Let’s check out where in the world our clients are traveling and learn some important details about travel now!

Before we do a deeper dive, I want to share that more than ever, you need to book your travel as far in advance as possible. In addition to having a better chance of staying at the hotel of your choice, you will avoid rising air and hotel prices. As many news outlets have accurately reported, we are seeing a 30% increase in the cost of travel these days.

Travel is in higher demand than ever. Our sales in 2021 were up 31% over 2019, and year to date, 2022 vs 2021, our sales are up 206%, YIKES!!! It is April, and our bookings in 2022 already equal 75% of our total sales in 2021.

I share this to demonstrate how in demand travel is right now. I am one advisor of thousands just in this country.

THE #1 DESTINATION WE ARE BOOKING THIS SUMMER IS GREECE!!!

So let’s talk about Greece a little!

Master Travel takes the time to get to know YOU, the traveler, and your travel preferences and pet peeves!

I am so proud to say that even with so many clients going to Greece this summer, not a single client is staying in the same place as another….. you are all so diverse in what you like and want from your trips! You are traveling to Athens, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini, Paros, Antiparos, Naxos, Milos, and more!! Whether you like to be in the most Instagram-able locations, or be completely off the beaten path, we know the place for you! And while you there, we of course, book the best quality excursions, restaurants, and more, to make your trip perfect!

PRO TIP: Greece is in HIGH DEMAND, so if you want to travel there this summer, start YESTERDAY!! Many of the top places are filling up and you need to reserve now!

NOT FAR BEHIND GREECE: ITALY!!!

Italy in the summer, there is nothing quite like it! This is the country you can visit 20 times and not so the same thing twice, it is THAT diverse! Popular destinations, aside from the “greatest hits” (Rome, Florence, Venice) are Sardinia, Umbria region, Lake Como, Forte Dei Marmi, Postiano, Sorrento, and Lake Maggiore. All of these destinations are incredible in the summer, with so much to offer families and couples alike. (click on photos to link thru)

Also Popular: Spain, France, Portugal, and the United Kingdom!

The Iberian Peninsula is hot! This summer we love a visit to Barcelona paired with Mallorca and Menorca. We have even found QUIET places in Ibiza (yes, they exist, it doesn’t have to be party all day and night unless you choose that). We also LOVE the Algarve and Douro Valley in Portugal during the Summer.

In the UK, Scotland and England are as popular as ever! Neighboring Ireland also a perfect destination for Summer. These countries might offer some respite from the heat that other European countries won’t. Game of Thrones fans are still flocking to the area to see the spots where the filming was done, and Harry Potter is as popular as ever in London. And for the outdoor enthusiast and golf lover, there is no greater destination in the summer than Ireland!

And France, ahhh, France. So many places to visit in the summer, how does one choose? Our picks are Avignon, Eze, Paris, and a little known area called Saint Martin De Re

Pandemic and your travel

Since 2020, I have visited so many European countries, and even with the restrictions that WERE in place, every minute has been worth it. My list of European countries visited since 2020 (in order): France, Italy, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom, and back to France! And my clients also traveled to Europe over the past two years including France, Italy, Greece, and Spain.

With the progress the world is making right now, most of Europe has opened its doors and you are able to free range, maskless if you choose, with one requirement: You must show proof of vaccination. If you are not vaccinated for Covid 19, you can still travel in most instances, just with a few more hoops, including a Covid 19 test. This news has been two years in the making, and is a great relief to all parties involved in travel including you, the airlines, the hotels, the tour providers, and me!!! Navigating your Covid regulations these past two years has been a full time job unto itself, at times my head almost exploded from how complicated it was, but I am breathing a sigh of relief that we are past that in most locations (at least as of the day I am writing this.