Group Tour Magazine - May 2023 - 4

EDIT OR'S LETTER
Reflecting On
Your Travel Map
A few weeks ago, my company put up a cubicle wall-sized world map for everyone
to document their travels. In just a few short hours, the map became filled with
pushpins in every color of the rainbow, showcasing our collective adventures.
The outcome is a sight to see, but the exercise itself was a fulfilling moment of
reflection. As I sat down to craft my list of travel destinations, three decades' worth
of experiences flooded my memory. In no time at all, I was back on spring break as
a teenager, lounging with my family on the shell-filled beaches of Sanibel Island;
experiencing the nerves of my first solo trip for Group Tour magazine while strolling
past the lively honkey-tonks of Nashville's Lower Broadway; witnessing a stunning
sunrise atop the Haleakala volcano in Maui as a newlywed; somberly peering inside
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s unaltered hotel room at the National Civil Rights Museum
at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis; biking through Salzburg, Austria, in the pouring
rain in search of " The Sound of Music " filming sites; and the list goes on and on.
As tour operators and travel advisers, I'm sure your travel maps are bursting at the
seams, too-and that's something worth remembering and celebrating.
After finishing my list of map destinations, my mind began daydreaming of the
places I wanted to go next and the travel experiences I want my daughters to have
when they're old enough. And it's those thoughts of the future that make sustainable
travel such a critical topic right now, because our personal interests and professional
ones, too, are at a pivotal moment. With the help of some expert industry
organizations, this issue offers ways you can do your part in keeping sustainability
and responsible travel not only top of mind but also at the forefront of your business
decisions. This goes hand in hand with the idea of meaningful travel, an industry
trend that's here to stay. In our Group Tour Heritage & History special edition, we
interview a cultural heritage tourism expert about ways tour operators can create
authentic experiences for guests that support local communities, their histories,
and their environments-for today and the future generations of tomorrow.
With that said, I invite you get lost in the stories and destinations within these
pages (and Group Tour Heritage & History, too!). I hope you find inspiration for
future tours-and more pushpins for your own travel map-and motivation to
grow your business while protecting the places and people we hold dear.
Until next time,
GROUP TOUR MAGAZINE
is a proud member of:
American Bus Association
COURTNEY BIRCHMEIER
courtney@greenspring.com
4 MAY 2023
Circle Michigan
Louisiana Travel Promotions Association
National Tour Association
Ohio Travel Association
Ontario Motor Coach Association
Student & Youth Travel Association
Tour Kansas
Virginia Motorcoach Association
PHOTO NERIPHOTO
Group Tour Magazine - May 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Group Tour Magazine - May 2023
