Travel And Learn—Tips To Make Education A Vacation Must along with vacation highlights at the end of each day. If prose writ- (NAPSA)—Americans want more out of their vacations than stiffly posed photos and souvenir ing isn’t your specialty, just jot key chains. In addition to getting away from the rigors of daily stress, today’s travelers like to learn and better themselves while taking trips away from home. In fact, according to the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), approximately 30.2 million adults have taken an educational vacation to improve a skill or hobby in the last three years. Although the movement to- ward more enriching travel experiences illustrates people’s rediscovered dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, it doesn’t mean vacationers are choosing lectures and exams instead of beach time and exploration. One of the easiest and most popular ways to make a vacation educational is to take an escorted tour. Professional tour guides serve as traveling educators, trained not only to point out famous landmarks but also to give behind-thescenes cultural insight and local trivia. Tours like these are available in almost every corner of the world. Globus, the world’s largest escorted tour company, offers guided tours on six continents in more than 60 countries. “Travelers want to return from a vacation with a feeling of enlightenment. That’s part of the joy in truly experiencing another culture,” says Scott Nisbet, of Globus. “We have 75 years’ experi- ence perfecting tours, so our ————— f oa 4) NG h Educational vacations are get- ting high gradesfrom travelers. guests get insider insight into each destination and attraction they explore.” Even if an escorted tour doesn’t fit into your next vacation, Globus has provided tips on how to make your next trip—be it across the state or the world—a moreenriching experience: * Do your homework.After you've selected your vacation destination, it’s important to learn as much as you can about where you're going. Whether you conduct research online or by wayoftravel guidebooks, it’s always wise to read about the history of your vacation spot, as well as whatwill be happening when you get there. Some of the most valuable knowledge you bring homefrom thetrip may originate from your research aheadof time. Play historian and keep a journal. Set a goal to uncover at least three little-knownfacts about your destination and record them down a couple of bullet points. You'll be surprised how quickly the details leave your memory once you return home if you haven’t recorded your experiences. Shop creatively. Don’t settle for run-of-the-mill tourist traps when looking for souvenirs. Instead, head to a local flea market or even a grocery store, and wanderthe aisles. Pay particular attention to the differences in produce, packaging and brand names. In addition to possibly discovering a one-of-a-kind treasure, you'll learn how shopping outside your state or country maybe an en- tirely different experience. Stop and smell the roses, literally. Plan to visit a public park, garden or beach while on vacation. Take note of indigenous plants and comparethe sights and smells to those at home. If appropriate, press several leaves or flowers in your journal to serve as natural mementos from yourtrip. If you can’t beat ’em, join ?em. Don’t always trust recom- mendations from other tourists. Instead, ask the locals about their favorite hot spots, shops and restaurants, as well as the best places to simply sit and watch the world go by. After all, it is their hometown. For more information about escorted travel or to make reservations, call (866) 313-2855 orvisit www.globusjourneys.com.
