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<\/p>\nThe past 20 months have certainly taught us that travel is a precious gift and privilege we can\u2019t take for granted but I have also realized that my desire \u2013 even urge \u2013 to travel has never been stronger. I also firmly believe that COVID-19 is here to stay, it will eventually transition from a pandemic to being endemic, but it is absolutely possible to coexist with the virus (governments working together on a unified approach would certainly be helpful but the advent of Omicron has yet again shown that every country, or sometimes even region is determined to put their own random measures in place, so this remains wishful thinking on my part).<\/p>\n
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In fact, this summer we have gradually resumed our operations \u2013 first domestically in Australia and the US but then also in Egypt, Iceland as well as a number of favorite European destinations such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Croatia, Switzerland, the UK and more. Whilst operations have never been more complex and we\u2019ve had to adjust and pivot along the way, we now have the living proof that our well-thought-out and carefully planned protocols are working and we are back to doing what we love and do best: deliver amazing holiday experiences for our guests. And without wanting to state the obvious, in this \u2018brave new world\u2019 going guided is THE best way to travel.<\/p>\n
Throughout the pandemic I have also made a concerted effort to focus on what I can control and on the positives. Even on the darkest days, it is possible to turn Covid lemons into lemonade.<\/p>\n
One such example is our family trip to the Galapagos Islands this autumn. In a normal year, I\u2019d be busy supporting our team in Australia and New Zealand with launch events at that time, but Covid transformed this into an opportunity to cross the Galapagos Islands off my personal bucket list (it had been on there for some 20 years!) what was even better, to experience it with my family.<\/p>\n
Not only did we have an amazing time experiencing the incredible wildlife and being really far away from civilization (when was the last time you didn\u2019t have WiFi for several days, and apart from our small group of 20 on the yacht didn\u2019t see another human, nor a building, nor a road nor a car?), it also highlighted the power and importance of travel in a profound way.\u00a0 How invigorated, enriched and alive you feel when you see, taste, hear, smell and touch a new destination. How travel really can be a force for good if you see how the Galapagos Islands masterfully manage conservation and tourism. It also highlighted how difficult the absence of tourism had been for the local Galapague\u00f1os.<\/p>\n
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Coming back from our family vacation made me even more determined than ever to see these difficult times through and to work towards bringing the joy of travel to thousands of Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold guests again in the near future.<\/p>\n
It also made me dream of more travel! Working for The Travel Corporation one is really spoilt for choice with hundreds of experiential journeys that connect you authentically to the places and people you visit, but here are my top 3:<\/strong><\/p>\n We launched our Wonder Women series a few years ago and this year we\u2019ve taken it up a notch! This trip is designed by women, for women and is anchored in sustainable travel principles. The Croatia journey includes several new #MakeTravelMatter Experiences<\/a> designed to uplift local women in their communities and ensure Insight\u2019s travels are used as a force for good while supporting the United Nations\u2019 Global Goals. Even better on one of our departures Celine Cousteau, our TreadRight Ambassador will join part of the tour. View her comments below.<\/p>\nInsight Vacations’ Wonder Women – Venice and the Croatian Coast\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/h4>\n