From the Desk of Heather Christopher: August Updates

Since the last time we chatted, the HCTC team has been working away at a variety of itineraries! They include designing an itinerary to Portugal, putting the final touches on a European family vacation, confirming a destination wedding to Mexico, sending final documents for a Hawaiian honeymoon…just to name a few 😉 It’s been a great couple of weeks.

…speaking of the HCTC team! I am officially announcing our newest travel advisor today! I am spilling all the details below.

Last, but not least, I will be out of the office for my family vacation at The Henderson in Destin, Florida starting Saturday, August 17th. The end of August/beginning of September is busy for a lot of us – our oldest, Caroline, starts kindergarten after Labor Day! We know how important that family vacation time is. I will be back Monday, August 26th so if you send me an email during this time, I appreciate your patience!

I am SO excited to officially announce that Leah Callahan is HCTC’s newest travel advisor! She excels in planning truly off the beaten path itineraries & is already such an asset to the team. You can read the full details in my latest blog post about her speciality destinations & how to get started planning with Leah!

Most recently, Leah took the lead in the Doty’s family vacation to Colorado. And when I say took the lead, I mean it! She planned all the details of their itinerary while I just added in their accommodations and car rental. Their words speak for themselves:

“The trip was awesome. Our oldest was in tears about having to come home. He had such an adventure, hiking and climbing everything in sight. We couldn’t have been happier with the trip! We’re so thankful to have you and your team put together this trip for us. In some ways, it seemed simple, but in retrospect, I think it’s because you laid everything out so succinctly. It was easy to plan and make the most of our time in Colorado. What an amazing place.”

What’s Trending in the World of Travel Right Now

Summer is so much fun but also can be a crazy time of year! Maybe it’s making you crave an escape? I have the perfect place to send you – Calala Island. Just send me your dates & I will make it happen 😉
The new Statue of Liberty museum is officially open! AFAR reports that there are three main gallery spaces – a theater where visitors walk through as they watch a film that goes into details about the statue, a gallery about the building of the statue, & a fan area where visitors are encouraged to take digital self-portraits & add their thoughts on what liberty means to them. You can learn more about it in the AFAR article here.
Last month I shared about a mother-daughter duo traveling together. This type of travel is so important & so special! Traveling with your grandmother or grandchildren is just as important & special 😉 Here’s Ann & Caitlin, grandmother-granddaughter duo, spending some quality time in Italy this summer.

HCTC - Grandmother and granddaughter vacation to Italy

Nothing gets our blood pumping like a new countdown!
Here’s what where we’ve been busy planning trips to…

The Treptow’s celebrated their anniversary with a
Viking River Cruise on the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel.

Nothing gets our blood pumping like a new countdown!
Here’s what where we’ve been busy planning trips to…

The Treptow’s celebrated their anniversary with a
Viking River Cruise on the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel.

A Real ID will be required to fly next year! Don’t panic just yet, I am sharing so you can make sure to prepare in advance. TSA will start requiring travelers to present a Real ID-compliant driver’s license in order to fly domestically. If you don’t currently have this, this means your current driver’s license might not get you through security. AFAR’s article shares all the details here.
Do you have an upcoming family vacation? Or maybe you’re just planning ahead? Travel Agent Central is sharing some new, must-have products to take on your next trip with your kiddos. You can read the full article here!