ATA’s 60th Anniversary Celebration!

September 2, 2010

Academic Travel Abroad celebrated 60 years in business over this past weekend at Rocky Gap Resort. All employees and their family members were invited to this memorable weekend to pay tribute to this company that not just survived but thrived over the span of decades.

Kicking off the weekend’s activities were group activities by the lake for both kids and adults alike. From there we were off to enjoy all that Rocky Gap resort offers such as kayaking, boating, hiking, tennis, swimming, etc. After drying off and cooling down, we were welcomed to hors d’oeuvres in a beautiful room with an outdoor veranda overlooking the lake.

David Parry, ATA Chairman, started the dinner with remarks on the genesis of the company, its history, challenges, and its bright future. We have weathered many storms over the decades, enjoyed many successes, and in present day we continue to innovate with products and offerings to new markets and in more corners of the world.

Team leaders then gave individual tributes to staff highlighting their skills, contributions, and personality traits (and just when we thought our embarrassing stories would stay within our team.) The evening was capped with dancing and dessert.

The next day we met for breakfast and then ventured out for another day of outdoor activities including kayaking, horseback riding, canoeing, etc.

A big thank you to the 60th anniversary planning committee, Randall, Janet, and Chase for a wonderful job! Here’s to the next 60 years for ATA!

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In Good Company: Greece

August 20, 2010

I have just spent a wonderful week with my family in Greece. My 8-year old daughter had said she wanted to see the acropolis and so we fitted in a stop to Athens on our European tour and made her wish come true.

Thanks to ATA’s longstanding partners and dear friends, Eleni and Themis Zachariou, we enjoyed the perfect week – balanced with a fascinating visit to the acropolis in Athens followed by some relaxing days on the island of Aegina close by. I have long known that Eleni is able to impart her knowledge of ancient Greek history with pride and enthusiasm but this time it was wonderful to watch my kids learning. Eleni teaches with grace and her information is conveyed in such a way that it appeals to all ages.

Despite the heat, and it was seriously hot, the children were enthusiastic throughout the tour of the acropolis – that lasted several hours. As we hopped from one patch of shade to another, Eleni interwove the facts about the building of the Parthenon with stories of Greek gods. It was fascinating. When we arrived in the Acropolis Museum for a late lunch my daughter announced ‘ why are we watching this film, Eleni already told us all this!”

From Athens we took a ferry to Aegina, where Eleni and Themis have created a delightful family home in the hills above the port – surrounded by olive groves and pistachio trees (the staple crop of the island). The island of Aegina is hardly frequented by tourists, it is more a retreat for Athenians and is somewhat stuck in time. The port is filled with fishing boats and farmers selling their produce along the quay and lined with tavernas and small shops and stalls, many selling pistachios. Its simplicity is a great attraction.

Apart from unwinding here for a couple of days, it became apparent how the Zachariou family continually strive to create an authentic experience, catering to the individual guests every time and adapting to the season you are visiting. We were taken to the best beaches and given a tour of the Temple of Aphaia; and a pleasure for my foodie family, we were served some delicious Greek food. There is nothing that beats a perfectly ripened tomato seasoned with oregano and olive oil and served with feta cheese. We were treated to many fruits and vegetables from their garden, but we were also taken to some local tavernas that are frequented by Greek friends. It would be hard to imagine a more quintessential Greek experience than sitting on the beach savoring octopus, fried fish and ouzo as the sun went down. We enjoyed every mouthful.

The Zachariou’s skill is not only in treating you to the sights and flavours of Greece but in making you feel a part of it, however brief your stay. Even with my relatively young children we slipped into the Greek way of life (taking a long siesta during the heat of the day and eating out late). On our last night we were fighting with the locals for a table for dinner at a very popular courtyard taverna at 10:30 pm. But it was worth the wait. The garlic sauce served with the fried eggplants was divine.

Eleni also made my children feel comfortable with Greek – teaching them the Greek alphabet and basic phrases. So much so that my children refused to have the volume turned down on the Princess and the Frog DVD they were watching, even if it was in Greek. Listening to the lyrical sounds of the Greek language was all part of the experience.

In one short week my family had been treated to a very authentic introduction to Greece and they could see why I enjoy programming tours to Greece, not least because of the warmth of the Greek friends I work with. Efharisto Eleni and Themis!

Emma Impavido
Senior Program Manager

Academic Travel Abroad

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From Venice: Festa del Redentore

July 23, 2010

Emma Impavido, ATA’s Senior Program Manager for Italy programs, shares a bit of the magic of Venice in her latest post from Italy, where she is spending time this summer.

Fireworks in Venice

The highlight of our weekend in Venice was by far the Festa del Redentore and I might add it is what shaped our itinerary this summer. The church of the Redentore on the Giudecca was built by Palladio to give thanks that the Venetians had been saved from the Plague. Every year – on the third Saturday of July–a bridge of boats is traditionally built across the canal of the Guidecca. Today the bridge is a more solid construction that is set up temporarily for the feast and connects the Zattere to the Giudecca.

Venice lays on the most spectacular firework display in the Bacino di San Marco as part of the festivities. All terraces, restaurants and vantage points are booked up. We decided to do it the Venetian way and hired a water taxi with our friends. Having feasted

Venice Basilicaon a seafood extravaganza we boarded our boat. Our driver, a Redentore veteran, told us it was early at 9:30 pm to head to the bacino and so gave us a beautiful tour of Venice by night. There is something special about cruising down the Grand Canal in your own boat with hardly any other boats around. We were overwhelmed upon arrival in the bacino – it was filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. I had expected a lot but not the party atmosphere. We moved from the small family boat gatherings to the pirate ship. Then there were the disco ships to the fishing boats partying away and finally the seriously rich yachts moored up near the Giardini. I am not sure if it was the heat or tradition but there were also people taking a dip in the water.

Venice Firewoks

It was still too early to hang around so we paid a visit to a gelateria. At 11:20 pm we were racing down the Grand Canal with all the last arrivals to the party, including a few gondolas. A few moments later a couple of warning shots were fired and total silence and darkness descended on the city. Venice was ready for the show to begin. And what a show we were treated to. Forty minutes of pure magic.

There is something amazing about being in such an open space with fireworks raining down on you. The scene was Turneresque: the foreground was filled with the silhouettes of people and boats and then bursts of light and color beyond. There were loud cheers and applause as the effervescent sky faded to night, and the boats started to file home – priority given to the gondolas, followed by the smaller boats. The party boats and fishing vessels disappeared out into the lagoon, perhaps to party on, take a dip in the cleaner waters of the Lido or head off for tomorrow’s catch. What a night. Truly memorable!

Academic Travel Abroad

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Tribute to the Sands of Egypt

July 12, 2010

Dear Friends,

The tale of the Egyptian Prince Tutmosis III and his encounter with the Sphinx of Giza fascinates me. On a hunting trip in the Valley of the Gazelles some time before his reign, Tutmosis III decided to take a nap to escape the midday sun. He chose the shade below the head (the only visible section) of the Great Sphinx of Giza. While he slept, the Sphinx spoke to him and told him that, if he dug the Sphinx out of the sand that covered it, he would be assured the throne of Egypt. So Tutmosis III set to work and excavated the Sphinx, the very first restoration of this site, undertaken circa 1400 BCE. The story of this dream is recounted on the stelae at the Sphinx’s feet.

What captivates me about this story is the fact that, even in 1400 BCE, the Sphinx and the Pryamids of Giza were already ancient, having existed since 2650 BCE, and that the protective layers of desert sand had already buried all but the Sphinx’s head over the preceding 1200 years.

Egypt’s ancient wonders abound, but it is not until you stand within inches of the deeply carved cartouches of Ramses II in Karnak or the stunning turquoise of painted vulture wings on Hatshepsut’s Temple, or the intricate delicacy of King Tutankhamen’s jewelry, that the impossibility overwhelms you. How can such beauty have survived 2000, 3000, 4000 years?

Entering the imposing structure of Ramses III Temple, there is a series of chapels to the left. Little color remains, and the carvings seem simplified, unremarkable. It turns out, these chapels date to Alexander the Great’s time—circa 332 BCE. Modern, by Egyptian standards! Yet paling in comparison to the elaborate scenes of battle and power depicted on Ramses III’s own temple walls.

Deep in the Temple of Luxor (circa 1400 BCE), past the small area that once served as a chapel for Roman soldiers during the 3rd century CE, there is a shrine built by Alexander the Great, depicting the Greek king as a pharaoh. Here, you can stand between the outer wall built by Amenhotep III and the inner wall of the Greek shrine. Within a couple feet of each other, the contrast is sharp: over a 1000 years pass from the time the Egyptian outer wall was carved to the time the Greeks erect their shrine. Yet, Alexander the Great’s craftsmen lose this contest: their work appears amateurish at best.

It’s not often that Alexander the Great comes across as lacking accomplishment. Yet ancient Egypt puts many more modern cultures to shame. Even the Romans, who seemed to lack the respect and interest Alexander showed Egyptian culture, appear boorish and uncultured in comparison. The Roman chapel within the Temple of Luxor is made of scavenged temple stones, betrayed by the upside down body parts and images carved on their surfaces.

Reflecting on all the perfection that bears tribute to Egypt’s royal ancestors, I can’t help but wonder what we have lost over time in sophistication, technique, and ambition. And I rejoice in the protective benefits of the sands of Egypt—without them, what treasures would have been lost to humankind!

Kate Simpson
ATA President

Click here to join Smithsonian Journeys on an amazing adventure to Egypt

Read more of Kates blog here

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Experiencing Arcetri Observatory

May 20, 2010
arcetri observatory

Arcetri observatory

Entering the round observatory room, we immediately gazed up at the enormous dome above. As the main door closed, one section of the dome slowly slid over another creating a large open window to the outside. We gazed up at the clear shot to the sky – a black blanket smattered with bright white stars. This was our introduction to the Arcetri Observatory in Florence Italy where AMNH Expeditions will be traveling this Fall - http://www.amnhexpeditions.org/expeditions/show/54 – an unparalleled opportunity to see the stars and planets like you have not seen them before.

Inside Arcetri's dome.

Inside Arcetri's dome.

The process begins by climbing a 10 foot ladder and placing one eye on the lense of the telescope which extends the length of the dome and trumpets out of the room and up towards into the sky. I remember the moment that I saw Jupiter so distinctly with 2 elegant rings circling it. It was magical. To think Galileo gazed up from this very same location with about 30-40% less visibility than this and still formulated such major brilliant theories sent shivers up our spines. Away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, for this one moment we had a vision of clarity and stillness and savored the wonderment of our universe.

Academic Travel Abroad

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Academic Travel Abroad is Celebrating its 60th Anniversary!

May 5, 2010

Academic Travel Abroad’s staff and their families will celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary at Rocky Gap Resort in August. (www.rockygapresort.com ).  The resort is located in bucolic western Maryland and was selected for its natural beauty, its warm service and because it offers so many opportunities to have fun outdoors.

For over 60 years, our creative programs and dynamic staff have helped educated travelers unveil the splendors the world has to offer and now it’s time to celebrate with a fun day in the outdoors.

Academic Travel Abroad

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Select All of Your Travel Partners Wisely

April 28, 2010

Academic Travel blogThe story of how travel was disrupted in Europe because of the erupting Icelandic volcano is almost a thing of the past now. Most travelers have made it home and transatlantic air travel is pretty much back to normal.

Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal posed the question, “Is Travel Insurance Worth the Cost?” ( read more here )

This is a timely question, as American travelers are now assessing the unexpected additional costs they incurred. If they were traveling with a group, they are also assessing how their tour provider cared for them while they waited in limbo for the skies to clear and the runways to reopen.

For its part, Academic Travel Abroad kept its tour staff in place in two countries to ride out the delay with travelers, even though the tours had ended. ATA and its partners picked up the cost of some additional hotel nights, meals and additional activities. Travelers, understanding that they would also need to contribute to the costs, made the most of their additional days in London and Amsterdam.

Izabella Van Raalte, a long time ATA tour manager, summed up her feelings in a recent e-mail to Senior Program Manager Emma Impavido, who coordinated the company’s response and efforts to re-book travelers quickly with the help of Whitney Kulesz, Director of Travel Services:

“Thank you very much for being such a wonderful support on my recent tour. At all times I felt that I could bank on you 100 % and that you would come through which indeed you did. I looked forward to your daily “check in” phone call. ATA’s response to my request for help in getting hotel rooms at the eleventh hour was amazing. As I already told you it gave me great pleasure to be able to announce that ATA had managed to procure hotel rooms so quickly.

Emma, could you please also thank the whole team involved in back stopping for the great job they did. It takes a team to make a tour a success and I certainly felt as part of one and a great one at that.”

Academic Travel Abroad and its partner organizations actively promote the benefits of travel insurance to customers to protect their investment when the unexpected happens. Those travelers who purchased trip cancellation and delay coverage for their tours will be able to make substantial claims for reimbursement.

While none of us ever imagines ourselves the victim of a travel delay or mishap, the volcanic ash situation has reminded travelers how important it is to pick all of their travel partners wisely—from the tour company that makes the safety and well being of it customers its top priority, to the insurance company that stands by its coverage, and to the travel agent who swiftly and efficiently re-books passengers while airline websites and help lines crash through overuse.

Academic Travel Abroad

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Travel: Rising from the Ashes

April 22, 2010

Flight delaysIn normal times, the travel industry is often rocked by volatile forces—world unrest, health threats, or economic conditions. We anticipate the adrenalin rush when faced with an unexpected situation, and drop everything when a crisis hits in order to respond to travelers comfort, safety and welfare.

The last week has been a test for all of us who had passengers stranded by the volcanic ash covering much of Europe’s skies. Tour operators and travel agents have been working around the clock to get passengers home as quickly as possible. ATA staff and our trusted partner, Premiere Travel, have been working to bring home groups in London and Amsterdam. Our passengers are among the first who departed Europe once the skies cleared.

Katie Schwartzstein, an ATA Tour Manager, gave us a sense of how the Smithsonian Journeys’ Tudor Tapestry group was spending its extra days in London:

“Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we fly.” That’s how I opened Tuesday’s dinner at the Ebury Wine Bar Restaurant (before I knew airspace was reopening), and my message was that we should have fun during our extra time in London and that we would likely be home before long. The evening was a great morale boost and we enjoyed the company of two of Smithsonian Journeys Tudor Tapestry’s historians. One of them, Siobhan Clarke, gave us a wonderful talk at the Banqueting House yesterday morning–her idea, a generous and thoughtful gesture. Participant reactions to being stranded in London varied as days passed, and depended upon how anxious they were about work or missing husbands, children or pets. The Rubens Hotel has been great. Now our numbers are down by more than half, and the saga is coming to a close.”

We believe the silver lining in this otherwise unfortunate situation will be that travelers will appreciate the value in working with travel professionals (vs. internet booking sites) when the unexpected happens. It is a prudent investment to have a skilled advocate working tirelessly for you when loved ones are depending on your timely return from a vacation.

Academic Travel Abroad

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Boomers and the future of the travel industry.

April 14, 2010

It would appear that the troubling economic times we’ve all recently experienced may well be in our rear-view mirrors now, but the road to the top is still steep, and frankly a bit foggy. So what now?

baby boomersWell, welcome to a new market!  A market of boomers seeking out unique travel opportunities in which their sense of independence, desire for immersion, and quest for a deeper sense of cultural education and awareness is in focus. Although boomers may not identify themselves by their given name, they are a distinct market segment that those in the travel industry will want to take heed of.  Those within the designated birth dates between 1946 and 1964 fall into the market-derived name of “Boomers.”  The indicators stress that they are more independent both in thinking and in action.  They seek travel opportunities that offer a unique angle, more cultural immersion, and meet their high demands for value and experience.  Many boomers are already well-traveled and now seek unique destinations, possible “voluntourism” opportunities where their sense of community and altruism can be met with rewarding results.

Our friends at myitchytravelfeet.com , heatheronhertravels.com, and holeinthedonut.com have recently expressed how boomers seek travel opportunities in a more frugal way then the preceding generations. Focusing more on the value of travel (where cost in not a focus), but where amenities should provide rewarding results.  They seek upscale accommodations, but no longer see the value in extravagancy. Their focus has now shifted to real value.  Instead of just enjoying a rare bottle of wine, they now wish to meet the owners of the vineyard – even have dinner with them even.  Instead of donating their money to a cause, they now seek tangible interaction with those they seek to help.

All this parlays into the fact that those in the travel industry should rekindle their understandings and interpretations of adding true value into their offerings.  Strong amenities, well-appointed accommodations, interaction with locals in given destinations and an educational element can offer a resounding value and mental enrichment to those seeking a true experience abroad.

Group travel can render significant rewards for those seeking to meet new people while absorbing cultural experiences.  This often translates to new friendships among boomers of like interests, further enhancing their desire for connecting with others. Adding an educational element, via an accompanying  tour expert or location historian can bring new appreciations to otherwise mainstay destinations.  These elements remove the “tourist” aspect to travel and brings a deeper focus to interaction and participation while abroad.

So, we at Academic Travel Abroad are eager to hear more!  What do you seek in your travel experiences?  What destinations entice you the most and why?  Tell us more about your travel aspirations and where you find specific value when traveling.  What has been your most rewarding experience so far?

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Professionals Abroad

April 6, 2010

Academic Travel Abroad is proud to announce the launch of Professionals Abroad, our newest division catering to the international cooperation of professionals in their respective fields.

Professionals Abroad works with top U.S. and international professional associations to facilitate professional exchange between counterparts around the globe. In both urban and rural settings, doctors, lawyers, educators, social scientists, environmentalists, and others gain valuable perspective about their own profession through counterpart meetings where they can share common challenges and connect on a one-to-one level.  All Professionals Abroad programs include briefings with government representatives and content specialists, as well as visits in the field with practitioners at their facilities.

Professionals Abroad is led by Dawn Davis. With over 20 years experience in the field of professional exchange, Dawn has arranged for teams of professionals representing Medicine, Law, Education, Technology, and the Social Sciences to meet with their counterparts around the globe. Dawn’s partners have included The American College of Physicians, American Bar Association, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Water Environment Federation, and the American Association of University Women. These teams have visited Rwanda, The People’s Republic of China, Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa, Israel, Jordan and many, many more destinations.

Delegation leaders are nominated and selected by their peers; leaders guide the content of the professional meetings. The content and depth of the professional exchanges often qualify the participants to receive continuing education credits contingent with the requirements of their field. For US residents, participation may also be tax deductible, based upon ones individual tax guidance. A journal of the proceedings will be published following the delegation.

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