|
Independent Travel
Independent travel involves various components such as air, accommodations,
transportation, sightseeing, tickets to special events, and other services.
These custom designed itineraries are known as FIT or "for independent travel".
Who is independent travel best for?
Those who want to travel at their own pace.
Great for family or friends when you want just your group.
People who have to work around their schedules.
Prices to fit any budget. Prices vary depending on itinerary and hotels.
Those who want an experienced English speaking driver/ guide offering door to
door service.
The traveler who likes self driving or experiencing the European rail system
with or without set plans.
What are the needs of the independent traveler?
The needs vary depending on past travel experience as well as their budget.
All independent travelers will need:
Transatlantic transportation (air or ship)
Transfers
Accommodations
Car rental, rail or private driver/guide
An itinerary with specific plans for sightseeing,
including
current information about hours of
operation
for important sites
Dinner/meal recommendations
Specific requests or needs
Reservations, as needed, for all legs of journey
An example of some independent to urs:
Cooking classes in Southern France or Italy
Shop till you drop
Golf packages
Christmas markets of Germany
Religious pilgrimages
Family history searches
Rent a boat and sail down a river
Take a barge cruise down a river at a leisurely pace stopping to explore
villages and area by foot, bicycle or even hot air balloon.
While "Independent Travel" is an ideal way to travel
and great fun, it's not for everyone!
Groups
and
Seasonal
Travel
|
Group Travel
Group travel is loads of fun and can offer substantial savings. This
is especially fun if you are hosting a family reunion or reuniting
college chums. Memories made while traveling last a lifetime. Small
groups or larger ones each offer advantages.
Seasonal Special Travel
An Example of seasonal special travel is The European Christmas
Markets. Escape the humdrum this year and let your festive spirit
soar on Christmas shopping getaways to the vibrant Christmas Markets
of England, Germany, Holland, France, Belgium, Austria and
Switzerland. Enjoy a refreshing change of scenery and the chance to
witness the kind of festive scenes you’d expect to find only on
Christmas cards: Children singing carols by candlelight on cobbled
street corners; wooden candlelit stalls brimming with exquisitely
made gifts and decorations, mulled wines, traditional biscuits and
grilled sausages spicing the air; and half timbered houses decked
out in mistletoe against backdrops of snow-dusted fir trees.
Off-Season Travel
This is a time, if you don't mind a little colder weather and rain,
when you can get a place almost to yourself and at a discounted
rate. Most attractions are open daily as with high season but with
reduced hours. Gone are the crowds of summer. It will be a little
slower and quieter. The flowers may not be in bloom but the leaves
are not blocking your views.
Some tour companies offer winter tour destinations at about a 25%
reduction off their peak season rates. You can enjoy the same
destinations, same hotels, same itineraries but at a discounted
rate.
It is possible to have a driver guide to host an independent tour at
off-season rates.
City stays (London, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam) are good winter
destinations. Fly into a city, explore the museums, take in the
theater, use the public transportation, maybe take a day trip out to
the country and then fly home. |
Key Benefit to Independent Travel
- Meeting the specific needs of the individual traveler.
- Do what you want when you want.
| 
