Two family travel experts clear up misconceptions about luxury travel and offer their top exclusive history and heritage trips personalized to your group
Welcome to the epitome of group indulgence—luxury travel, where the word ‘luxury’ takes on a new meaning. No longer are luxurious trips all about lavish accommodation and upscale prices. Groups can set out on unforgettable, exclusive getaways that cater to them without busting the budget balloon.
In a world where experiences reign supreme, a luxury jaunt with your nearest and dearest transcends mere exploration—it becomes a nurturing escape. To understand more about this emerging travel trend, we spoke to two experts who curate luxury trips and other excursions for groups. They’ll answer burning questions about luxury travel and how they create memorable vacations for families, including heritage and history-focused expeditions for meaningful cultural experiences.
What is Luxury Travel?
“Luxury can mean different things to different people,” says Shirley Rourke, vice president of Groups Only, Goway Travel. Shirley is a dynamo in curating group trips to far-flung places and does so with the utmost thoughtful planning consideration. This is where Goway Groups Only helps travelers make their dreams come true, offering trips to 115 countries worldwide, including exclusive tours.
Shirley explains, “Our ability to customize a trip to the specific needs of an individual group allows us to get to know the travelers and design the right itinerary for them because what seems luxurious to this specific group might differ from the wider consensus.”
Luxury travel for groups offers many compelling advantages, making it an excellent idea for those seeking a heightened and personalized experience. If you’re asking yourself if luxury travel is a good fit for your group, consider what the mavens of group travel have to say.
Travel group at a market with guide
Luxury Travel and Money
Steve Born is the chief marketing officer of Avalon Waterways, a Globus Family of Brands. He agrees that luxury means something different to everyone, but a “high price tag is an outdated notion of luxury travel.” Sure, our minds may automatically determine what a luxury trip will cost. But Steve explains how this isn’t the case these days.
“Today’s luxury travel is about the experience delivered, not the price-point. It’s about feeling welcome, feeling taken care of, garnering access to special and memorable experiences that inspire travelers long after they’ve returned home.”
When it comes to the price tag of a luxurious trip, Shirley agrees that “a big misconception is that luxury costs the same in all destinations as it does at home.”
She says, “This isn’t true at all. In fact, some countries have some amazing luxury travel experiences that are available at a fraction of the price of equivalent services back home.”
Luxury Travel Offers Tailored Group Experiences
Globus is a leading travel company specializing in one-of-a-kind group experiences. They provide exclusive history and heritage-focused trips for groups paired with all the luxurious amenities one could think of.
Steve reveals, “Beyond the guidebooks. Beyond the ordinary. Beyond words. Touring the world with Globus delivers to travelers the stories behind the sights, connecting people with places. That includes history, heritage and everything in between. And when travelers have the opportunity to immerse themselves in new cultures, they come home as better versions of themselves, feeling more connected to the world.
“We do this with our unparalleled, no-one-does-it-like-this Choice Touring vacations. On Globus’ Choice Tours, we invite travelers to follow their passions with a choice of included excursions on two or three days of every tour. It’s a new, ‘you’ way to enjoy the world while on tour,” he explains.
Travel group experience an olive oil tasting
Luxury Travel to Celebrate Milestones
Over the years, Shirley has curated many luxury tours focusing on celebrating milestones. To craft a successful group trip, she knows it’s important to work closely with her travelers. She understands that experience and commitment to the luxe travel market are vital, and Goway Groups Only prides itself on individualized service that “really taps into the interests of the specific group.”
She states, “The beauty of working with Goway Groups Only is that every trip is customized to the specific needs of the individual group, so we don’t have to fit a group into a cookie-cutter luxury experience. Rather, we can tailor the experience to their definition of luxury in the destination they want to explore.”
Premier Access, Special Activities and Exclusive Tours via Luxury Travel
This style of travel often involves meticulously planning and executing logistical details such as accommodation, transportation and activities. Unique to luxury travel, such activities include private tours, back-stage access and exclusive culinary experiences, to name a few. These recreations usually go above and beyond standard tourist offerings to create a one-of-a-kind, elevated journey. In essence, the trend combines the best elements of opulence, convenience and customization for a refined and unforgettable experience.
Expert Guidance on Every Tour
“Touring by nature offers travelers great luxury. There’s no planning, just playing. Front-row parking at the world’s must-see sights with backstage access and insider stories, thanks to expert tour directors and local guides. And because we take care of the ‘how’ for Globus travelers, they can focus on the ‘wow,’” said Steve.
He adds, “On a tour, you’re never alone. You’re led by expert guides who work with on-the-ground operations teams who are in the know about everything from the best route to get to a must-see landmark to places to avoid.”
The Luxurious Package
Shirley insists, “Goway Groups Only goes beyond accommodation when providing luxury service to include private touring in high-quality vehicles, private guides, and exclusive travel experiences, such as expert-selected dining and behind-the-scenes access to landmarks and famous locales, all delivered with exceptional service.”
Goway Groups Only also works closely with trusted partners to ensure quality trips and customer satisfaction. Together, they craft personalized itineraries and unparalleled experiences for the ultimate luxury getaway.
Shared Exclusive Experiences through Luxury Travel
Bonding is one of the most important aspects of family travel. Families can share special experiences together that have meaning for their group. A sense of camaraderie and creating shared memories can deepen relationships and strengthen bonds among the group.
Personalized itineraries are an excellent way for families to enjoy an organized vacation that is special to them where bonding is number one. Include places of interest that speak to everyone. If your family appreciates the brilliant art and culture of diverse regions, fill your itinerary with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, art galleries and exciting museums.
History and Heritage Group Vacations
Globus’ Choice Tours include many exclusive activities and trips full of history and culture.
- Taste: Stir-Up Greek Specialties takes groups to visit Mount Pelion where learning how to cook traditional local specialties is on the menu.
- Float: Loved Bayou brings guests up close to the Cajun culture of Southern Louisiana on a narrated adventure full of local history and regional wildlife.
- Create: Fancy Footwork in Seville takes groups to visit an authentic espadrilles workshop where they can ascertain secrets of the trade from skilled artisans and make their own pair of espadrilles to take home.
Goway Groups Only provides outstanding luxury travel opportunities for groups to soak up culture and history.
- Explore Egypt on a luxury cruise along the Nile River and stay in a deluxe cruise vessel on the journey from Luxor to Aswan. Off-boat excursions include private-guided tours that delve deeper into historic temples and tombs. These tours share exclusive experiences not available with generic tours.
- Explore India and stay in a luxurious palace and indulge in private guided tours led by local guides to see things like wild tigers and historic sites.
- Explore Ireland, where ancient castles are the choice accommodation, and groups can join a behind-the-scenes tour of a local whiskey distillery.
Shirley says, “If a group wants to ride a luxury train across Africa, go on a bespoke camping experience and learn about the Indigenous Dreamtime in Australia, charter a private yacht to cruise the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, enjoy private wine tastings in the best vineyards of Portugal and Spain, or even explore Antarctica during the height of the polar summer, we can make that happen.”
Motorcoach for luxury group travel
Indulge in Comfort, Convenience and Safety
A big aspect of luxury travel is the comfort level and convenience of scheduled safe transportation and activities. When the planning is already done for you, your group can relax and enjoy the all-exclusive amenities of a getaway.
Shirley points out, “Accommodation is the most obvious portion of a luxury trip, and we can provide that with exclusive stays in deluxe accommodations, including luxury tented camps in the Australian Outback or the Serengeti in Tanzania.
“Travelers can enjoy 5-star hotel stays, such as the Ritz in London or a variety of deluxe hotels in Dubai. Group travelers can also enjoy a more boutique luxury experience at a villa in Tuscany or a lodge in New Zealand or South Africa.”
Suspension bridge (with plenty of safety measures)
Safety First! (With Luxury Close Behind)
Many travelers today have legitimate concerns about their safety and well-being while traveling, especially to international or unfamiliar destinations. Safety should be a top consideration no matter what type of travel experience you’re planning.
For Goway Groups Only, Shirley assures that they vet all of their partners to ensure safety.
“Safety is paramount and it’s the first consideration at every step of the travel journey.” She adds, “We have worked with many of our partners for over 50 years and through the years, we’ve built trust with them as well as clear communications regarding the expectations of our clients and the high standard of the travel experiences in destinations.”
The Globus Family of Brands similarly approaches group travel safety.
“It’s a great luxury to not have to worry on vacation. Globus has nearly a century of experience in taking hassles and worries away for travelers, allowing them the freedom to simply experience the world and its wonder. There may be no greater luxury than that,” Steve acknowledges.
Truer words were never spoken. Or maybe they have. Shirley has been in the business long enough to know exactly what luxury travel entails.
“It’s not just about planning a great luxury group vacation. It’s about delivering one.”
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By Heather Dale, Managing Editor
