New in 2017: Flexibility, Customization, and the USA

What else is new in 2017 at The International Kitchen? The travel and tourism industry is constantly changing, and we’re always interested in staying on top of things so that we remain the #1 culinary tour operator. One new thing: domestic foodie tours in the USA! But first….

One thing we’re focusing on in 2017 is more flexibility – both in our terms and in our itineraries. We always encourage travel cancelation insurance to cover their costs in the event of an emergency. But sometimes you don’t listen, and boy does is suck when your $1000 (or more) deposit disappears. Starting in 2017 we’re adopting a more flexible deposit policy, so that whenever possible we will allow you to reapply your deposit (or a portion thereof) to future travel. Does this mean you don’t need travel insurance? NO! Once the deposit has been paid out to our partners they are often not able to return it if it has already been used to reserve space and services. Also, travel insurance covers many things (trip interruption, lost luggage, medical emergencies, etc.), so we always strongly recommend it.

Flexible itineraries are really not new to us – we’ve always been happy to customize for our travelers – but we are concentrating on getting the word out to our clients that any of our trips can be customized, or we can create them with you from scratch. Want to add a truffle hunt? A hike? A yoga class? Check. Want to add on a city you don’t see? Check. Want to visit the local butcher or shepherd? Check.

Finally, new in 2017 are our domestic foodie tours in the USA, the first of which was announced at the end of last year. Evidently you have all been waiting for us to offer things in the US, as the response has been great! We aim to have more domestic foodie tours in the USA – including an amazing culinary vacation in Puerto Rico!

In the meantime, what’s new to you in 2017? Are you planning a trip? Give us a call!

By Peg Kern

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