LITTLETON, Colorado – January 21, 2009 – According to the Specialty Travel Agents Association, culinary travel is one of the fastest growing segments in travel.  In fact, since 2005, more than 25 million Americans engaged in culinary or wine-related activities while traveling.*  Now, travelers can immerse themselves into local cuisine and wine through Globus’ new collection of culinary vacations and cruises – journeys that reveal the very heart of each region through its foods and wines.
 
Developed in conjunction with Burt Wolf, the award-winning host of numerous food and travel television shows, Globus’ Food & Wine vacations offer travelers hands-on culinary and wine adventures.
 
“When vacationing with us, travelers will not only participate in wine tastings, they can visit the Verrazzano Castle to learn about the four grape varieties that make up its famous Chianti, or dine in an 18th-century farmhouse at America’s oldest restaurant in Vermont,” said Phillip Gordon, president and CEO of the Globus family of brands.   
 
As part of the new offerings, travelers also can engage in cooking classes that reveal the secrets of Italy’s time-honored dishes; learn about the climate and grape varieties in France’s celebrated Bordeaux region; indulge their senses at the Biarritz Museum of Chocolate or find out why California’s sparkling wines bubble.

“Every story unfolds in a delectable way on these vacations,” said Steve Born, vice president of marketing for the Globus family of brands.  “Taking a Food & Wine vacation with us this year is one investment sure to bring great returns.”

Globus’ 2009 Food & Wine vacations include five domestic and international tours ranging from eight to 12 days and three European river cruises ranging from 12 to 14 days.  Below are a few highlights:
 

• Culinary New England (8 days) – Welcome to “Bean Town!”  This culinary vacation begins at the oldest restaurant in Boston – its doors have been open to diners since 1826 – and continues with travelers browsing Faneuil Hall, a 250-year-old marketplace.  On this trip, travelers will also enjoy visiting a 300-acre apple orchard in Vermont which includes breakfast at the Apple Barn and Country Back Show and cooking demonstration at the New England Culinary Institute.  In Montpelier, travelers will delight in tours of the Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks and Cabot Creamery.  (Priced from $2,219; land-only)

• Bordeaux Wine Country, Lourdes & Provence (11 days) – This culinary adventure begins in Paris where travelers are invited to attend a welcome dinner with wine, guided sightseeing and a visit to the Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School for a demonstration and tasting of expertly created dishes.  Next, they’ll travel via high-speed TGV train to the famous Bordeaux wine region and enjoy lunch and a wine tasting in St. Emillion as well as a decadent tasting at the Museum of Chocolate.  They’ll spend two nights in Lourdes of pilgrimage fame, stop for lunch and a pâté tasting in the medieval walled city of Carcassonne and dinner at a local restaurant in Nîmes.  An included excursion takes them to Pont du Gard and to Avignon.  This delicious tour ends with two nights in Monte Carlo.  (Priced from $3,029; land-only)

• Flavors of Burgundy & Provence (11 days) – On this awe-inspiring cruise and tour, travelers can take a wine country adventure through the region’s finest vineyards and luscious countryside.  They'll begin their vacation in Paris, with plenty of good food, wine and sightseeing and will drive south to Chalon-sur-Saône, where they’ll board the new, luxurious Avalon Scenery.  On the seven-night Saône and Rhone river cruise to Arles, they’ll have opportunities to cultivate their wine knowledge, with rich history lessons and foodie delights along the way.  As part of this cruise, travelers will visit several wineries and explore the folklore collection of the Burgundy Museum, located in an old family mansion.  (Priced from $2,809; cruise/land-only)
  

About the Globus family of brands
Littleton, Colorado-based Group Voyagers, Inc. is the privately held company that markets and sells the Globus family of brands within the United States.  Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways offer travelers unparalleled tour, independent travel package, river and small ship cruise options.  Considered the world’s largest tour operator, with 80 years of international travel experience, the Globus family of brands is dedicated to enriching the lives of travelers by turning foreign destinations into familiar harbors, where the expense of travel is forgotten and replaced by personal value.  

Consumers can book a Globus family of brands vacation or request 2009 brochures by visiting a preferred travel agent or by calling the following toll free number: 1.866.313.2855.  For more information, please visit www.globusfamily.com.

Travel agents can request any Globus family of brands 2009 brochures by calling toll free 1.800.221.0090 or visiting www.globusfamilypartner.com.