Greetings from Bad Hofgastein, Austria!
I've just arrived here in my old stomping grounds after wrapping up the last leg of our Kaleidoscope program in the south of France. We had a lovely time and France was as enchanting as ever... as always, more time is needed, especially in the south. We shall be back.
I'm here amongst the Alps for a reunion with my classmates in the town in which we went to school for hospitality and tourism, many moons ago.
It occurred to me on the way here that this is where the seeds of Wheel & Anchor were first planted, though I didn't know it at the time. I think very highly of the approach and professionalism of Austrian hospitality (so much so that I wrote a book about it), and it has inspired me to try and weave excellent hospitality into the trips we create at Wheel & Anchor.
There is something deeply human about how we are received as guests, and you cannot be a traveller without also being a guest. It's also one of those intangibles that shapes our memories of our travels, both good and bad.
So in our trip planning I like to explore the hospitality traditions of the various places we visit, whether that's in the form of food, unique forms of accommodation, particular ceremonies and secrets, dining in the homes of locals, and so on.
They manifest in things like toasting and feasting in Georgia, staying in palaces in India, or tasting cured venison shot with a single bullet by a Tuscan man of the land. These kinds of experiences are out there for those willing to seek them out...and we most certainly will!
The confines of space make it hard to capture these details in our 2024 Trip Calendar that we released last week, but these kinds of experiences can be found in all of our trips. If that resonates with you, do take a look, and if you see something that really speaks to you, let us know via a short questionnaire.
Now, I am conscious that we are all over-surveyed, that 2024 may seem a long ways off. The idea here is simply to learn which ones resonate most with you so we can prioritize properly and make all necessary arrangements as early as possible.
As I've mentioned previously, this is particularly important in a still-turbulent travel industry.
And, should you not find anything that speaks to you, I'd love to know what's in your mind! I There's a spot for questions/comments/feedback at the end, and I think it may take 2 minutes of your time. If you would so indulge us, you can find the survey here. Thank you!
Very quickly on trips - I'm pleased to release the Fall Edition of our Amalfi LiveAway in 2023 this week, which you can find below. Next week we'll also be presenting the webinar for our 2023 Island-Hopping in Greece program, happening in Sept 2023. Do join us should you be interested.
My time here in Austria is short and I will be back to reconnaissance mode in the weeks ahead, with Corsica and Sardinia up next, followed by Mauritius, all in preparation for 2024 LiveAways. After that it's back to Thailand to ensure all is in place for those joining us in Koh Samui in January.
Lots more on the way...be well and stay tuned 🙂
Cheers!
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