| Happy first Thursday of 2025 Hidden Gem Travel community! How were your holidays? I hope, like mine, they were merry with a good balance of relaxing.For some of you, this will be the first time receiving this newsletter – – welcome!! You can reply to this email OR click the links below to connect with me. I have a BIG trip coming up at the end of January and am very excited to experience this destination for the first time by both land and river. I’ll be traveling in a small group and shepherded by a highly reputable local travel company. Stay tuned to this email to find out where. I’ll also be sharing my itinerary soon in this newsletter. So please note that I’ll be monitoring and responding to emails as much as possible while away, but I won’t be having new trip consultation calls until I return in early February. However, you can request a call now by replying to this email or clicking on the links below.Where do YOU want to travel in 2025? I encourage you to expand your thinking and feel confident that wherever you choose, you’re in good hands with me and my trusted local partners. If you’ve gone to Europe for the past couple of years, why not venture farther to Australia, Africa, or Asia? The world is vast and there are so many incredible places to see with your own eyes (and if you have kids – or grandkids – through their eyes). Carpe diem – there’s no time like the present or near future!OR try a new travel style… if you’ve never taken a cruise but want to return to Europe, try a river cruise. If you always travel just with your nuclear family, think about traveling with friends or wider family. Small group tours and cruises allow the opportunity to make new friends who share a love of travel. The sky is the limit!Read on for the scoop and inspiration for your 2025 travels… |
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| All Aboard – It’s Wave Season! |
| Did you know that it’s Wave Season? January and February are very busy months for booking vacations, so the cruise industry dubbed it Wave Season which caught on. So, if you’re hoping to book a vacation on the water, whether it be ocean or river, large ship or small ship, yacht or barge, luxury or expedition, adults only or family, now is the time! Email me to learn more.When clients book a cruise, I often work with them on a pre- and post- time on land. It deepens the experience, and the beginning and end ports are places where you’d want to spend more time. For example, if you took a Mediterranean cruise (along the coasts of Italy, Monaco, France, and Spain) you might have some pre-cruise time in Rome and post-cruise time in Barcelona. When I did this cruise itinerary, I LOVED the entire experience (clients do too)! Photos above are from my trip – port in Monaco. I’ll be sailing along the Rhone river in France in late March after having cruised the Danube river multiple times. I’ll also be on an exotic river in February on my big trip. More on those trips to come! |
| BOOK A VACATION ON THE WATER Click here |
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| Travel Off-The-Beaten Path in 2025 |
| One key trend in 2025 is traveling to less crowded places. As much as we all love (or don’t) social media, it’s made hugely popular places even more popular – read crowded – during peak travel seasons. Instead, consider what is termed a destination dupe OR regional alternative. For example, few stunning places that are up and coming in Europe are:MaltaMadeiraSlovenia AlbaniaWalesAlso, you can travel within a popular country at peak season but focus on the lesser known areas. Reminder – Every quarter century, the Catholic church’s Jubilee takes place in Italy, and 2025 is a Jubilee year bringing millions of pilgrims to Rome and regions beyond. Jubilee begins Christmas 2024 and ends at Epiphany 2026. We will discuss the pros and cons of your trip to Italy during this time on your consultation call.For Asia, Japan is having a surge in tourism and planning well in advance is critical. If 2025 is your year for Japan, let’s discuss areas of the country that are less heavily touristed but are equally beautiful and fascinating. |
| BOOK AN OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH TRIP Click here |
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| Investing in a Bucket List Trip |
| One of my valued partners for global luxury travel conducted an Affluent Traveler Survey which yielded interesting insights including the aforementioned interest in traveling off the beaten path.Respondents also expressed their willingness to invest in bucket list trips which is my specialty! If any of the incredible experiences in the brown image above appeal to you, let’s discuss the best options for your bucket list trip. HINT – one of them is the trip I’m taking in January.The American Society of Travel Advisors (yes, I am a member) recently shared on LinkedIn why using a travel advisor for your important vacations is advantageous as well as to have in your list of trusted resources like your accountant — and I’ll add wealth advisor, realtor, attorney. We are here for you when you need us as well as people you can trust to refer to others. We have your best interest at heart! Connect with me on LinkedIn if you haven’t already! Ready to begin 2025 travel planning? Respond to this email or click on the links above or below to get started! Wishing you amazing travel adventures, SusanSurvey credit: Kensington Tours |
| BRAINSTORM & BOOK A BUCKET LIST TRIP Click here |
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| Travel News You Can Use |
| 💎 Hidden Gem Tip: Why Buy Travel InsuranceAs we begin the new year, this is my annual reminder to purchase travel insurance to protect your investment. Unexpected things happen to clients of all ages – I’ve seen plenty – which is why I provide a travel insurance quote for my clients’ review after booking their trips.Many new clients say to me that they haven’t purchased travel insurance in the past. If you are the same, message me for a list of FAQs to educate yourself. You’ll be glad you did.Credit chart above- Travel Insured International. |
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| About Hidden Gem Travel ConsultingHidden Gem Travel Consulting was founded by Susan Wilson. After decades of traveling the world and working for Fortune 50 companies and global nonprofits, she opened her own travel business which is affiliated with Virtuoso – the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel. Through her deep network and signature consultative process, she designs customized travel itineraries that elevate your escape and speak to what will wow everyone on the trip. It’s a new way to travel – a vacation that allows you to feel the full vibrancy of the destination while giving you access to perks, amenities, and experiences that are “ungoogleable.” Enriching. Experiential. Effortless. Hidden Gem Travel Consulting is your trusted travel advisor.Schedule A Complimentary Consultation |
| Hidden Gem Travel clients get some fab perks at many premium and luxury hotels around the world! Want to book a hotel on your own and get upgrades and perks? Follow this link: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/SusanWilson?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dinner_and_a_show&utm_term=2023-05-11 |
| Share this weekly newsletter with family and friends who love to travel well!Give them the scoop by sharing their email address here:www.hiddengemtravelconsulting.com/newsletter |
| Follow my Facebook & Instagram pages for more curated travel inspiration: www.facebook.com/hiddengemtravelconsulting www.instagram.com/hidden.gem.travel |
| Virtuoso Wanderlist SpecialistHidden Gem Travel Consulting is proud to be one of the first travel businesses to be certified in Virtuoso Wanderlist, a unique and exclusive consulting service designed to turn travel dreams into reality through the creation of a strategic plan – called a travel portfolio. Much like wealth advisors manage investment portfolios, Wanderlist Advisors manage an equally important asset – our leisure time. Wanderlist marries “Netflix-style” technology with the deep expertise of a travel advisor. Wanderlist helps families live a life filled with anticipation and special memories. Take a peek here. |
