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Luxury Gold – Journey Beyond the Ordinary -
  • Home
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Make Travel Matter

Discovering Fascinating Indigenous Cultures on Your Luxury Gold Journey

March 1, 2021 by Luxury Gold No Comments

The coronavirus pandemic has been a huge blow for the travel industry, but it has also impacted many small local communities and indigenous groups who were reliant on tourism. The positive result of this is that many people are considering more responsible travel. Sustainable tourism is rightfully becoming the choice of travelers worldwide, as we move forward to a new era. It’s not simply enough to bring money into a community, it’s important that it is distributed fairly and in a way that preserves the culture and spirit in the most sustainable way possible.

Luxury Gold’s parent company, The Travel Corporation, have had sustainable travel at the forefront since 2008, when the Travel Corporation Conservation Foundation was founded, as a joint initiative among its brands. In 2012, that evolved into the TreadRight Foundation and six years later introduced the #MakeTravelMatter pledge and the three pillars of People, Wildlife and the Planet.

#MakeTravelMatter

This official pledge is a commitment to protecting our Planet, the People and Wildlife when we travel. It is making the choice to tread right as we travel, say goodbye to single use plastics, recycling, environment protection, honoring people’s homelands and treating them with respect. When experiencing wildlife, it is done in the creature’s natural habitat and not disturbing them.

As part of this commitment, TreadRight have appointed three ambassadors to help raise awareness of the inspiring projects that take place around the world and how travelers can make a difference. These three women are passionate storytellers and activists who promote meaningful travel and deeper understanding of the world around us.

Céline Cousteau became the first TreadRight Planet Ambassador in 2015. Then, in 2019, Sarain Fox joined as TreadRight People Ambassador and in 2020, Ami Vitale became the TreadRight Wildlife Ambassador. As we look at indigenous cultures, Sarain Fox amplifies the voices from those communities and encourages people to connect more with the stories when they travel.

Amplifying Indigenous Voices

Sarain Fox became involved with TreadRight through their first project in North America, the Manitobah Mukluks Storyboot School, which engages Indigenous artists and teaches the tradition of mukluk-making to Indigenous children, both preserving the tradition and offering economic opportunity to the artists, providing a platform to reach international markets. Travelers on Luxury Gold’s Indulgence in Eastern Canada tour can stop by the school at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto to learn more and see the wonderful artisans making moccasins and mukluks.

Born in Batchawana First Nation in Canada, Sarain is an Anishinaabe dancer, broadcaster and activist. She is known as being one of the country’s most prominent Indigenous voices and she is passionate about uplifting Indigenous people and helping them represent themselves, primarily in their communities but also on a global stage.

Sarain encourages travelers to respect and nurture the places they visit as well as looking for the thriving cultures that exist, that we may not be aware of. As we begin getting back to travel, we can seek out even more immersive experiences that enrich our minds and provide support for the people and places that we visit. Luxury Gold offers guests these opportunities through our  Perugia, Italy, Daintree National Park in Australia, and many more.

Identifying with a Destination Through Community Projects

Sarain’s work has taken her to other TreadRight projects across the globe, where she has found that sharing her own stories as an Indigenous person have encouraged other people to share theirs. In Perugia, Sarain spent time at the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti, one of the last surviving hand weaving workshops in Italy, where it is possible to watch the ladies work on traditional looms that date from the 18th and 19th century. Seeing the similarities of her own traditions and hearing the stories from the Umbrian women about the history and techniques that are being protected and passed on, Sarain says that this understanding makes it easier to identify with the narrative of the place. Visitors can admire the beauty of the work, but also hear about the rich textile tradition and how it is interwoven with the place.

Sarain has also travelled to Peru to meet another TreadRight grand recipient, Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, the director of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. The Center aims to keep Cusqeñan textiles traditions alive and supports Indigenous weavers throughout the region. They provide educational opportunities and workshops and there is a distinct to maintain the unique ancestral styles that were in danger of dying out just 30 or 40 years ago. This has been Nilda’s work since the 1970s, and the TreadRight Foundation have given her the opportunity to expand those efforts, open a museum in Cusco and run an international event, Tinkuy: Gathering of Weavers, when people from Peru, Mexico, India and other places around the world come together to share weaving traditions and learn more about the Andean styles and techniques.

Indigenous Groups of Peru

Of the 32 million people living in Peru today, Indigenous peoples comprise 45%, and within that number, there are some 51 different groups. Many retain their links to a Pre-Columbian past, which gives the country its rich and varied heritage. By far the highest number of Indigenous groups are the highland Quechua, who have been at the forefront of agriculture in the country for over 600 years. They have drawn much attention from scientists and doctors, fascinated with how their bodies have adapted to live at such high altitudes. Spanish rule during the 16th century put strain on the Quechua way of life, but some traditions have remained.

Guests who embark on Luxury’s Gold Treasures of the Incas tour get the opportunity to discover more about these Indigenous groups through a variety of experiences on their adventure. From meeting Nilda and the weavers at the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, where over 500 individuals keep 10,000-year-old techniques alive, to seeing ancient salt mining techniques used by a Quechuan family in Maras, and even having the chance to try it out for oneself.

During Treasures of the Incas, guests also witness an ancient shamanic ritual that is practised by Quechuan people throughout the year called Pachamama. An offering of natural goods is prepared by families, consisting of cocoa beans, Amazonian flowers, incense, sugar, nuts, a splash of wine and vicuña wool, which is very expensive due to its scarcity. Sometimes the blood of a baby alpaca is added to the offering. This is bound up in a package that is blessed by the elders of the community, held against participant’s foreheads and finally wrapped in a colorful blanket that has been woven by the women in the community and placed in a homemade smoking oven. This is giving back to the Mother Earth, or Pachamama, the Inca goddess. This ritual has been practised for thousands of years and its purpose is to give thanks to Mother Nature for her gifts and keep a balance between man taking from the land and giving back to her. Local people express their deepest desires in the Pachamama ceremony, and if Mother Earth is appeased then her blessings will be abundant.

The Uros People of Lake Titicaca

Another Indigenous group that Luxury Gold guests meet on their Peruvian tour is the Uros of Lake Titicaca. This tribe pre-date the Incas, who many of the Quechuan’s are descended from, and they have preserved their fascinating way of life for hundreds of years.

The floating islands that the Uros live on are made from dried Totora reeds woven together. New layers need to be added regularly to replace the ones rotting from the water. The reeds are also eaten by the islanders, and used to make tea, which heals pain and cures hangovers! Some of these islands last 30 years when they are properly maintained, which is a testament to how they are managed by the Uros.

As more of the younger generation migrate to the land in seek of work and an easier life, the Uros have found that tourism is a boost to their economy, and a crucial element in keeping their culture alive. Luxury Gold guests will join locals for a lunch of regional specialties on Amantini island, and hear more about the unique way of life that stretches back to the time of the Incas.

Connect with Indigenous People on Your Travels

Luxury Gold affords travelers the opportunity to meet indigenous people in their villages and towns through experiences that directly support employment and help preserve heritage. When you see the people that have lived in an area for millennia, it changes your perspective and makes you more conscious of the impact we are making.

When planning every journey, sustainability is at the heart of each tour, so that tourist dollars are spent in the right way and truly support projects and people that live in each place we visit.

We invite you to join us in taking the pledge to Make Travel Matter so we can travel with purpose and improve the lives of those who are underrepresented. As Sarain Fox says, “Travel like you’re about to meet the most incredible person you’ve ever met and that they’ll teach you something new. Travel with an open heart and listen.”

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Luxury Journeys, Make Travel Matter

How Luxury Gold Make Travel Matter

February 25, 2021 by Luxury Gold No Comments

Luxury Gold is a proud member of The Travel Corporation’s  (TTC) family of brands. The Tollman family behind TTC is guided by service and giving back. Together we believe that travel is a great privilege. With the education, compassion, and lifelong memories travel provides us also comes a great responsibility. At Luxury Gold, our mission is to ensure that travel has a positive impact on the planet we call home, the people and communities whose home we visit, and the rich wildlife we find there.

Luxury Gold does that in two ways: through our partnership with The TreadRight Foundation and through the implementation of our five-year sustainability strategy How We Tread Right (HWTR).

The TreadRight Foundation

The TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit organization created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands. TreadRight has supported some 55-plus sustainable tourism projects worldwide to date. Support is provided through donations and grants to leading partners across the sustainable travel spectrum. These projects all fall under the three pillars of TreadRight: People, Wildlife, Planet.

1- PEOPLE – Community Support and Cultural Preservation

Luxury Gold enables communities to see the benefits from tourism through economic empowerment. Luxury Gold guests have the opportunity to enrich their journey by participating in a variety of unique community-led tourism experiences that directly support employment and preserve the community’s distinct heritage.

Meet Sarain Fox, TreadRight’s People Ambassador

Sarain amplifies the voices of her Indigenous community through preservation of culture and stories. “When we make authentic connections with local people our travel becomes infinitely richer. My First Nation Anishinaabe heritage serves as the lens through which I view the world, seeking to build a bridge to the people whose lands I am grateful to visit and whose stories I am privileged to tell. Throughout the Americas, you will find rich cultures to discover and support – and fascinating people to meet.”

Cultural Experiences That Make Travel Matter – Treasures of The Incas   

The Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco encourages a 10,000-year-old Andean textile tradition and provides support to the 500 individuals working in this heritage industry from the Cusco region. Meet Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, president of The Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, and learn about her mission to preserve traditional weaving techniques and how she has succeeded in bringing weaving once more to the forefront of her community.

2. Planet – Conservation and Protection

We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our business and safeguarding the future of our planet. Initiatives include: targeting climate change, sustainable food production and responsible consumption through carbon management, renewable energy, the food cycle, waste reduction, and the elimination of single-use plastics.

Meet Céline Cousteau, TreadRight’s Planet Ambassador

Leading environmentalist and explorer, Céline has been highlighting various sustainable travel topics and showcasing amazing projects helping to protect ecosystems all over the world through her films. She has been TreadRight’s Planet Ambassador since 2015. We encourage people to hear the stories of local projects, discover what different communities are doing to protect our planet. If you can get involved and understand what people are doing, you can see where we, as humans can make a difference.

 

3. Wildlife – CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION

The world’s wildlife is balancing on a dangerous precipice, so it is our responsibility to help protect some of these species most at risk from extinction. Through Luxury Gold’s partnership with the TreadRight Foundation, we to help protect and rehabilitate elephant, rhino and big cat populations around the world, while also educating our guests on ethical wildlife experiences.

Meet Ami Vitale, TreadRight’s Wildlife Ambassador

Awarded “Best Image of the Decade” for her depiction of the final moments of a northern white rhino, former war photographer Ami Vitale captures compelling stories of wildlife and nature on film. Ami has travelled to over 100 countries and is committed to making a profound difference to the future of conservation. There isn’t just one thing you can do for the planet, there are many things, but one of those has to be choosing travel companies that offer ethical experiences. Supporting companies that choose sustainability means prolonging the existence of certain species.

 

Ethical Wildlife Experiences with Luxury Gold – Essence of India with Ranthambore

Visit the former private hunting grounds of the maharajahs of Jaipur, in search of the elusive Bengal tiger and other wildlife on an early-morning game drive. More common wildlife sightings in the dry, deciduous forests o Jaipur include wild boars, monkeys, spotted deer and antelope. Return to your resort for breakfast before you head out on another safari adventure into the National Park, led by an expert naturalist. Besides wildlife, you’ll discover lakes, palace ruins, traditional Chhatri and even a majestic 1,000-year-old fort.

How We Tread Right Strategy Implementation

Going beyond our partnership with The TreadRight Foundation How We Tread Right is our new five-year sustainability strategy. At the heart of this strategy are 11 goals, developed to address both the environmental footprint and the community impact of our business and operations. These 11 HWTR goals are anchored to the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development, which we’ve prioritized based on our impact potential. Our goals were developed in consultation with 30+ TTC brand and business leaders, as well as our Make Travel Matter Team, a passionate group of team members tasked with embedding sustainability at our offices and within our operations around the world.

 

Make Travel Matter (MTM) Experiences

NEW for 2022 at Luxury Gold Make Travel Matter Experiences  are conscious travel experiences available on our journeys. MTM Experiences are chosen with great care based on the positive social or environmental impact they have on their communities and those who experience them. Using a proprietary assessment tool endorsed by industry experts and developed exclusively for TTC’s family of brands, MTM Experiences are assessed against a robust set of criteria directly tied to the UN Global Goals. Through HWTR, we are committed to integrating at least one MTM Experience on 50% of our trips by 2025.

Take The Pledge – In It Together

As mentioned our ethos of #makingtravelmatter permeates our entire business and mandates that each member of the Luxury Gold team does his or her very best to walk the talk. As a global family connected through our love of travel and our commitment to sustainability, we have each signed the #MakeTravelMatter Pledge we hope that you will join us before embarking on your Luxury Gold journey.

 

 

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Cuisine, Europe, Luxury Journeys, Make Travel Matter

2021 TTC Top Three

January 5, 2021 by Luxury Gold No Comments
Ulla and son in Burano

I’ve been working in varying roles in the travel industry for some 25 years. In that time I have learnt two things, firstly that my passion for travel will never wane (and that it is a privilege we can’t take for granted) and secondly that you must always expect the unexpected when working in the sector! Admittedly 2020 threw us some pretty big curveballs but the two lessons above have never rung truer.

I am pleased to share with you my 2021 bucket list, I hope you enjoy the journey of reading it, dreaming a little and perhaps in the not-too-distant future take one of the trips confident that when you travel with The Travel Corporation you can sit back and relax knowing that all the details are taken care of on your behalf. What’s more, on all Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold and Trafalgar Tours  in 2021, there will be an on-road team of three – a passionate Travel Director or Traveling Concierge, a diligent driver and – new for 2021 – a dedicated  Well-Being Director to take a proactive approach to your well-being.

Highlight from a recent trip – Venice

Luxury Gold – Ultimate Italy

Back in autumn, as European borders were opening up and we enjoyed some COVID-calm moments, I was fortunate to spend a few days in Venice with my family. Dusting off that passport after not having traveled for several months and the anticipation of what was to come was very powerful and made me realize how much I missed travel. The excitement in our house was palpable. I love Venice – always have, always will but taking my kids there for their first visit when it wasn’t crowded made it even more special.

We stayed in one of my favorite hotels in Venice, Bauer Hotel which is also beloved by our Luxury Gold guests. Staying right in the heart of Venice, a stone’s throw from St. Mark’s and arriving at your hotel by water taxi never disappoints! The team was fantastic as always and the Covid-19 protocols were brilliant, and we felt perfectly at ease at all times. In my mind, there is only one ‘right way’ to do Venice and that is to stay at one of the hotels right on Venice Island instead of staying on the mainland. Being able to stroll through the narrow alleyways at night and being there when Venice comes into its own, is truly magical. At Luxury Gold, we would never do it any other way.

In the picture below you can see my family in St Mark’s square in Venice just before we sat down at Café Florian to enjoy a Bellini and a mocktail for the boys at dusk with very few people.

Another highlight, and my younger son’s favorite experience, was visiting one of the traditional glass workshops on Murano Island and watching the artisans at work. He loved it so much that his current career aspiration is to become a glass blower!

Our trip to Burano with its colorful houses and trying to spot houses in our favorite colors and eating a gelato or two a day were other highlights.

Ulla's Family in St Mark place

 

Making Travel Matter – Insight Vacations Country Roads of Andalucía

Insight Vacations Country Roads of Andalucia

As CEO of Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, it is a goal of mine to bring people together to enjoy travel but also make it a force for good. Our new trip through Andalucía does just that. Our newly created Make Travel Matter experiences advance the United Nations Global Goals and positively impact our travelers and the communities we visit. They are chosen with great care using an assessment endorsed by sustainable tourism experts which is exclusive to Insight Vacations and its sister brands.

In Seville on Insight Vacation’s Country Roads of Andalucía Tour you will visit The Cristina Heeren Foundation which aims to promote the teaching and conservation of flamenco and is a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant. You meet the students of the foundation, learn some basic flamenco steps, and then feel the passion as the students perform an emotional show.  The school allows students access to cultural education that otherwise may not have occurred. TreadRight’s sponsorship has helped students to complete their studies in advanced guitar, singing and dance.  As students complete their training, they will carry on and safeguard the traditional flamenco dance, contributing to the protection of Andalusia and Spain’s cultural heritage.

Flamenco in Seville Andalucia

 

Connecting with my eldest – GenZ on U by Uniworld

GenZ on U by Uniworld -Vienna Vibe

My eldest son is shortly celebrating his 13th birthday, and whilst I am still trying to get over the fact that I am the mother of a teenager now, I thought it would be fun to go on The Vienna Vibe cruise together. GenZ on U by Uniworld, their new family program exclusively for teens and their parents on select U by Uniworld cruises is a perfect experience for both adults and their teen.

We’ve picked The Vienna Vibe cruise to enjoy our Austrian heritage. We are most looking forward to having a bit of a cook off in their Viennese cooking class. Come back to our blog to find out whose Schnitzel and Apple strudel is better!

GenZ on U by Uniworld -Vienna Vibe

 

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