face the world travel agency

Face the World Travel

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Face the World (FTW) has promoted global learning and exchange by offering opportunities for international high school students to experience life in the United States. The goal of our cultural exchange program is to provide students, Host Families, schools, and communities with a quality experience that will not only enhance personal growth, but establish lasting friendships.

Founded in 1993.

Headquartered in Sonoma County (Petaluma, California)

Fully listed by CSIET (Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) and a member of the Alliance.

Designated by the Department of State as a J-1 Program Sponsor.

Works with a diverse group of International Partner Agencies.

A Message from our President

We welcome you on this exciting new journey that you will soon be taking. we hope it provides you with an experience full of learning and sharing that brings you all closer together and will remain with you forever..

Mary M. Kass is an international affairs expert and the Founder and CEO of Face the World Foundation and the Face the World Global Education Group. In 1993, Mary founded Face the World Foundation, a J-1 cultural exchange program for international high school students, Education One, an F-1 academic year program, and American Work Adventures, a J-1 seasonal work and travel program for international university students. Through the years, Mary’s passion for international exchange continues to grow and is still strongly dedicated to providing a cross-cultural experience for families and students alike.

Leaders in cultural exchange.

At the forefront of global education and cultural exchange, we take pride in being the leaders of student exchange. With our unwavering commitment to creating transformative experiences for students around the world, we have set the standard for excellence in international education. Join us and discover how we can help you unlock a world of opportunities and shape your future like no other.

Staff Directory

Founder and President

Marvin Pease

Placement and Development Director

[email protected]

Cell: 1-707-790-3536

Toll Free: 800-216-3223

Amber Bocanegra

Vice President

[email protected]

Office: 1-707-559-5800

Toll Free: 1-800-216-3223

Vanessa Gallagher

International Admissions and Marketing Director

[email protected]

Cell: 1-707-835-3810

Regional Manager

[email protected]

Cell: 707-776-4336

VP of Finance, Administration, and Technology

[email protected]

5 Mega Challenges Facing the Global Travel and Tourism Industry

The global travel and tourism industry sits smack in the eye of a perfect storm. On the one hand, demand is up. Planes are packed. Our wanderlust is lustier than ever. On the other hand, rising inflation, lagging infrastructure, geopolitical uncertainty, staffing shortages, and COVID’s lingering impact have all converged into the stuff of nightmares — for travelers and the travel industry alike.

As researchers and advisors to global tourism boards and brands across the travel and tourism ecosystem, we are seeing some of these challenges hit certain players harder than others. On the bright side, recovery is on the horizon. But some geographies and industry sectors will face steeper challenges as five major headwinds converge upon them. We’re seeing opportunities for brands to get ahead of the storm and put the wind at their back.

These are the top five challenges facing the travel and tourism industry today, along with our perspective on navigating the way forward.

Travel Insight #1: Inflation means trade-offs and discretionary travel may lose out

Just when tourism was on the rebound, rising inflation came nipping at the heels of a travel boom. Escalent’s forthcoming 2022 Holiday Shopping & Travel Study revealed only 42% of consumers feel confident they’ll achieve their 2022 holiday travel plans (down 24 percentage points from 2021), and 49% of consumers are uncertain their holiday plans will be achieved (up 23 percentage points from 2021).

For the travel and tourism industry, inflation is a huge concern since it drives up product prices and affects consumers’ willingness to spend on discretionary travel. According to Euromonitor, 63% of travel executives said inflation was having a moderate to extensive impact on their businesses. Subsequently, over half of global travel companies acted in kind, by raising all or some of their prices. This was even higher in the Americas, where 59% of the companies raised all or some of their prices. Meanwhile, 44% of businesses accepted that they would suffer from having a lower profit margin by absorbing the inflationary costs rather than passing them on to their consumers to limit impact on their travel plans.

During inflationary times, it is common to see brands cut back on their marketing and advertising spend. While this reduces costs short term, it can be a setback to building long-term brand trust. In times of uncertainty, consumers tend to gravitate towards certainty, something a trusted brand can confer. And a destination is a brand. The more trust you can build amid uncertainty, the better.

Travel Insight #2: The ripple effects of geopolitical disruption

Geopolitical instability is also a key concern for the travel and tourism industry. The outlook for global travel and tourism for inbound spending is expected to be at 45% of 2019 levels, according to Euromonitor’s travel forecast model. The war in Ukraine is estimated to have caused a $7 billion decline in global inbound tourism, while Russian outbound tourism has all but collapsed under economic sanctions, airspace closures and flight bans. The loss of big-spending Russian visitors will impact travel destinations globally, but especially in Europe, the Caribbean and Turkey.

What happens when your high-value source market can’t travel? The ripple effects of geopolitical disruption are felt across regional clusters, forcing travel and tourism entities to rethink their source markets and reset their tourism marketing and targeting strategy.

Travel Insight #3: The travel and tourism infrastructure is in trouble

The pent-up travel demand is causing additional strain on the existing infrastructure, particularly for the airline sector. Problems with safety protocols and compliance with new national and international health standards are predicted to be made worse by capacity constraints when the industry recovers. This is expected to result in (even) longer lines, (more) crowded terminals and operational bottlenecks.

Social distancing measures have been lifted in many countries, including the US. But measures are still in place in many airports around the world, thus reducing airport capacity. Airports that operated close to their saturation capacity before the COVID crisis can expect to reach their maximum saturation capacity at just 60%–75% of their pre-COVID peaks.

According to ACI World, as air transport demand recovers, passenger demand will put more pressure on existing airport infrastructures. This may have socio-economic consequences, if not addressed in time. If long-term capacity constraints are not addressed through capital investments, it is estimated to lead to a reduction of up to 5.1 billion passengers globally, by 2040. For every million passengers that airports cannot accommodate due to airport capacity constraints in 2040, there would be 10,500 fewer jobs and 346 million USD less in GDP contribution from the industry.

Airports are often the “first impression” of a destination. A traveler’s airport experience sets the stage for the rest of the journey. When greeted with chaos and delays, even the most intrepid traveler can sour on the experience. Recently the US has made modest steps towards infrastructure improvement, including the Infrastructure Investment Act passed in November 2021, which includes spending for airports. While its impact will not be immediately felt, many travel associations have applauded the passing of this long overdue legislation.

Travel Insight #4: There’s no quick fix for the staffing shortage

If you’ve stepped foot in an airport this summer, you already know. The travel industry is facing a severe staffing challenge, particularly for customer-facing roles at hotels and airlines. Industry CEOs acknowledge that they are struggling to add staff to meet demand.

Airlines, in particular, are struggling to fill staffing requirements. Boeing’s 2021 Pilot and Technician Outlook voices concern that many airline workers who were furloughed during COVID may have left the industry permanently. The commercial airline industry needs 612,000 new pilots, 626,000 new maintenance technicians and 886,000 new cabin crew members over the next 20 years. Hotels and hospitality are also struggling, making it harder to deliver on guests’ expectations. Many hotels are shifting housekeeping services to a by-request-only model and some are cutting back on food and beverage amenities, including room service and restaurants.

What’s the precautionary tale to take away from this staffing mess? It can take decades to build brand trust, and one canceled flight, one bad stay, to destroy it. How people experience your brand — no matter if it’s in the best of times or the worst of times — stays with them. Travelers expect consistency from major brands. It will take time and investment for many airline and hospitality brands to rebuild trust in the quality and consistency of their brand experience.

Travel Insight #5: COVID is with us for the long haul

COVID travel restrictions are still impacting many elements of world tourism, with countries like China continuing to impose stringent restrictions and quarantines on visitors as well as Chinese outbound travelers.

In Asia Pacific, 83% of travel businesses report that ongoing COVID restrictions continue to have a moderate to extensive impact. This compares with 59% in Western Europe, according to Euromonitor. Although less, compared to 2021 levels, COVID concerns among travelers persist. Ongoing concerns, including new variants, affect the travel decisions of 55% of travelers, according to another recent study. Travelers are planning their trips cautiously, and nearly 70% are avoiding certain destinations, with 56% preferring close destinations and 56% avoiding crowded places.

Just as sanctions have grounded Russian travelers, COVID restrictions are keeping Chinese travelers homebound. Popular destinations for Chinese tourists such as Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Australia continue losing out on billions in tourism revenue. And countries with strict quarantine requirements like Japan continue to struggle. Between June 10 and July 10 this year, Japan hosted only 1,500 international tourists, according to data from Japan’s Immigration Services Agency. That’s down 95% from the same period in 2019. Who wants to spend half their holiday in quarantine? Destinations like Japan have focused on promoting domestic travel, but with COVID with us for the long haul, doubling down on domestic travel marketing and promotions is not a sustainable strategy.

Turn disruption into opportunity with tourism industry research and consulting

Escalent specializes in travel and tourism market research, traveler behavior, tourism investment strategy and consultative support across the travel and tourism ecosystem. Learn more about our Travel & Tourism practice and let us help you ride out the storm and go forth with confidence.

SOURCES CITED

(forthcoming) Escalent 2022 Holiday Shopping and Travel Study Please contact us if you would like to be notified when the report is available. View press release .

Voice of the Industry: Travel Survey, Facing New Challenges, Euromonitor, May 2022

Travel: Quarterly Statement Q1 2022, Euromonitor, May 2022

Holiday Barometer among Europeans, North Americans, Asians & Oceanians, Ipsos, June 2022

Japan is open to travel. So why aren’t tourists coming back? CNN, July 31, 2022

Deloitte travel outlook, The winding path to recovery 2022

Half of US Hospitality Workers Won’t Return in Job Crunch, Bloomberg, July 2021

Staff Shortages: World Travel & Tourism Council Travel Survey, May 2022

Related Industry: Travel & Tourism

Related Solution: Brand Positioning , Customer Experience Management , Market Assessment

Related Expertise: Secondary Research

Vivek leads Escalent’s Travel & Tourism practice where he works with tourism boards, airlines, hotels and hospitality brands across the globe, including in China, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. A featured thought leader at global travel and tourism forums such as ITB, TTRA, and PCMA, his expertise spans the Travel & Tourism value chain. Vivek is an experienced business executive with expertise in various business elements including operations, business development and P&L management. A seasoned insights leader, he advises clients on market assessment  and entry strategy, market sizing and growth strategies. An engineer by training, he holds an MBA in Strategy & Marketing from the Indian Institute of Management. Vivek has a keen interest in human psychology and believes that a transparent, win-all proposition is the key to creating a sustainable people-centric business.

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Who We Are & What We Do

You’d have to go a long way back to see where our Disney obsession began (we won’t say how long!), but the seeds of Key to the World Travel were planted when founders Jeff Williams and Heather Straight met on a cruise – Disney cruise, of course, the Disney Wonder. They both worked as travel planners for an agency specializing in Disney Destinations and became friends who enjoyed working together and traveling together with their families.

Their first agency was a great place to work, but they both dreamed of one day opening an agency they could build and shape into a place they would love to work.  A place where all the agents can share their love of all things Disney and their passion for traveling, and, of course, a place where they can create unforgettable vacations for their valued guests.

Whether you’re taking your first trip to a Disney Destination or are a seasoned Disney fan, we aim to add some pixie dust to your vacation plans. We can help you find the perfect resort hotel, arrange your transportation, keep an eye out for promotions, make dining reservations, create personalized itineraries and much more to ensure that you share in the magic that Disney Destinations have always brought to our own family vacations.

Key to the World Travel® is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner

Key to the World travel planners are all graduates of the College of Disney Knowledge and will work to customize the vacation that is perfect for your family, schedule, and budget. Our extensive knowledge of Walt Disney World® Resort , Disneyland® Resort , Disney Cruise Line® , Adventures by Disney® , Disneyland Resort Paris, and Aulani will help ensure you have the most magical vacation possible. We know everything there is to know about dining, tickets, recreation, attractions, special events, where to stay, and what to see.

The elite EarMarked Diamond status level recognizes our agency’s stellar sales performance in Disney Vacation Planning.

Meet our travel advisors here!

Start Planning Your Custom Vacation Today

Our travel planners love to travel and have been all over the world. We have experts for every destination who can unlock all your vacation dreams.  Contact us today for a customized vacation plan!

Let us be your key to a magical vacation!

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We’re a Full-Service Travel Agency

We have travel planners who are experts on Disney Destinations, Universal Parks & Resorts, all-inclusive resorts, European travel, cruising, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, domestic destations like Las Vegas and the National Parks, and destinations around the world.

Key to the World Travel is…

• An accredited full-service travel agency
• American Society of Travel Advisors member
• CLIA certified
• An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
• Universal Parks & Resorts U-Preferred
• A Sandals Preferred Agency
• A licensed Seller of Travel
• A BBB Accredited Business

"Whitney was fantastic! She provided me with several travel options so that my husband and I could stay within our budget." - Amy M.

Disney fans the morris'.

"Alexis was amazing to work with. She made our process super easy and was available while on the trip if we had any questions." - Tracy S.

Universal fans norton city schools.

She packed snack bags, ouch pouches, and theme park survival kits for 45 people going on our trip. She went above and beyond for our group. Alexis kept up with me daily to make sure all of our students were having an amazing trip. She gave me details about Universal to help students find the best places to eat, the best rides to get in line for early, and tips and tricks to navigate Universal. I've already used her to book my personal cruise and will be using her to book future trips.

"Words cannot begin to describe the level of passion, love, care, integrity, and fun that Tricia puts into her vacation planning..." - Thomas C.

Harry potter fans the colder's.

I was introduced to Tricia by a friend of mine who couldn’t say enough about how amazing her family Disney trip that Tricia planned for them was! (She’s a Disney EXPERT!) She made me feel that she knew exactly how much this trip meant to me & it showed in her planning. I cannot express...

"Erin and Key to the World Travel were absolutely amazing and wonderful to work with" - Stacey M.

Disney fans the mackay's.

Erin thought of things, and was able to plan things, in a way we would have never thought of! She helped my husband plan a Disney date night at a restaurant with my favorite food. She realized my in-laws were 70 and would be best on a ground floor with a garden view - which was nice and... 

"Kelli went above and beyond to help plan our vacation. She even sent us some super sweet goodies to make our travel easier!" - Betsy C.

Cruise fans the cricks.

She was always readily available with a quick response. We are already working with Kelli to book our next vacation! I recommended Kelli's services to a friend just this morning!

"No matter how many times we have been to Disney, we can always count on Amber Kay at Key to the World Travel for making our next trip even more magical!" - The Meyers

Disney fans the meyers.

From planning trips for the family, baby announcements, and quick visits, it is always a stress free experience. She knows all of the ins and outs for dining, fast passes, and resorts for our family. Booking through Key to the World has always been practically perfect in every way!

"I am a person who likes to do the research and have a lot of information but I don’t always have the experience to make the best choices for my destination." - Leigh L.

Disney fans the lies.

That’s why Melissa is so great, she gives me the space and information I need to consider when choosing vacation plans and she is always so helpful when I need advice! The best part is that she takes care of all the plans and can anticipate and deal with any issues that may come up! I also... 

"My name is Amie Kane and I just wanted to share a review regarding Nikki Burch. Please feel free to use all or parts of it on the website! We are so thankful for Nikki!" - Amie K.

Disney fans the kanes.

Disney love runs deep in our family!!! We started taking trips when our oldest daughter turned two and immediately we were hooked! For years I planned them all on my own, but then was introduced to Nikki Burch and Key to the World Travel. At first, I was reluctant that I would be able to... 

"Rose is an AMAZING agent. She was very patient, answered all of our crazy questions quickly, and made suggestions that really made our trip magical." - Michelle M.

Tulum fans the mullens'.

She has helped us with our last 3 trips and I have referred many of my friends to her. I never want to travel without her again!

"Aulani was a family trip that we will always remember fondly." - Jill Y.

Hawaii fans the yandura family.

Meg Dunton was the Secret Santa that I had always dreamed of! My husband wanted to surprise our family for Christmas with a trip to Aulani. He contacted Meg and she organized the entire trip to Aulani, including the private car transfers to and from the airport...talk about a stress free Christmas gift!...

"This has easily been my favorite vacation that I've ever taken." - Jon P.

Europe fans the pianetti family.

I'd like to share my experience with Meg Dunton and Key to the World Travel when booking our family trip to Italy and London. This has easily been my favorite vacation that I've ever taken. Every detail of the trip was handled, which was fantastic considering we had never traveled abroad as a family...

"She makes planning a vacation so much fun and stress free."

Jamaica fans the capella family.

From day one, Meg Dunton from Key to the World Travel went above and beyond in every aspect of this trip. From the planning stages, to the day it came to leave, to checking in on us during to make sure we were having a wonderful time. She makes planning a vacation so much fun and stress free.

Privacy Overview

New Challenges and Opportunities for Travel Agencies

By Martina Groenegres , Managing Director at Lufthansa City Center International

Though travel is strongly coming back in most parts of the world, the customers have changed and global market challenges and trends are forcing travel agencies to adapt.

According to the recent UNWTO publication , almost all travel restrictions are lifted, and international travel saw a very strong rebound in 2022. Apart from Asia, the world is about 75% of of pre-COVID visitor figures. The past three months alone were a lot stronger than compared to 2019.

But are we back to a 2019 travel industry?

Not at all, I am afraid.

The world around us has changed, and I would like to share my personal industry trend watch with you.

1. The Challenges

The challenges around us have increased. Most countries in the world have learned to live with COVID-19, but it is not over yet. Our broken supply chains are far from being back on track. The inflation is high, the energy crisis has hit Europe, and the labour shortage and fears of recession are visible everywhere. Even worse, the nature has shown us the limitations of growth. We have experienced heat waves, draughts, fires and floods—in almost all parts of the world.

Those past two and a half years was a game changer for our industry and has also changed the behaviour of our customers, our employees and all of us.

2. The Customers

According to Accenture’s “Life Reimagined” report , 50% of all participants have said that the pandemic has caused them to rethink their personal purpose and re-valuate what is important in life. This is a very large figure, which means every second person we come across has made some life re-evaluation.

From Google comes another study on shopping behaviour showing that increasingly, shoppers are putting their money where their values are—whether it is sustainability, corporate responsibility, or racial equality. Search interest for “ethical brands” and “ethical online shopping” grew 300% and 600% year over year in 2020, respectively.

This changing customer behaviour requests changes from the travel industry, and we will look into this one by one, with focus on the  opportunities that every change and crisis brings along.

3. The Opportunities

We all know that we will not be able to change the winds, but we can adjust our sails. We have many examples how some travel businesses turn challenges into opportunities and I will share them with you.

a. Workforce and Global Demographics

After being furloughed for quite some time, many of our employees have turned to other industries. This great resignation resulted in staff shortage in all parts of the travel industry—airports, airlines, hotels and travel agencies in most parts of the world.

Though business is strongly coming back and travel management companies (TMCs) are overwhelmed with work load, extensive hiring is risky given the high salaries and fears of recession.

So what solutions do travel companies in our network have in order to overcome the shortages?

They intensified their collaboration.

Technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) have allowed trans-continental exchange and joint customer servicing. Remote support teams have been set up between Singapore and the Philippines, Vietnam and Germany, Belgium and Ukraine, Italy and Albania and the list continues. There are 92 countries to develop creative ideas with—in order to overcome staff shortage and this creative power has now been unleased.

But let’s face it: The long-term trend of globally shrinking workforce due to aging population and demographics is just beginning. All continents’ populations apart from Africa are already decreasing.

The topic of staff shortage topic thus will stay with all of us for a long time, and the success in attracting and retaining talents will strongly depend on the company’s ability to balance between the wishes of the staff and needs of the company’s business itself. Remote Work concepts and Social Responsibility approaches are the propositions to convince candidates to join. Also, remote work opportunities enable international talent exchanges that will then attract more potential employees. I trust this will foster employee’s loyalty tremendously.

b. Automation and Efficiencies

What else can we do to get around with the labour shortage? I think we can only turn to more digitisation and automation to gain higher efficiencies. There are some good signs out there: we have seen online adoption rate of online booking engines (OBEs) and self services by corporate customers have gone up during the crisis. This is to meet the rise of customers’ demand for self service anytime, anywhere. It is, also, an opportunity for us to reduce our workload.

However, though moving toward automation, let’s not forget that travel and hospitality still require the human touch. The past two years have shown that the customers need more support from us than ever before. The industry has to strike a fine balance between human-delivered customer services, and the efficiency gains from technologies like automation.

c. Improve Your Bottom Line

Duty of care and travel disruption management take time, and we as travel agencies have to constantly remind ourselves that our time costs money.

Many companies that have never used the TMC services before now want to use it. These companies are typically those that are not able to manage the complexity and uncertainty of duty travel on their own, especially in times of COVID and post-COVID. This is an opportunity for travel agencies, and we should focus on how we can improve our bottom line by charging for our time being spent rather than only for transactions.

d. Leisure Opportunities

Now let’s look into the leisure opportunities. The world has opened up and in many countries there are no entry restrictions any more. People want to travel no matter what.

They have saved money over the past two and a half years and now want to indulge themselves. Travel companies need to capture this opportunity to promote new destinations, create new services and ultimately diversify and broaden their revenue streams.

e. Sustainability Positioning

We cannot disregard the limitations of our nature any longer. Young customers, in particular, want to feel good in terms of ecological footprint when going on vacations. Agencies have to be familiar with CO 2  calculation and offsetting.

Today we still see a “SAY DO GAP” when it comes to sustainability. The term refers to a disconnect between reported sustainability behaviour and actual behaviour: what people say they do is not what people truly do .

Nevertheless, I think customers will expect that agencies give them the option to do good for the nature. This will change our tourism product portfolio and how we communicate our services to the customers.

f. Reach Your Customers

We have to be where our customers are, and many of them are on social media. A few travel agencies are quite advanced and have more than 200,000 followers. What an opportunity to talk to the customer base!

However, many of us are not where we want to be. To get better every day, travel brands have to put more focus on digital marketing.

4. Final Thoughts

As we all know history would never turn back—it will always move forward. The travel industry, therefore, is moving forward as well, and we look at both the challenges and opportunities. We need to constantly re-evaluate our roles and what values we can bring to customers in order to build our future together.

If you have written insightful articles, produced standout podcasts or filmed high quality content on travel ready to be shared, we could help your work achieve far-reaching impact in the global B2B travel community. Simply submit your content using the form here and we’ll get in touch!

Click here to submit content

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Tips for Moscow Travel

Take a look at the good-to-know tips before visiting Moscow and have a fantastic time in the capital.

What to pack

Make sure to check the weather prognosis before your trip and pack accordingly.

When to travel

Moscow is beautiful all around the year. Choose traveling time according to preferred activities.

We suggest to always have some cash with you. You will need Rubles (RUB) for Russia.

How much to tip

Tipping is not required in Russia, but it's considered good etiquette, tip 10%-15% of your bill.

The average summer temperature is approx 18°C (64°F), and winter is around -6°C (22°F).

Some of the most popular souvenirs from Moscow are caviar, Krasnaya Moska perfume.

Best Moscow Sights

One of the highest points in Moscow and one of its most breathtaking places - the Sparrow Hills.

See the 344-feet Cathedral of Christ the Savior - the tallest Orthodox church in the world.

Enjoy masterpieces of Russian opera and ballet in Moscow's legendary Bolshoi Theater.

Being the most recognizable symbol of Russia in the world, Red Square is an absolute must see when in Moscow. 

The famous GUM is a large department store in the Kitai-gorod part of Moscow facing Red Square.

St. Basil’s Cathedral is Moscow’s most famous artistic work of architecture set in the romantic Red Square.

History and luxury is revealed inside the Kremlin as the Armoury Chamber displays treasures like Faberge Eggs.

The symbol of Moscow and entire Russia, the Kremlin is often described as the 8th Wonder of the World.

Moscow Metro is like a whole underground city that holds the world's largest collection of Stalinist Art.

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WOW. From the choice of hotels, an itinerary that ran to plan, the amazing Guides and drivers, and of course the stunning cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. No long queues for entry to museums, churches, and palaces.  I would gladly recommend using Firebird Tours (Travel All Russia) to anyone.

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Overall we enjoyed the whole trip a lot. Moscow is beautiful and clean. Thank you very much for your patience and excellent organization of this tour. Everything ran very smoothly and according to schedule. The guides met us on time at hotels or at our train carriage on arrival. They all spoke good English, had a good local knowledge and were very kind and helpful.

The tour lived up to all expectations

I’m most pleased with Travel All Russia in arranging our ‘Volga Dream’ Russia tour, I would recommend using your services again as every aspect of our tour went off without a hitch. The communication between our tour representative was excellent as we required additional days on both ends of our tour. The visa process and the logistics were flawlessly implemented.

We had a great time in Moscow!

Everything was perfect and we are very satisfied with services and accommodations.

Loved my time in Russia

The trip was great. Especially want to mention the guides I had on the extra days were exceptional. Both guides and drivers worked out well. Thanks again for all your help and attention. Loved my time in Russia, and still haven’t stopped talking about it.

Exploring Magnificent Russian Capitals, June 2017

Just want to say that our guide in St Petersburg was really outstanding. You really felt like someone was looking after you. Very observant - knowledgeable. We really enjoyed time spent with her.

Exploring Vibrant Moscow, June 2017

The experience was great!!! We had an excellent guide. The hotel was fabulous.

Thank you for your help !!! was an unforgettable trip.

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Americans who have traveled internationally stand out in their views and knowledge of foreign affairs

Do people who travel think differently about the world? A new Pew Research Center survey suggests they do.

Americans who have traveled internationally are more interested in and knowledgeable about foreign affairs, feel closer to others around the world, and favor a more active foreign policy, according to the survey of 3,576 U.S. adults conducted in spring 2023. We also surveyed people in 23 other countries about their international travel habits.

This analysis examines international travel with a focus on Americans’ travel, including which Americans travel abroad and how their interest in the world and views of international affairs differ from others.

For this analysis, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20 to March 26, 2023; 3,581 U.S. adults from March 21 to March 27, 2022; and 10,606 U.S. adults from June 14 to June 27, 2021. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For non-U.S. data, this report draws on nationally representative surveys of 27,285 adults conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Hungary, Poland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

Here are the June 2021 survey questions and responses used in this analysis. Those for the March 2022 survey may be found here , as well as those for the March 2023 survey .

How many Americans have traveled internationally?

Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, including 26% who have been to five or more. About a quarter (23%) have not traveled internationally, though most in this group say they would if they had the opportunity.

Related:  How experience with international travel varies across 24 countries

To analyze how Americans’ travel experiences relate to their attitudes on other questions, we placed people into three categories:

• Globe-trotters have traveled to at least five other countries. About a quarter of the U.S. public (26%) falls into this category.
• Casual travelers have traveled to between one and four other countries. Half of Americans fall into this category.
• Nontravelers have never left the United States. This category includes 23% of Americans.

Compared with Americans, people in many European nations are more likely to have traveled to five or more other countries. For instance, 88% of Swedes have done so.

However, international travel is much less common in many middle-income nations. It is strongly correlated with a nation’s gross domestic product per capita. (For more on international travel and views about global engagement, read “Attitudes on an Interconnected World.” )

Who travels internationally?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, older people are more likely than younger people to have traveled internationally. Americans ages 65 and older are more than twice as likely as adults under 30 to fall into our globe-trotter category (37% vs. 17%).

Income is even more strongly related to travel than age. Two-thirds of upper-income Americans have traveled to at least five countries, compared with 9% of Americans with lower incomes.

Similarly, Americans with a postgraduate degree are far more likely to be globe-trotters than those with a high school education or less (59% vs. 10%).

Residents of suburban and urban areas generally have more international travel experience than people who live in rural areas.

There are no significant partisan differences when it comes to international travel: 26% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents qualify as globe-trotters, as do 28% of Republicans and GOP leaners.

Do travelers know more about the world?

Globe-trotters are especially likely to say they are interested in foreign affairs and follow international news. Casual travelers, in turn, are more likely than nontravelers to do so.

Globe-trotters are also the most knowledgeable about international affairs. In 2022, we conducted an international affairs quiz , asking Americans 12 questions related to international news. On average, globe-trotters got 8.2 of the 12 questions correct, compared with 6.4 for casual travelers and 4.2 for nontravelers.

Is international travel related to views of global engagement?

International travel experience is also linked to Americans’ views about international affairs and their feelings of connection to other people around the world.

When asked which comes closest to their view, 57% of globe-trotters say the U.S. should be active in world affairs, while 43% say the U.S. should pay less attention to problems in other countries and concentrate on problems at home. In contrast, most casual travelers and nontravelers say the U.S. should focus on problems at home.

In all three groups, at least half of respondents say that when the U.S. is making foreign policy, it should take other countries’ interests into account – even if that means making compromises. But globe-trotters are especially likely to hold that view.

Globe-trotters are also particularly likely to say they feel close to people around the world, with 42% saying so. By comparison, 34% of casual travelers and 30% of nontravelers say this.

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Iran warns it may change nuclear weapons stance in face of Israel, US announces sanctions

The U.S. announced a fresh set of sanctions on Iran on Thursday, targeting the production of unmanned aerial vehicles as Tehran warned Israel it would review its official stance on nuclear weapons if atomic facilities were attacked.

The latest wave of actions by the United States and Iran come on the heels of Tehran's missile and drone attack on Israel last weekend.

Senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Ahmad Haghtalab said in brief comments on Iranian state media that Iran would "reconsider" its nuclear policy in the event of any such attack.

Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is only for civilian energy purposes. When pressed, Iranian officials often point to the "fatwa" or formal religious ban on nuclear acquisition developed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, in the 1990s.

Will it spark a wider war? Israel's long-simmering conflict with Iran moves out of the shadows

But in remarks quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Haghtalab appeared to suggest that the country would change its formal nuclear doctrine if its nuclear facilities were directly attacked by Israel.

"The threats of the Zionist regime (Israel) against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations," he said.

The Tasnim news agency is closely affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Israel has pledged to respond to Iran's attack, when more than 300 missiles and drones were fired at its territory. Israel has not indicated what form, or on what scale, the response will take.

US announces sanctions against Iran

Washington said Thursday that it was putting a bevy of new sanctions on Iranian companies over the assault.

Sanctions will hit Iranian companies involved in the manufacturing of drones, suppliers and customers of one of its largest steel producers and automobile companies tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the defense ministry.

The U.S. has designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization.

Iran used drones and missiles in the large-scale attack against Israel that U.S. officials say was thwarted by advanced airspace defense weaponry.

In a statement on the sanctions, President Joe Biden said that the U.S. was acting in concert with its allies "collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran" and additional sanctions are on the way from the Group of Seven nations. Biden said the U.S. would seek to "further degrade Iran’s military industries" with future sanctions.

"Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran’s attacks: The United States is committed to Israel’s security. We are committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region. And we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable," he said.

The U.K. also imposed sanctions on Iran’s drone and ballistic missile industries.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called Iran's attack a "reckless act and a dangerous escalation" of the regional conflict.

"These sanctions – announced with the U.S. – show we unequivocally condemn these behaviors, and they will further limit Iran’s ability to destabilize the region," Sunak said.

The punishing actions were announced as foreign ministers from G7 nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, gathered in Italy.

Just don't call it a deal: U.S.-Iran pact: Trump destroyed it. Biden wants to restore it

UN agency warns Iran is enriching uranium

The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly said that Iran is enriching uranium at levels close to weapons-grade that would enable it to build a nuclear bomb.

Iran has repeatedly disputed this.

Former President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of a nuclear deal with Iran and other countries . The Biden administration promised to restore the 2015 agreement but has yet to make clear progress on that as his international agenda has been hijacked by the war in Gaza.

Israelis are split over what is an appropriate response to Iran's attack on April 13, according to a survey by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

According to the study, released Thursday, slightly more than half (52%) believe Israel shouldn’t respond, while 48% favor Israel responding even if it means extending the current round of the conflict with Iran.

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7 things you NEED to do in Moscow this winter

1. Get your skates on

People at the opening of the Street Rink outdoor skating rink in Gorky Park, Moscow.

Young or old, sporty or couch potato, it doesn’t matter – ice skating is THE quintessential winter activity in which pretty much everyone Muscovite partakes. For that reason, Russians tend to be quite good at skating, but don’t let that put you off if you’re a beginner. Public ice skating is more about embracing the crisp winter mornings here than hardcore sporting endeavor, so expect high spirits and friendly atmospheres.

What’s more, there are a staggering 45 year-round skating rinks to choose from in Moscow. Gorky Park’s rink is a must-see that allows for pleasant strolling, coffee drinking, and art viewing afterwards. The VDNH rink is also worth checking out for the park that surrounds it, offering majestic light shows, fountains, and Soviet relics. For a more open-plan skating arena, head to Sokolniki Park, where you’ll find a whopping 5,400 square meter rink.

2. Sweat out the winter blues

Sandunovsky baths

We challenge you to find a more relaxing atmosphere than a Russian banya . You simply won’t – this tradition will warm up your body and your soul. Sure, being practically boiled in a firewood sauna and then hit with a birch tree while half-drunk might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but trust us, they’re missing out on this unique detox.

Check out the Sanduny bathhouse for the most jaw-dropping Russian relaxation experience imaginable, characterized by palatial columns and mosaics, as well as stylish cold water pools for you to dive into after your beat-down. Happy steaming!

3. Light up your life

Teatralnaya Square

Moscow city center’s mesmerizing light display is not only the pride of the city, but of half of Russia too, who travel to the capital specifically for the luminous spectacle. In the lead up to New Year, the areas around Red Square, Teatralnaya Square, Nikolskaya Street, Pushkin Square, and Tverskoy Boulevard become a neon ocean.

The lights are a significant annual investment for the Moscow council, not least because they tend to replace the lights with new ones year on year, but it’s usually deemed worth it by admiring onlookers and tourists. If this display doesn’t get you in the festive spirit, nothing will.

4. Shout your lungs out at an ice hockey match

If there’s one sport Russians are particularly passionate about, it’s ice hockey. Go and experience the fierce athleticism, frequent on-rink fights, and rowdy crowds for yourself, and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. In contrast to Russian football matches, where there’s often little more than atmospheric novelty to be had, the country can take pride in having world-class hockey players, whose quality will be immediately obvious.

The best place for a match is the slick 12,100-seater VTB Ice Palace, home to CSKA’s ice hockey outfit.

5. Step back in time

Woman pulls a sled with a child on frozen pond in Moscow, Russia

Fancy a glimpse of the Orthodox Christmas atmosphere as it was in the Russian Empire? Look no further than Novodevichy Convent , a picturesque, snow-covered religious haven with a history stretching back five centuries. Initially used as a fortress for noblewomen, this stunning riverside ensemble is now a functioning monastery and peaceful cloister that boasts four stunning cathedrals, Kremlin-like walls, and a spectacular icon collection. Holy, placid, and serene, the convent is a uniquely antiquate enclave that’s night and day from the bustling modernity that surrounds it.

6. Wallow in the snow

A view of a rebuilt 18th century palace in Moscow's Tsaritsyno Park.

Sometimes, you don’t need anything particularly ambulative to feel at home in a city. In fact, nothing embodies Moscow’s winter wonderland better than a mere stroll in one of its stately parks, sure to be piled high with endless snow dunes throughout the winter.

For a pleasant outing beloved by Muscovites and tourists alike, check out the grandiose Tsaritsyno Park , where nature peacefully co-exists alongside tsarist palatial pomp. The more sizeable Kolomenskoye Park is also worth checking out for a longer excursion that packs in medieval wooden architecture, never-ending rows of trees, and a postcard-ready river view.

However, if you want to really get off the beaten track and experience the winter pristine snow, head further outside the city limits to one of Moscow’s forests – Izmailovsky Park, Timiryazevsky Park, or Elk Island National Park, for example (all accessible by metro).

7. Get festive at the city’s many Christmas markets

Sip on a mulled wine, soak up the bright lights, haggle over a matryoshka  doll with Putin’s face on it. Moscow’s Christmas markets are an absolutely essential tourist experience, with the most popular fair set up right on the Kremlin’s doorsteps on Red Square. Indeed, those quaint stalls in the heart of the city take some beating against the backdrop of St. Basil’s Cathedral and the illuminated GUM shopping center. There are some other cool festive spots throughout the city, though – Gorky Park, for one, will be decked out in lights and international food stalls, while the Izmailovo Kremlin offers an unmissable experience in the world of kitsch souvenir shopping from vodka to pottery, to (sort of) authentic samovars.

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18 TOP TRAVEL AGENCIES IN THE WORLD: A Complete List

As economies around the world get better, the top 19 Top travel agencies in the world are helping to drive great growth and important new ideas by using technology in the modern travel industry. So the travel companies we chose play a big part in making the travel industry grow.

But why are we talking about the best travel companies?

Answer: It’s hard to travel by yourself or with your family to a place you don’t know much about if you don’t know anything about it. Also, you can get into a lot of trouble. So there are travel agencies that can help you avoid problems you might face. So, here is a list of the best travel agencies in the world to help you out.

Also, you could save some money if you booked your trip through a travel agency. They would also show you the must-see spots in your vacation spot because they know everything about it.

Table of Contents

List of Top Travel Agencies in the World

Which travel agency is the best in the world? Here is a list of the top ten highest-earning travel agencies, based on how much money they made in sales (in billions of US dollars). This list includes both travel agencies and corporate travel management companies.

Expedia Group, Inc. is an American company that helps people and small businesses plan and book trips online. Last year, Expedia Group, which owns many websites like Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Trivago, Orbitz, Travelocity, CarRentals.com, and Hotwire.com, made $107.9 billion in sales.

More than 40% of transactions across the group’s consumer OTA brands were made on mobile, and the total number of app transactions grew by more than 40% from the previous year.

Founded in: 1996

Headquarters: Bellevue, Washington, USA

2. Booking Holdings

Booking Holdings Inc. is an American travel technology company based in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was founded in Delaware and has its headquarters there. It owns and runs a number of travel fare aggregators and metasearch engines, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Priceline.com, Rentalcars.com, Kayak.com, Cheapflights, Momondo, and OpenTable. It runs websites in about 200 countries and in 40 different languages.

Booking Holdings is still number two on the Travel Week Power List for 2020. In 2019, the company booked $96.4 billion in gross travel.

Booking Holdings Headquarters: Norwalk, Connecticut

Booking Holdings Employees: 24,500

Booking Holdings Sales: $92.7 billion

Booking Holdings Founded: 1996

3. Absolute Travelers & Tours:

The company was started in 1992, and since then it has offered a wide range of travel services, such as school trips, college tours, skiing trips, and other types of travel.

You could make changes to your trip with the help of this travel agency. So that you can choose from the choices they offer travellers. These kinds of deals seem great because you don’t have to stick with a certain group to have fun. Instead, you can do whatever you want while you’re on vacation, and they’ll make sure you get what you want.

They came up with different offers, like a luxury trip or an adventure trip. And you can pick any of them based on what you like. With this travel company, you could choose any place to go on vacation. They almost cover every part of the world, but they don’t go to the places with the harshest weather.

Founded: 1992

4. BCD Travel

BCD Travel is a company that manages corporate travel around the world. BCD Travel offers travel management services in as many as 109 countries. Last year, the company made a total of US$27.5 billion in sales and employed almost 14,900 people around the world. The BCD Group includes BCD Travel.

BCD Travel Headquarters: Utrecht, Netherlands

BCD Travel Employees: 14,000

BCD Travel Sales: $27.1 billion

BCD Travel Founded: 2016

5. Cox and Kings:

Cox and Kings is one of the travel companies that has been around the longest. Richard Cox started it in 1758 in the Indian city of Mumbai. During that time, India was ruled by the British, but when the British left in 1947 and went back to England, this company decided to stay in India because it had successfully set up its base there. From that point to now, it has grown a lot.

This travel company is one of the oldest ones, and it has been helping travellers for a long time. Because of this, you can trust it a lot. This company has more than ten places around the world where it is based. And you could go on a world tour through this company because it offers vacations in almost every place in the world. This company always tries to treat everyone who travels with them with kindness.

Founded: 1758

6. American Express Global Business Travel

The third best travel company in the world is American Express Global Business Travel (GBT). GBT is a corporate travel management company that is owned by American Express to the tune of 50%. GBT is known as a business travel management company. Large companies use GBT’s services to manage their corporate travel and meetings programmes. GBT also helps business travellers with services and support.

Last year, GBT made $33.7 billion in sales, which makes it one of the best travel companies based on sales.

Founded: 2016

American Express Global Business Travel Headquarters: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

American Express Global Business Travel Sales: USD 33.7 billion

American Express Global Business Travel Number of Employees: 17,400

7. Direct Travel

Direct Travel is a leading travel management company that made $5.8 billion in sales and bought more than six companies, including Professional Travel, which was ranked 31st on Travel Weekly’s 2019 Power List with $404.8 million in sales.

Direct Travel Headquarters: Denver, Colorado

Direct Travel Employees: Unknown

Direct Travel Sales: $5.8 billion

8. Corporate Travel Management (CTM)

Corporate Travel Management, a global provider of new and affordable travel solutions for corporate, events, leisure, loyalty, and wholesale travel, is the last company on TWS’s list of the top 10 travel companies in the world in 2022. 

Customers all over the world can get local service solutions from CTM. This is done through a combination of offices owned and run by CTM and a network of independent partner agencies. Last year, CTM made sales of USD 5 billion, which makes it one of the biggest travel companies in the world in terms of sales.

CTM Sales: USD 5 billion

CTM Founded: 1994

CTM Number of Employees: 725

CTM Headquarters: Denver, Colorado, USA

9. American Express Travel

American Express Travel also stayed on the 2022 Power List. The eighth-ranked company, with sales of almost $7 billion in 2019, stayed there as well. Last year was a busy one for the company. They increased the value of their air and hotel programmes, added new booking options for card members, and bought LoungeBuddy and Resy, two digital platforms.

American Express Travel Headquarters: New York City, New York

American Express Travel Employees: 5,000

American Express Travel Sales: $6.27 billion

Also Read: 31 Best Places to Visit in North America | Famous Tourist Places 2021

10. Travel Leaders Group

Travel Leaders Group is a multi-unit travel company with its headquarters in New York City. It has more than 7,000 company-owned, franchised, and affiliated travel agency locations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. The company has more than 52,000 travel agents all over the world, and it made USD 7.12 billion in sales last year, making it one of the best travel agencies out there. 52,000 hosted agents make sales worth USD 3.73 billion.

11. Flight Centre

Flight Centre Travel Group is a travel company in Australia. It began in the year 1982. 30 percent more money was made by businesses in 2019 than in 2018. Last year, the successful agency made $16 billion in sales. It works with nearly 20,800 hosted agents, who made $56 million in sales.

Flight Centre Headquarters: Brisbane, Australia

Flight Centre Employees: 20,700

Flight Centre Sales: $16 billion

12. Classic Journeys

Classic Journeys is a travel company that was started by Edward Piegza in 1995 so that he could do what he loved: travel. Different tourists have different tastes. There isn’t a traveler who doesn’t want to learn about the culture and realness of the place they are visiting. This travel agency makes sure that the traveler learns as much as possible about the place they are going, right down to the city’s core.

Many people who work for the company have been to different places and want to know them well. So, this makes the company the best guide you’ve ever had to any city you choose for a vacation. They make trips to the places you want to see that are unique to you.

13. Butterfield and Robinson

George Butterfield started this company in 1966 because he wanted to take students on a bike trip with his family. The only way they planned to see the area was by bike. That would have been a great trip, which is why they are now taking thousands of people with them.

This is another very old travel agency that has been helping people for many years. And it seems like everyone is happy with their service, which is why they are so popular with travelers. The best thing about this company is that they offer the best way to travel by bike, on foot, or even by boat. So that everyone could feel good the whole time.

14. Intrepid

Two friends in Melbourne, Australia, started a business in 1988 and ignored all the distractions that came their way. It is now one of the most well-known travel agencies. The two friends were Darrell and Manch. They came up with the idea for this business while they were on an adventure trip in Africa. Instead of an A-C bus, they chose a modified ex-council truck and filled it with friends, trek gear, beers, and other things.

They planned the trip in three different ways: basic, original, and comfortable. They give you the freedom to choose how you want to travel. Once you’ve chosen the style, you don’t have to worry about anything else. They’ll make sure you have the best trip possible.

15. Trek Travel

It is one of the top travel agencies in the world. John Burke started Trek Travel because he always wants to see the world in a different way. So, in 2002, he opened this business.

You might have guessed from the name of the company that they let every traveler trek on places to learn more about them. They think that bikes are the best way to get around and really see a place. This company does more than just plan trips. It also plans events. So, if you want to have a birthday, anniversary, reception party, or even a wedding at a destination, this company can help you plan it. They will make sure that your event is celebrated in the best way possible.

16. Journeys International 

Robin Weber Pollak started Journeys International in 1970. It is known for giving tours that focus on the culture of the place and how people there live. They have shown how “ecotourism” and “adventure travel” should be done.

The name of the company makes it pretty clear that this travel agency is best known for international trips all over the world. It is a company based in the United States that helps people plan some of the best vacations they can ever remember. 

They will not only give you amazing trips, but they will also make sure that each traveler gets the same amount of help so that everyone knows everything there is to know about the place. They also have great adventure and vacation activities like hiking, surfing, and many others.

Above are the reasons why this one called one of the top travel agencies in the world.

17. Gray & Company

Cari Gray started this company in 2009 after working in this field for two years. As soon as she saw that private tours needed to be more high-tech, she was ready to take the lead. Now, her company is the best travel agency, and she is proud of that. If you like to take risks, try one of their high-end walking or biking trips, which is what they do best.

The best travel agency in the whole world is this one. It is also the most reliable, and its only goal is to give travelers the best of the best. They have different trips that come in different packages, so the prices for each package are different. This makes the company appealing to every one, since everyone can afford it.

18. Artisans of Leisure

Ashley Isaacs Ganz opened the travel company Artisans of Leisure in 2003. She is a respected member of the travel industry because she knows all the problems travelers face and understands what they want. She has been all over the world, and now she wants other people to know everything there is to know about travel at its best.

People know that the company specializes in private and custom tours. They make sure that every tour has an expert guide so that you can feel the benefits of tailor-made trips. A lot of travel magazines have written about this company. If you want to learn about the city’s culture, you should use this company to plan your trip.

19. Thomson Family Adventures:

Thomson Family Adventures is a travel company that is best known for taking families to amazing places on amazing trips. They did not take much time to become one of the top travel agencies in the world. They have a great facility for people who are travelling with their families. And they make sure that the trip is comfortable for everyone in the family, no matter what age they are.

They make sure that the trip is fun for the kids in every family. So, they came up with some great ways for kids to have fun trekking. You can even bring your child, and any other family member can do the same. So you don’t have to worry about your children.

This travel agency is known for giving adventure vacations, but they also make sure everyone stays safe while having fun. You can choose from a lot of different packages, and most of the prices are different.

Founded in: 1998 Founder: Judi Wineland and Rick Thomson came up with the idea.

Conclusion:

These are 19 top travel agencies in the world. Why not just leave? Go to any of them to plan your next trip, and have a great vacation. Also, Travel World Fashion has a lot of important travel information and lists of the best places to go.

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Administrator Samantha Power Travels to Angola

For Immediate Release

Office of Press Relations [email protected]

Trip Advisory

From April 23-25, Administrator Samantha Power and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma will travel to Angola to reaffirm the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting prosperity, security, and good governance in Angola.

During the visit, the Administrator will meet with government leaders, members of the civil society, and business executives in Luanda. She will highlight USAID’s investments in malaria prevention in a visit to Angola’s National Health Research Institute, a key partner in the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI).

The Administrator will also travel to Angola’s Benguela Province to advance U.S. support for the Lobito Corridor, a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) priority project that will connect the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia to regional and global trade markets via the Port of Lobito. While there she will meet with Angolan farmers and government partners.

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• Moscow Tours

Our 20 Best Moscow Tours of 2022

Join us on an unforgettable tour to Moscow, the capital of Russia. Imagine visiting Red Square, St. Basil’s the Kremlin and more. Moscow is one of Europe’s most vibrant cities and one of Russia’s most historical. All of our tours to Moscow are fully customizable and can be adjusted to fit any budget. Our most popular tours are listed below. Please click on the tour details to learn more or contact us for more information about our Moscow tours using the form at the side of the page. You can also schedule a call with one of our Russian travel specialists to learn more.

Classic Moscow

This is our most popular Moscow tour that includes all the most prominent sights. You will become acquainted with ancient Russia in the Kremlin, admire Russian art in the Tretyakov Gallery, listen to street musicians as you stroll along the Old Arbat street, and learn about Soviet times on the Moscow Metro tour.

Accommodation

PRIVATE TOUR

A Week in Moscow

This tour is a perfect choice for those who wish to get to know Moscow in depth. One of the highlights of this package is the KGB history tour which gives an interesting perspective on the Cold War. You will also have time for exploring the city on your own or doing extra sightseeing.

Weekend in Moscow

This tour is a great way to get acquainted with the capital of Russia if you are short of time. You will see all the main attractions of the city, the most important of which is the Kremlin - the heart of Russia. The tour starts on Friday and can be combined with a business trip.

Group Tour Moscow Break by Intourist

Russia's capital has so much to offer, from the Kremlin and the Metro to the Old Arbat street and the Tretyakov Gallery. Besides these sites, you will also visit a fascinating country estate which today is quite off the beaten path, Gorky Estate, where the Soviet leader Lenin spent the last months of his life.

Kolomenskoye Tour with transport

The history of Kolomenskoye stretches back for centuries. In 1380, Dmitri Donskoi’s army passed through Kolomenskoye on their way to the Kulikovo battlefield, and it was...

Tours by car

Kremlin, Red Sq., Cathedrals & Armory Tour

The Kremlin is truly a fascinating structure, at the same time it is an ancient tower, the city’s former military fortification, a palace, an armory, the sovereign treasury...

Walking tours

Kremlin, Red Sq., Cathedrals, Armory, Diamond Fund Tour

Old Arbat walking tour

You will be told of the street’s interesting history and view the street’s artisan culture. You will also have the opportunity to view and purchase souvenirs from the...

Tour to Sergiev Posad with transport

Considered by some to be the Russian Vatican, Sergiev Posad is the temporary residence of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Trinity St. Sergius Monastery (Lavra)...

Tour to Kuskovo with transport

The Kuskovo Estate often called the Moscow Versailles due to its perfectly preserved French park, is an example of an 18th century, luxurious Moscow summer residence. Its history...

Tour to Tsaritsyno with transport

The Tsaritsyno Estate is located in the southern part of Moscow. The estate was constructed for Catherine the Great by the Russian architects Bazhenov and Kazakov in a romantic...

Moscow Metro and Old Arbat Tour

The Moscow Metro is one of the largest and most grandly built metro systems in the world. It was meant to be a showcase of the Soviet Union’s achievements for both the Russians...

Vodka Museum Tour with transport (excursion and vodka tasting)

Vodka is an important component of Russian life, an element of national identity and everyday culture. We invite you to visit the Vodka Museum and feel the atmosphere of long-gone...

Mikhail Bulgakov Apartment Museum

This apartment museum located close to Patriarch Ponds became the prototype of the "bad apartment" described in the novel "The Master and Margarita." Currently the museum's...

Kremlin, Red Sq., Cathedrals & Diamond Fund Tour

The State Museum of Lev Tolstoy Tour

Take this opportunity to learn more about the Russian writer Lev Tolstoy. During the visit to the museum you will see part of a vast collection of exhibits connected to Tolstoy...

Novodevichy Convent Tour with transport

Tour of the Novodevichy Monastery. Founded in 1524 by Grand Prince VasiliIoanovich, the original convent was enclosed by fortified walls and contained 12 towers. The structure...

City Tour with Visit to St. Basils & Red Sq. with transport

Panoramic City Tour. This Moscow tour is a great start to your trip and the best way to get acquainted with many of the city’s major highlights. Our professional guide will...

City Tour of Moscow

Head to the heart of Moscow with a professional guide on a 4-hour private walk through the city center. See Tverskaya and Old Arbat streets, Theatre Square with the world-famous...

Moscow Metro walking tour

Kremlin, Red Square and Cathedrals Tour

KGB Tour with transport

This is a very interesting and insightful tour. You will visit places connected with Stalin’s terror - a time of great repression and fear. You will be shown monuments to...

Soviet and Post-Soviet Moscow Tour

The tour begins with a drive or walk down Tverskaya Street – a Soviet masterpiece. In the years of Soviet power, Tverskaya began to undergo a transformation: it was widened...

Tretyakov State Gallery Tour

This world-famous gallery contains masterpieces of Russian art beginning in the 10th century up until today. You will view exquisite Russian icons and paintings from the 18th and...

Jewish Heritage of Moscow Tour

This tour offers a detailed look into the history and present-day life of the Jewish community of Moscow. On the tour, you will visit sites connected with the cultural and religious...

Vodka Museum Tour with transport (excursion only)

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

Tours to Moscow

Our Moscow tours are land only meaning that you arrange your own air travel to Russia and our expert staff meets you at the airport and handles everything else from there. Our online Airline Ticket booking system offers some of the most competitive rates to Russia available on the web so if you need tickets, please visit our Russian air ticket center . Rest assured that you will be taken great care of on one of our Moscow tours. Express to Russia has a fully staffed office in Moscow that will help to make your visit fun, informative and unforgettable. Please remember that of all these tours are private and can be adjusted to your taste. You can add, replace or skip some sights; you can add more days to the package or cut the tour short. Our specialists will be glad to help you create the tour of your dreams!

Moscow, a City Like No Other

Moscow is Russia’s largest city with a population of between 12 and 13 million. It is also Europe’s largest city and when you visit Moscow, you can feel it. The layout and architecture of the city is eclectic, ranging from crooked, ancient streets and alleyways to wide, bustling boulevards, from medieval churches to Stalin skyscrapers and to modern, glass buildings towering over everything and of course in the center of it all is the Kremlin and the magnificent Red Square. Moscow is also home to a fantastic, efficient and very beautiful metro system – each station having its own special design. In fact, Express to Russia’s Moscow metro tours and excursions are some of our most popular attractions that we offer. On our Moscow tours, you will see this and more.

Moscow Tours centering on Russian History

Moscow has a long and interesting history and has been the capital of Russia in many of its different iterations – capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow , the Russian Empire and of course the Soviet Union (who could ever forget the Soviet Union?). Moscow, was founded in the 12th century by Prince Yuri Dolgaruki (Yuri of the long arms – he really did have long arms!). From that time on, it was home to the Russian Tsars until Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg in 1703. The city has survived invasions and sieges from the Mongols, the Tartars, the Poles, Lithuanians and Napoleon but has always persevered. Our Moscow tours will enlighten you on this great history and give you insights into Muscovites and their unique culture. Our Moscow tours show you what the city is like today but also brings to life the past. Moscow never seems to sleep and is bursting with energy. A Moscow tour with Express to Russia is truly the best way of getting to know Russia’s largest and most vibrant city.

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

What is the best time to visit moscow.

Any time of year is fine depending on what you plan to do. Summertime is pleasantly warm, ideal for exploring the city and its vibrant atmosphere, but Moscow will be much busier and accommodation is more expensive. Winter can be quite cold but beautiful nonetheless, and this is unproblematic if you intend to spend most of your trip in museums and galleries. There are also various festivals and events organised throughout the year. For more information about the best time to visit, read our guide

How many days are enough in Moscow?

If you plan your itinerary strategically and aren’t averse to a packed schedule, you can cover Moscow’s main sights over a long weekend. Most popular attractions are in the city centre, and the Moscow Metro allows you to cover much ground in a small amount of time. Ensure that your accommodation is fairly central and book tickets in advance, so that you can make the most of your days. For an informative and well-organised day out, check out our Moscow day tours with options to suit all interests.

Do they speak English in Moscow?

As Russia’s capital city, tourists are well accommodated in Moscow. There should be English-speaking staff in restaurants, bars, hotels, shops and attractions in tourist hotspots, and there are also English-speaking tourist police. Transport services have English translations on their maps and English announcements via intercom; alternatively, order taxis from the Yandex Taxi app (Russian Uber), though it’s unlikely that your taxi driver will speak English. If you get stuck and cannot communicate, it’s fine to use Google Translate.

Is it safe to travel to Moscow?

It is no less safe to travel to Moscow than to any European city if you exercise common sense and look after your belongings. As with every city some regions can be more unsavoury than others, but no tourist attractions are located there. The traffic in Moscow is notorious, so exercise caution when crossing roads. Do not take unlicensed taxis; book in advance or take public transport, which is widespread and perfectly safe. If you encounter any problems, look for the special tourist police who can help you. For more information, read our guide about staying safe in Russia .

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Join our own Russian Travel, Culture and Literature Club on Facebook. The club was created to be a place for everyone with an interest in Russia to get to know each other and share experiences, stories, pictures and advice. To join our club, please follow this link .

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Watch CBS News

U.S. issues travel warning for Israel with Iran attack believed to be imminent and fear Gaza war could spread

By Debora Patta , Tucker Reals

Updated on: April 13, 2024 / 5:25 PM EDT / CBS News

Update: Iran launched drone attacks against Israel on Saturday. Read CBS News'  latest coverage here .

Tel Aviv  — Israel is bracing for a worst-case scenario that U.S. officials believe could materialize within just hours — the possibility of a direct attack on Israeli soil by Iran in retaliation for a strike almost two weeks ago that killed seven Iranian military officers. Iran has vowed to take revenge for Israel killing its commanders, who were hit by an April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital.

Two U.S. officials told CBS News that a major Iranian attack against Israel was expected as soon as Friday, possibly to include more than 100 drones and dozens of missiles aimed at military targets inside the country. Sources have told CBS News the retaliation could include attacks carried out both by Iranian forces, and proxy groups around the region that it has been funneling additional arms to for weeks.  

The officials said it would be challenging for the Israelis to defend against an attack of that magnitude, and while they held out the possibility that the Iranians could opt for a smaller-scale attack to avoid a dramatic escalation, their retaliation was believed to be imminent. 

Asked Friday how imminent he believes an attack is, President Biden responded, "I don't want to get into secure information, but my expectation is sooner than later." The president urged Iran not to move forward, saying his message to Tehran was: "Don't."

Tehran has not indicated publicly how or when it will return fire, so it's unclear how far Iran's leaders will go. If they decide to carry out a direct attack on Israel, there's fear it could blow Israel's ongoing war against Iranian ally Hamas up into a much wider regional conflict.

With the Iranian retaliation expected at any time, the U.S. State Department on Thursday warned Americans in Israel not to travel outside major cities, which are better protected from incoming rocket fire by the country's Iron Dome missile defense system. The latest guidance noted that travel by U.S. government employees in Israel could be further restricted with little notice as things develop in the tinderbox region.

"Whoever harms us, we will harm them," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday as he visited troops at an Israel Defense Forces airbase. "We are prepared … both defensively and offensively."

On Saturday, all U.S. embassies in the Middle East were put on high alert and required to hold emergency action committee meetings. Diplomats in Lebanon and Israel were specifically told not to travel to certain areas within those countries.

Sima Shine, a security expert and former official with Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad, told CBS News it was a dangerous moment for the region, and the "most worried" she has been. She said anxiety over an all-out war was likely just as high "on both sides, in Israel and in Iran."

If Iran does choose to strike Israel directly, it could involve a complex missile and drone attack similar to the one Iranian forces launched against a Saudi oil facility in 2019 .

"They will try to do it on the military or some military asset," Shine predicted. "But the question will be the damage. If there would be many injured people, killed or injured … I think it has the potential for a huge escalation."

Shine stressed, however, that she still believes neither side actually wants a regional conflict.

U.S. "really trying to avoid war"

The U.S. sent a senior general to Israel this week to coordinate with the close American ally on any response it might make to an Iranian attack. Speaking Friday on "CBS Mornings," America's top military officer said, "we're really trying to avoid war."

"This is part of the dialogue that I have with my counterparts within the region, to include the Israeli chief of defense, who I talked to yesterday," said Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., adding that the U.S. military was "doing things not only to prevent a war, but at the same time, one of my primary things is to make sure all the forces in the region are protected."

"My role, as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is to plan and prepare," Brown said. "That's one thing we do very well."

Brown's Israeli counterpart, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, "completed a comprehensive situational assessment on the readiness of the IDF for all scenarios," Israel's military said Friday. 

"The IDF is very strongly prepared, both offensively and defensively, against any threat," Halevi was quoted as saying in the statement. "The IDF continues to monitor closely what is happening in Iran and different arenas, constantly preparing to deal with existing and potential threats in coordination with the United States Armed Forces." 

The IDF said the visiting U.S. general, Central Command chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, was taking part in the IDF's situational assessment.

The dilemma for Iran, said Israeli expert Shine, is to figure out how to deliver its promised response to Israel's attack in Syria, but in a way that does not lead to further escalation. Likewise, Shine said Israel could choose to show restraint when it responds to whatever Iran eventually does.

If either side gets the balance wrong, the consequences for the region, and even the world, could be dire.

Weijia Jiang, David Martin, Margaret Brennan and Olivia Gazis contributed reporting.

• Middle East
• Benjamin Neta​nyahu

Debora Patta is a CBS News foreign correspondent based in Johannesburg. Since joining CBS News in 2013, she has reported on major stories across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Edward R. Murrow and Scripps Howard awards are among the many accolades Patta has received for her work.

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