When we decided to re-do the ALTOUR website, we wanted it to be world-class.  That meant we had to create it from scratch.

Over a series of months we brainstormed on what exactly we wanted the site to be.  We knew we weren’t a e-sales site: we pride ourselves on talking with each of our customers and providing real personal service, not relying on point and click and do-it-yourself. So our site needed to explain the who, what, and why of ALTOUR.  But to do so in a unique, engaging, and beautiful way would be a challenge.

That’s where our web design experts really stepped up. The geniuses of Gin Lane Media, a creative agency here in Manhattan, did a simply fantastic job. After looking at our old site, and our way of doing business, they managed to create something that truly sets us apart from the competition: visually and otherwise. The guiding principle of our new design was to be intuitive to new customers while balancing form and function. A site with beautiful imagery and no information would be just as useless as a wall of text describing our services. We think they struck the balance just perfectly.

Thanks to their design, it’s never been easier to explore the varied travel and travel services ALTOUR provides. Novel features include relevant ALTOUR Solutions cut-sheets included right on their respective pages that the customer to dive deeper than every before.  Our intuitive cross-sells show just how well we can manage the entire travel experience.  And the pages themselves feature dynamic slide shows and all the information you need.

But information alone isn’t enough: we needed to stand out.  ALTOUR is proud to sponsor environmental group Goodplanet and their founder Yann Arthus Bertrand. Bertrand has built awareness of environmental issues across the globe with aerial photography of some of nature’s most stirring sites. We thought it was only fitting that we use some of that photography, notably on our homepage slideshow, to make our site something that will keep you coming back.

Love the new site? Hate it? Let us know what you think!

Every other month, ALTOUR sends a survey out to hundreds of its leisure agents to get a bead on the industry. We want to know the where people are headed, how often, and what their chief concerns are. This knowledge helps us plan ahead so we can provide a better service.  Below are some of our latest observations along with quotes from some of ALTOUR’s finest.

Leisure travel is off to a good start in 2012, with travelers going abroad at a far greater rate than they were only three months ago.  This according to the January ALTOUR Index: the luxury travel expert’s bi-monthly survey of hundreds of their leisure agents. Overall levels of travel have increased, but tourists post-recession continue to look for the best deals, leading to a spike in “all-inclusive” land destinations. Additionally traveler’s concerns about political instability have dropped significantly, while personal security concerns remain constant.

In the November ALTOUR Index, respondents indicated that 30% of travelers were traveling more than average, but in January ALTOUR agents indicated that a full 51% were traveling at a higher than average rate. This is an encouraging start to the New Year, and travel agents are both excited and hopeful by the bump. Cincinnati based ALTOUR agent Roy Benecchi has noticed clients bundling corporate and leisure travel more than before, while also being more willing to spend a little more for the expert travel advice of ALTOUR: “For the first time in a few years, I have seen companies take their employees and spouses on trips…I think travelers’ value our expertise and are more focused on having a great trip than saving a few dollars by booking through an unknown source.”

2011 was a year of political instability worldwide, from the Arab Spring to occupy movements worldwide, but the early days of 2012 have seen travelers grow used to uncertainty.  While at the end of last year, “political instability” tracked as the number one concern of travelers, it fell 14% in the latest survey.  In fact, political instability has been overtaken by “personal safety” as travelers’ number one apprehension.  These concerns have not affected business however. Instead clients look to ALTOUR experts to provide alternatives, and provide additional research before traveling, says LA based ALTOUR agent Bahar Schmidt, “Mexico is not being booked at all, instead they feel it is safer to travel to Hawaii. As well as my clients who want to visit Asia, will have me do research on the safety of the country they are visiting.”

In this regard travelers seem to be traveling smarter, not less.  This can also be reflected in all-inclusive travel numbers seeing a significant bump.  31% of ALTOUR agents called demand for all-inclusive resorts high: a 10% increase over last year’s figures.  Again, this can be attributed to traveling smarter according to veteran Philadelphia-based ALTOUR agent Bob Jones. “People like “all- inclusives” now more than ever.  They like knowing exactly what a trip will cost and not be surprised by any extras.”

As the world continues to change, travelers, armed with cutting-edge technology and the latest information about travel trends, have adapted to the shift, and trends for 2012 look very strong.

This past June ALTOUR reached a truly special milestone: our twentieth anniversary. To commemorate the company’s founding, and the business we’ve become over the past two decades, we turned to our marketing team, to create a special ALTOUR takeaway. And since our anniversary was such big news, why not an ALTOUR newspaper?

There’s nothing like the feel of paper and the smell of fresh ink, so be sure to order your copy. But here are a few highlights.

• An article highlighting the story and philosophy behind ALTOUR, written by ALTOUR’s Executive VP and COO Barry Noskeau.
• A look at “What Tomorrow Brings” in the world of travel, featuring insights from some of the most important players in the industry.
• A timeline tracking ALTOUR’s rise from a handful of agents to more than 1200 professionals worldwide.
• The story of our new partnership with the Good Planet Foundation and our ever-growing involvement with the green movement.

Want your own copy? Fill out your mailing info here.

As the head of ALTOUR’s global Leisure Travel operations, Martin Rapp travels the world more than just about anybody. In the summer of 2011 Martin headed to Norway for a week-long visit. A detailed itinerary put together in association with one of ALTOUR’s local partners guided Rapp on his wanderings every step of the way.

Day 1
Arrive in Oslo
Arrive in Norway’s Airport Gardermoen and meet your private driver who will take you into downtown Oslo, a forty-minute drive. Check in at the renowned Hotel Continental: Norway’s only member of the Leading Hotels of the World. Stroll around downtown Oslo to orient yourself and then have dinner at Theatercafeen, rated as one of the ten most famous cafes in the world by The New York Times.

Day 2
Oslo Opera House and Museums
In the morning at ten your private driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you on a five-hour tour of Oslo. The tour will start with a visit to the Oslo Opera House, a marvel of contemporary architecture and home to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. Afterwards your guide will take you to the Bygdoy peninsula where several of Norway’s most interesting museums are located, including the can’t miss Viking Ship Museum. Your tour will conclude at the Vigeland sculpture park, the largest sculpture park in the world that features the work of a single artist. Gustav Vigeland’s lifework is on display with more than 200 unique works.

Day 3
Oslo Old City, Munch and Ibsen Museums
Take the time to explore the historic city of Oslo. We recommend: Akershus Slott: Originally built medieval fortress built in 1299, it has since served a number of roles, including a royal residence. Several tours are given daily. Munch Museet: houses an extensive collection of Edvard Munch’s work.The Ibsen Museum: features the playwright Ibsen’s life and work in the apartment in which he spent his last eleven years.

Day 4
Countryside and Fjords
Your car will be waiting for you to check out to whisk you to the train station where you will catch an early morning train heading west. After crossing the mountains, you will quickly change trains at the Myrdal station before heading down the picturesque Flam valley. Be sure to snap pictures when the train stops at the Kjosfossen waterfall! After arriving in Flam, meet up with your private boat and captain for a tour of Norway’s world famous fjords. After docking in the small town of Fresvik, make your way up to Froys Hus, a rustic family-run lodge deep in the hills.

Day 5
Medieval Churches and Spectacular Nature
Spend the next day exploring the countryside via bicycle or follow one of the many hiking trails up to a series of spectacular viewpoints. After your hike, head to Vik village and take a look at two of Norway’s oldest medieval churches, each dating back to the 12th century. Later that day, take a ferry even deeper into Norway’s wilderness to the end of Finnafjord: traditional accommodation, and complete relaxation, awaits you with no roads, traffic or television.

Day 6
Relax and Enjoy
You’ve never known freedom like this before. Take advantage of the natural wonders that surround you. Go fishing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, or even swimming in the pristine fjord or take a hike for spectacular views.

Day 7

Bergen and then Home
Time to make your way back to civilization, down the fjords on a series of ships past the beautiful Western archipelago towards Bergen, one of Europe’s largest and oldest port cities. When you arrive, take a car from the harbor to the Hotel Havnekontoret: a 4-star hotel within walking distance of the famous fish market and the funicular. After your full day in Norway’s port city, take the train back to Oslo to depart this northern treasure. Nowray’s abundant natural beauty and rich cultural heritage have kept people coming back for generations. After a week like this, it’s easy to see why.

Excerpt from the ALTOUR PAPER
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As a global company that sends people across the planet on a daily basis, ALTOUR understands that it is important to look after that planet. That’s why ALTOUR has formed an alliance with Yann Arthus-Bertrand and his organization GoodPlanet in their mission

The partnership became inevitable after looking at GoodPlanet’s extensive résumé.  The French philanthropists have always gone above and beyond to not only educate, with youth programs and their comprehensive website GoodPlanet.info, but to take real steps to save the environment.

Notable amongst their projects is 7 billion Others. The program, initially launched as 6 billion Others in 2003, is a video collage that speaks to the universality of the human experience and the planet we all share.  It features testimonials on such topics as love, death, sorrow and happiness from men and women from all over the world.

They also have taken major steps to offset and reduce carbon emissions through projects like Action Carbone, which enables institutions, companies and individuals to calculate, reduce and offset their greenhouse gas emissions by changing their own impact and by funding renewable energies, energy efficiency or reforestation projects.

 Education is one of the core values of GoodPlanet, whose mission statement is, “To Bring Ecology into Peoples’ Hearts and Conscience.” Indeed the company’s reach is one of their strong suits. Their dynamic website is frequently updated with pressing environmental issues and they have more than 27,000 likes on Facebook, 9,000 subscribers to their weekly magazine, and 4,000 subscribers to their daily newsletter.  But there is always room for improvement.

Many of those numbers are limited since much of GoodPlanet’s correspondence is in French.  That’s where ALTOUR comes in.  In the spirit of internationalism and reaching as many people with their important message as possible, ALTOUR is proud to sponsor the French-to-English translation of the GoodPlanet’s daily newsletter.  The newsletter will be distributed electronically, starting December 2011, to the English-speaking world, raising awareness and inspiring action on both sides of the Atlantic.