful way to immerse yourself into a destination without the added cost of excursions. River cruising provides an intimate vacation experience that takes travelers into the villages and ports found in the heart of Europe.
Tours are becoming COOL AGAIN! They're fun and informative. And they appeal to all ages.
What are some of your more popular itineraries?
Italy, Ireland, Britain, Kenya & Tanzania, Germany just to name a few. River Cruising the top three itineraries are, The Romantic Rhine, Paris to Normandy's Landing Beaches, The Legendary Danube.
Globus' river cruise line, Avalon Waterways, announced that it will bring three new vessels into service in 2014. Avalon Impression, Avalon Illumination and Avalon Poetry II will bring the line's total number of suite ships to eight. The three ships represent the line's single largest fleet upgrade since Avalon Waterways launched in 2004. They will be sister ships to Avalon Artistry II and Avalon Expression, which will debut in April and May of this year.
