Packaged tours to anywhere and everywhere are a dime a dozen these days. Anyone can be anywhere within a day, thanks to the 
flourishing global travel industry, any city in the world can now easily be reached.
But the ease in travel these days has focused so much on how fast one can get from a certain place to another, forgetting the “niceties” that are very much a part of any trip, the elements that make the experience memorable.
This is why I am so glad that The Travel Corporation (TTC), represented locally by Rajah Travel Corporation, is now offering, in cooperation with Turkish Airlines, Luxury Gold Vacations, a wide selection of upscale packaged tours that bring back the golden age of travel.
The multi-awarded family-owned travel company, which is based in the UK, has had nearly 100 years of experience putting together luxury travel for fastidious travelers. It aims to create enriching experiences by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value.
So, what was the golden age of travel all about? Late 16th century aristocrats travelled around the world not just to see places but also to edify themselves by having only the most luxurious accommodations, service and elaborate culinary fare during the course of the trip. Ocean liners, like those we’ve seen in the movies, resembled luxury hotels with grand dining salons which served passengers who came to dinner dressed in their elegant finery.
We also know of the Orient Express, a luxurious railway service from Paris to Vienna to Istanbul. Inside the distinctly royal accommodations, one would see maharajas in Cordoba leather seats, and sipping wine from expensive Baccarat goblets. The journey became as important as the destinations.
Although the World War put a temporary stop to this luxurious wanderlust of the well-heeled, peacetime brought it back, through more elaborate methods, and with a more extensive list of destinations. Whereas before the playgrounds of the rich and famous were limited to St. Moritz and Monte Carlo, the world’s affluent also now frequent Acapulco, the Caribbean, Ibiza, the Greek Islands, and the South Pacific, among many others..
What makes Luxury Gold Vacations the tour to choose for those who prefer the finer things in life? They get exclusive VIP experiences, like meeting famous people and accessing iconic sites or destinations exclusively, without other tourists crowding around. Their meals are booked in critically acclaimed Michelin-star restaurants, with a deliciously varied menu each meal time.
Of course, the passengers are booked in excellently located luxury hotels with exacting comfort and style standards, and are known for their impeccable service. Also, they are accompanied all the time by a travelling Concierge, to share in-depth local knowledge and take care of all logistical details of the tour.
Comfort and convenience during travel are assured at all times, and group size is limited, to ensure a more personalized service from the travelling Concierge. What makes this tour provider noteworthy is its partnership with TreadRight Foundation, assuring governments and local communities being visited that conservation and responsible tourism is being observed all throughout the trip.
The regular tours of Luxury Gold Vacations are already impressive in themselves, but The Travel Corporation decided to level up some more and offer what they call the “Chairman’s Collection.” On select departure dates for a specific destination, there are amenities and inclusions given to guests that are not available in the same tour on other dates.
For example, for the “Ultimate Italy” Tour, passengers will have lunch with an Italian count at his grand Tuscan villa. For the “British Royale” Tour, passengers will visit the Alnwick Castle with the Duchess of Northumberland herself welcoming them. The “French Vogue” Tour will allow passengers to dine with a French count at the oldest café in Paris. And if passengers choose the “Harmony of Central Europe,” Princess Anita von Hohenberg herself, a direct descendant of Austrian royalty, will host cocktails at her family’s Artstetten Castle.
Mark Twain once said, “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you really rich!” These Luxury Gold Vacations, which take customers to a journey beyond the ordinary, can easily give one an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and beautiful moments that last even beyond a lifetime. The country’s pioneer travel agency, Rajah Travel Corporation, and Turkish Airlines, which has the most extensive flight network to Europe, have partnered to put Filipino travelers on their way to a most beautiful travel experience!
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