TravTalk India Online Magazine
From one rowboat to 95 years of fulfilling travel dreams on the roads, rivers and rails of the world, the Globus family of brands has covered a long journey.
TT Bureau
What began nearly a century ago as a rowboat ride across Switzerland’s Lake Lugano has rippled into a robust portfolio of independent, touring, and cruising vacations across 6 continents, 70 countries with over 500 vacations – the largest escorted travel company in the world based on numbers of departures and pax travelled.
“On his rowboat by Lake Lugano, Antonio Mantegazza had a dream to show travelers the world,” says Scott Nisbet, President, and Chief Executive Officer for the Globus family of brands. “And in 1928, when he launched Globus, he did that – and so much more. From creating the world’s first European touring vacations and unveiling value tours for cost-conscious travelers to designing Suite Ships that changed the tide in river cruising, the Globus family of brands has a 95-year history of creating life-enhancing journeys across the globe. As we look back on our history, we’re celebrating this very real, very ‘today’ current of change.”
Rowing Towards Awe & Wonder Since 1928
Throughout Globus’ history, the company has been a difference-making leader. Here are just a few of the travel industry-wide changes the company initiated in touring, among others.
-The first to create “modern” European Touring vacations.
– The first to unveil Panorama Touring-itineraries: Vacation packages highlighting multiple countries.
– The first to develop Circular Touring: Touring vacations that start and end from the same gateway, creating cost-savings and seamless experiences for travelers.
– The first to create value-focused touring vacations, in the form of a new brand – Cosmos!
– The first to develop Regional Touring – vacations, providing an immersive experience in the same destination.
– The first to name and unveil Local Favorites: Opportunities for travelers to experience the sites and activities just the way the locals love, in addition to seeing the “must-see” landmarks.
– The first to set up the most exciting & first of its kind rewarding club for supporting agents – Globus Family Club
While inspiring travel innovations on the roads and rails of the world with Globus and Cosmos, the company also made significant ripples on the globe’s rivers with the launch of Avalon Waterways in 2004. Since then, Avalon has elevated the cruising experience with a plethora of industry transformations, including:
- Designing award-winning Suite Ships, featuring two full decks of 200-square-foot Panorama Suites.
- Developing Open-Air Balconies, available in every Panorama Suite, featuring wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open 11 feet wide – wider than any other balconies in the industry – to invite the outside-in, without sacrificing the living space.
- Doubling down on views with beds facing the views for which river cruising is famous in 80 percent of all staterooms, fleetwide.
- Creating Active & Discovery – itineraries on every major waterway in Europe, providing “whim-powered” cruising for Avalon guests. And More!
In addition, on all vacations, the Globus family of brands provides guests access to GO Apps (AvalonGO, GlobusGO, CosmosGO) providing them with daily itinerary insights, GPS-enabled maps, and stories behind the sites (all without using internet data) to enhance their vacation and be a 24X7 guide.
The India office of the Globus family of brands was set up 18 years ago and was the first-ever International Tour Operator to have a direct presence in India, the Middle East, and the South Asia region, even though the Brands have catered to discerning travelers from the region for more than 4 decades. This only goes to exhibit the serious interest the Globus family has in the agent community & travelers here.
“Since 2005, we have become the go-to choice amongst the evolved travelers. We have had unflinching faith in the trade and firmly stay committed to our core values and ethics as we distribute our premium travel experiences through them. Also, this journey would not have been possible without the reciprocal support of all our GSAS partners. We are distinctly different from what any other tour operator is offering in India. Our choice of itineraries, destinations, travel styles, and prices are unmatched. What you see today is 95 years of high-quality tour operating experiences offered by a legacy company that started it all.
When a customer or even a privileged GFC agent is traveling on any of our tours or cruises – they can be sure of the fact that they are traveling with THE ORIGINAL! And today we reiterate our founder Antonio’s promise – For years to come – we will continue to focus on providing the same value to our travelers. “Just like we have stayed true to our Swiss heritage in offering uncompromising quality.” concludes Varesh Chopra, Managing Director – South Asia and the Middle East.
