Destination Spotlight: Wynwood Walls, Miami

My company is sponsoring a weekend fam to Miami to coincide with a group who will be exiting a 4-night Western Caribbean cruise on a Friday. As part of that weekend stay, we asked the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau for recommendations for sights to see. Specifically, I asked for destinations off the beaten path that may even be under appreciated. Without hesitation they suggested we go to see the Wynwood Walls.

Wynwood Walls Garden - Photo by Will Graham

Created by "Placemaker" Tony Goldman in 2009, Wynwood Walls started off with a goal of using the often dilapidated and graffiti-marred  warehouses in Wynwood district of Miami as a  canvass for a new street art happening. His goal was to bring street artists from around the world to the windowless walls and see what happens. What happened was nothing short of unbelievable.

Since that first event, the once run-down area has become a center attracting artists and onlookers alike. What is for certain is that there is nothing quite like it anywhere else.

One of the best parts about Wynwood is that it never stops changing as new murals are added and others are updated. As an example, artists have come back since the original event in 2009 to add or change their work. Aiko, who is from Japan and lives in Brooklyn, came back in 2013 as part of a Women on the Walls Project to update her mural.
Because of this constant updating, Wynwood is not just an art district. It's a living part of the city.

Though most people coming to Miami know about the Art Decco designs and pastel colors of South Beach, the Wynwood Walls can offer visitor a more vibrant and modern view into the creative spirit of Miami. I encourage you to take the time to see the Wynwood Walls on your next visit.

TA Fams still has rooms left on our Miami Weekend Fam on April 20-22, 2018 where you can visit the Wynwood Walls and see what else Miami has to offer.

1% Club Travel: The Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi

There are lots of reasons people travel. Most are seeking a change or escape from their daily lives. Others are just seeking the sun, snow, or surroundings that make them feel most alive. Most importantly to our industry are those travelers that seek the assistance of a travel professional for those "unique" travel ideas where experience truly counts.

To respond to that niche, I am planning a series of posts highlighting those truly special travel opportunities that can put your clients in what I call the 1% Club for Travel. These are the kinds of destinations and tours that less than 1 out of 100 (and usually less that 1 out of 100,000) will ever get the chance to experience. They are the priceless memories and life changing events that clients are willing to pay for.

The Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi

Opportunities to see animals in the wild, especially primates, are among the most sought after travel experiences. Africa alone attracts more than 30 million travelers a year with the vast majority participating in one type of safari or another. While the "Big Five" lead in marketing awareness, being able to see the Mountain Gorillas so valuable is due to two unique characteristics; They are very rare and their natural habitats are in some of the most remote and protected locations on the earth. Mountain Gorillas cannot survive in captivity so venturing to one of these locations is the only way you can personally experience these incredible animals.

Photo Courtesy of Kisa Safaris

Rarity is a key in order to consider an experience as unique enough for the 1% club. In the case of the Mountain Gorilla, consider that only about 880 of them currently exist on the planet. (1)  Most people are familiar with lowland gorillas that you might see in the zoo, but Mountain Gorillas do not survive captivity.  Their habitat is restricted to a very small radius of colder climates at higher altitudes in Africa.

One reason people find this species is so fascinating is that Gorillas share 98% of their genetic composition with humans. That is one reason conservationists continue to work to protect them from extinction.

One of the few places we as tourists can see our genetic cousins is the aptly named Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda. Inside the confines of this heavily protected sanctuary is where more than half of the know Mountain Gorilla population exists. As you would expect, access is limited and mostly restricted to a handful of licensed touring companies. A permit to enter the national park and track the Mountain Gorillas averages $500, but the vast majority of these are distributed to the touring partners which they  include in their private tracking tours.

Traveling to Africa is a bucket-list item for many tourists and there are plenty of options for those looking to dip their toe into the birthplace of Homo Sapiens. For those seeking a truly memorable and meaningful travel experience, visiting the Mountain Gorillas at Bwindi could be just the ticket.

For more information about how you could see the Mountain Gorillas too, see our Fam Tour of Eastern Africa provided by Kisa Safaris.

(1) WWF: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/great_apes/gorillas/mountain_gorilla

Provider Profile: Italy Charme

Italy Charme is the travel project of Moreno Moretti, who grew up in a small town in Le Marche and started his own Italian touring company.

Moreno is an avid traveler and a big fan of slow food movement. He is always ready to share his amazing experiences with you and your clients. Italy Charme focuses on original tourism products oriented toward real values, culture and passion of Italy. Travel with Italy Charme and your experiences will be unforgettable.

Moreno has been touring Italy all of his adult life and I recently asked him to offer our agent network some insights on a successful touring.


Q: What size group is best to enjoy a custom group tour?  (ie. What is too small and what is too large?) 
A: The best experience is approx from 4 people to 10 to guarantee an amazing and unique experience. We prefer to use smaller venues so they don’t have a big space but it will be more family touch as my partners are small to medium business size.

Q: If we have seen Rome, Venice, and Milan but now want to experience some smaller and less hectic places, where should we go?
A: Amalfi, Emilia Romagna, Le Marche or Apulia and Sicilia are all good. Locations like Amalfi can be very busy, but we know some of the smaller local places that can give you an experience like no other.

Q: For the agent who says, "My clients want “experiences” more than site seeing." what do you recommend?
A: The best experience I can advise could be smaller local life: Visit local fisher market in Catania, or visit a local Parmiggiano Reggiano diary and combine with a local cooking class to the house of local family to try to make home tortellini . Visit my farmer in Amalfi they will show how to make the real home made cheese and mozzarella or the truffle hunters who source our world famous ingredients. It is an outstanding experience to make your own home made Naples pizza combined with good glass of wine  All with the very warm and hospitality people typical of southern Italy.

Q: Some clients have children they want to include. Do you have options that include children? What would be the youngest age for touring?
A: Yes indeed. The type of culinary tours we provide is a perfect match to include also the children because is very nice to educated the children about the quality of food to preserve the local biodiversity

Q: For those who want to see multiple cities but are nervous about driving, how reasonable is the cost for hired drivers and do you recommend that as an option? 
A: Is very easy because from one city to another city we advise a fast train first class is an amazing experience and to move in the local I will advise a private English-speaking driver. This makes it an easy and friendly experience.

Q: What are the high and low seasons of Italy? I hear travel in July and August can be very busy. Do you recommend not touring during some times of the year? 
A: The best time to travel In Italy is from March until to the end of May and from Sept until middle of November because is still very warm weather food of food festival and not high season!

TA Fams is proud to be a partner with Italy Charme. We have access to a fam tour program as well as being able to offer agents U.S.-based support for client bookings. See our website for more information on how to book a tour for yourself or a client.
 https://www.tafams.com/custom-italian-tours 

Tipping in Peru

Tipping in Peru
Most restaurant and bar bills include a 10% gratuity. It's customary to add an extra 10% if the service has been satisfactory. Most Peruvians only tip one or two Soles at small "mom and pop" restaurants that do not add a tip to the bill.

It is true that Peruvians are not big tippers, however, tipping is a great way to show your appreciation to the people serving you and to have your dollars go straight into the pockets of the people that need it most, a 10 to 20% tip will be warmly accepted at any restaurant and will put a surprised smile on a person's face.

Taxis do not expect tips. Fares are negotiated prior to initiating the trip.

Hotel porters and bell boys expect a tip of $ 1 per bag.

Add unusual, use your own judgement and reward good service as you think is appropriate!