As we look ahead to the coming year we have many fun things in store! Lori Wiltzius, a travel coordinator at Zoom Vacations posed a few questions to Zoom co-owners, Bryan and Joel to see what we can expect from Zoom Vacations in 2019.
Q: What new things are in store for 2019?
Bryan: A lot of people don’t know that our first ever Zoom vacations tour was to Thailand, so we are excited to have revamped our tour with the latest offerings and are bringing our Zoom magic to Thailand again this February.
I am also really excited about our Norway tour. Last September, as I was researching the trip, Norway truly knocked my socks off. I was excited to see how our tour would develop, and was thrilled to see it taking shape, and more impressively than I even imagined. It is going to be a spectacular tour— slated for September 2019 and May 2020, giving you plenty of time to plan for this tour!
Q: What is it that excites you about Zoom’s Thailand tour?
Joel: Thailand is one of the most modern societies in South East Asia and is a welcoming country for the LGBTQ community. Plus Thai cuisine and hospitality are top notch. As a westerner it’s easy to feel at home in Thailand. What makes Zoom Thailand special is the mix of luxurious hotels and cultural sites at each destination; pampering spas in Bangkok and active adventure like biking in Sukhothai; gorgeous beaches in Samui and elephant filled green mountain slopes in Chiang Mai. Plus we visit 3 royal capitals of past and present, Bangkok, Sukhothai and Chiang Mai.
Q: What is new or different about other Zoom Vacations’ tours?
Bryan: We are always checking out the newest hotels and restaurants available in each destination, and we often make changes, based on what is now available. In South Africa, we are using a new 5 star safari lodge this year. I experienced it last January and loved it. In Vietnam we are using a new boat company for our tour of the bay, which is exciting. Our Peru and India tours are seeing the least amount of change, as we are confident that our accommodations, restaurants, etc. still reflect that best that is available.
Q: Are you researching any new destinations?
Bryan: Yes, I am heading to Bali in February, as we have long been wanting to determine how a gay group tour would best work in this island paradise. Then in March, I will be in Iceland, as we haven’t organized a tour to Iceland for several years as well, and much has changed.
Q: What was your Zoom highlight of 2018
Bryan: This is really tough because I had a few. The impact Norway had on me was certainly a highlight. Our tour to Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia is such a fine-tuned tour that the whole experience was a highlight, as was the tour I lead to Morocco with such a fun group of people. Probably my biggest highlight, however, was
Joel: Being invited to speak at some of the most important travel symposia and creating some amazing relationships with other travel partners, hotels and suppliers around the world.
Q: What is a lesser-known fact about Zoom.
Joel: Many guests are not aware that Zoom Vacations offers private trips, discounted luxury hotel bookings with incredible complimentary amenities and upgrades as well as highly discounted Business Class and First Class reservations.
Bryan: What he said. LOL. Honestly, it is not only a lesser-known fact, but one of my greatest frustrations that people don’t know or forget this. We spend so much time establishing relationships with hotel partners around the world, and it kills me when our travelers don’t take advantage of this. We are also members of Traveler Made, which gives our travelers incredible perks at hotels around the world!
