Guest Author - Janet Collins

Customized for Comfort


Traveling abroad can be a joyful, memory-filled experience. But not if the ins and outs of arrangements, and possibly aspects of the trip itself, are daunting.

Enter Artisans of Leisure. More than a luxury travel company, Artisans of Leisure do whatever it takes to help you have an enjoyable travel experience. “The wonderful thing about our trips is that they are fully customized to the individual needs and desires of each client; so a destination that might otherwise be daunting for mature travelers – Cambodia or Vietnam, for example – can be tailored to accommodate physical limitations, medical concerns, scheduling requirements and special interests that are unique to that age group,” says Laura McDaniel, a representative with Artisans of Leisure.

The company’s most popular trips for older travelers are Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France and England. However, specific itineraries followed at these destinations are as varied as the travelers themselves.

McDaniel noted that the company’s ability to deal with logistical issues is hard to beat. “We provide private cars and drivers so that travelers with arthritis or hip problems needn’t tackle arduous walks or suffer through long bus transfers from one destination to the next,” says McDaniel. “Because we place travelers not just in the best hotels but in the best rooms in the best hotels, we can easily accommodate special requests regarding bedding, room layouts, bathroom facilities, meals and meal schedules for people with diabetes, refrigeration for special medications, transportation for medical equipment, etc. We also help navigate things like visa applications, and even secure senior citizen discounts for clients whenever and wherever they are offered.”

The customized aspect of the tours is particularly suitable to mature travelers as they are the fastest-growing segment of the American travel population. Yet they are not easily classified or categorized. Some have physical limitations while others are fitter now than at any other time in their lives.

Insider information about the destination countries also provides Artisans of Leisure with the ability to offer some unique travel opportunities. For example, they have arranged travel for Vietnam and Korean War veterans who wish to return to Asia; for Fulbright Award recipients who wish to return to the places they knew in the 20s and 30s; and for those born overseas who are eager to rediscover the land of their birth.

“We also get numerous requests from ‘mature’ travelers for trips that will accommodate the needs and interest of a multigenerational family as it celebrates a special occasion such as a milestone birthday or anniversary,” says McDaniel. “Family trips happen to be one of our specialties.”

To find out more about what Artisans of Leisure has to offer, click onto the company’s website at www.artisansofleisure.com