Industry Leaders Unveil Products, Services at 2009 Luxury Travel Expo

December 2, 2009 By: Meagan Drillinger

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The 2009 Luxury Travel Expo hit the ground running yesterday as thousands of luxury agents gathered in Las Vegas to hear and learn from the best of the best in the industry. Here is a round-up of some of the industry leaders in attendance.
Discover Your Italy

Discover Your Italy, a luxury tour operator, is joining the action at the 2009 Luxury Travel Expo and is announcing the launch of four new categories of luxury tours.

Luxury Private Tours to Italy
See the sights that are most important to you, without the pre-travel hassle. Discover Your Italy designs customized private vacations.

Luxury Italy Honeymoons
A honeymoon is not a trip that you want to do wrong, especially if you want to avoid being reminded of it by your spouse in the years to come. Discover Your Italy is now designing honeymoons in notable Italian cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Cinque Terre and others. All tours offer luxury services and are tailor-made, including special add-ons to suit each traveler's tastes.

Luxury Italy Wine Tours
If you are going to Italy it's safe to say you are a fan of one of three things: art, food and wine. (Most likely you love all three!) On this exclusive tour visit famous locations and art sites while sipping and sampling some of Italy's local food and wine.

Luxury Italy Pre-Post Cruise Extensions
Cruisers who want to start their trip a little early, or perhaps are not quite ready to go home, can take advantage of Discover Your Italy's pre-post cruise extensions. Whatever port you are departing from or arriving in, the company can provide a variety of services to make sure a traveler gets to make the most out of the trip.

Co-founder Daniela Mancarelli will be at booth #551 at the 2009 Luxury Travel Expo.

Visit www.discoveryouritaly.com.
The Royal Garden Hotel

The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London will be announcing the next phase of their renovation program this year at the 2009 Luxury Travel Expo.

2010 is going to be a big year for the hotel including a complete modernization of the hotel lobby and a refurbishment of The Park Terrace, the hotel's main restaurant and bar.

The new renovations are following the 2008 work, which opened Min Jiang, a Chinese restaurant located on the tenth floor. 2008 also included the refurbishment of 70 rooms. 2009 renovation highlights include the Palace Suite and 10 private function rooms.

Mark Anderson, Director of Sales and Marketing will be exhibiting the hotel at the World Hotels Stand, #318 at the Luxury Travel Expo.

Passport Online Inc.

Passport Online Inc., an Internet marketing solutions company for travel agents and suppliers, will be in attendance at this year's Luxury Travel Expo to detail the launch of its Social Media Tool Kit.

The project involves a step-by-step guide designed to help travel agencies establish a social media foundation. It also provides advice on how to develop content and how to maintain your presence on all platforms.

"Our recommendation is that, at a minimum, travel agents should have a website (their digital storefront), a blog, a Facebook Fan Page, and a Twitter account, and tie them together and to their website," says Greg Kott, president and CEO of Passport Online Inc.

The tool kit can be found on AgentPort, the customer portal for NexCite and VacationPort users.

Globus

The Globus Family of Brands has announced that it has news to share at the 2009 Luxury Travel Expo.

First, Avalon Waterways has created over 30 new itineraries for 2010 and will also be christening two new ships - Avalon Felicity and Avalon Luminary.

Here are five new river cruises that Avalon will announce at the Expo in Las Vegas.
1. Paris to Normandy's Landing Beaches, eight days, Paris to Paris
2. Grand France, 16 days, Paris to Cote d'Azur (or reverse)
3. Castles on the Rhine to the City of Music, 13 days, Zurich to Vienna
4. A Taste of the Danube, four or five days, Vienna to Budapest (or reverse)
5. Christmastime in Germany & Austria, 12 days, Frankfurt to Vienna

Next Monograms will unveil new 2010 vacations and services, with almost 150 travel packages available. Monograms provides travelers a Local Host in destinations around the world. This expert helps travelers get to know the destination with tips, suggestions, facilitating travel and guiding tours. Each of the new travel packages are customizable and are available in 31 countries.

Monograms is also offering special programs that cater to cruise-goers for 2010. It will introduce two-night pre/post packages for cruisers in 14 European cities. Each package will include a two-night stay including breakfast, taxes and port transfers.

Finally Globus, in keeping with the popular travel theme of 'savings,' is introducing European vacations with savings up of to 20 percent. Some include:
Italy's Great Cities, nine days; Rome, Florence and Venice; priced from $1,599
Introduction to Ireland, eight days; Dublin, Ennis, Killarney and Waterford; priced from $1,039
Imperial Splendors, 11 days; Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Salzburg; priced from $1,599
Normandy, Brittany & Chateaux Country, Nine days; Paris, Caen, Mont St. Michel and Blois; priced from $1,789

Visit http://www.globusjourneys.com/Tour-Globus/Special-Offers/