Email this page
July 15, 2011
Unbelievable women, unforgettable encounters on a blazing hot day in New Hampshire
On Thursday, June 9, Alan and I had the pleasure of hosting 300 unbelievable women who travel with Grand Circle and Overseas Adventure Travel. These intrepid ladies braved 98 degree heat to join us for a special outdoor gathering in Kensington, New Hampshire, to help us improve as a company. They told us what we do well, but more important, what we can do better. (More about that in a moment …)
Meeting our travelers is always a delight, but on this particular day, there were so many highlights, I wanted to share some of them with you here. Since this special gathering preceded our annual Businessworks on Friday, June 10, 30 of our top Program Directors and Trip Leaders were also in attendance. I can’t tell you how wonderful it felt to see people recognizing each other from their travels, watching Program Directors and travelers reconnecting—like old friends—was such a rare treat.
Also in attendance were company leaders, including Martha Prybylo, Executive Vice President of People & Culture, Lisa Norton, Chief Marketing Officer, and Charlotte Lewis, Vice President, Interactive Marketing, and our guests took advantage of the opportunity to ask lots of questions, and give us valuable feedback. One recommendation we heard loud and clear: You want more new trips! Lisa announced several new trips for 2012, including vacations to Italy and Scandinavia.
Another hot issue was our website. As Charlotte shared with the group, we’re focusing on making our website easier to navigate, providing more interactive functions such as Traveler Reviews, and sharing the richest destination-specific insider information from our worldwide regional offices.
One of the recurring themes of the day was how much our travelers appreciate the work of Grand Circle Foundation in other countries, particularly in local schools. Just seeing how different schools around the world are from what we’re used to in the U.S. has been a discovery for many, and they love having the chance to connect with young people.
During the presentation, I asked the group to take a few moments to reflect on why they travel. After a few moments of silence, save the sounds of the birds chirping (and the whirring of the powerful fans we brought in to help combat the heat!) I asked for some volunteers to share their thoughts. One 28-time traveler jumped right up and said “Because I can!” Another traveler told us that she believes travel is a great way to grow, and she wants to keep growing and being stimulated. Amid murmurs of agreement throughout the crowd, yet another traveler stood and told us all a wonderful story …
When she was a little girl, her family subscribed to National Geographic magazine. Every night, instead of reading bedtime stories, her mother would sit with her and her siblings and read the magazine to them aloud. As she put it, it’s no surprise she loves to travel—she’s been learning about all the different places in the world since she was a little girl. My daughter Charlotte was standing next to me and I said to her, “Gee Charlotte, I’m sorry I never thought to read National Geographic to you when you were a little girl.” Charlotte replied, “Don’t worry Mom, you brought me everywhere!”
Have you fulfilled any childhood dreams of travel? If so, I’d love to hear all about them. Share your story by posting your comments below this Journal entry, or you can email me directly at harriet@gct.com.
Harriet Lewis