News

Industry colleagues both local and national recognize Custom Tours, Inc. as a leader in the tourism industry. They respect me for my consistency, knowledge, dedication, dynamic organization, and what has been termed My Connected Network throughout my region of expertise. Industry publications such as Destinations, Packaged Travel Insider, Group Tour Magazine, along with local media have featured Custom Tours, Inc. substantiating our credibility and letting our clients know they are in capable hands.

Packaged Travel Insider, vol.9, issue 3: Your Ally, the Receptive Tour Operator: Use a receptive operator to gain a competitive edge in the industry.... [+]

Destinations Magazine, December 2009: CustomTours strives to bring NewEngland’s riches into focus for its customers ... [+]

Destinations Magazine, February 2009... [+]

The Burlington Free Press, September 8, 2008... [+]

Packaged Travel Insider, Sept/Oct 2008... [+]

Packaged Travel Insider (Sept/Oct 2004)... [+]

Group Tour Magazine... [+]

Destinations Magazine, June 2004... [+]

Rutland Business Journal, November/December 2003... [+]

November/December 2003

Custom Tours Introduces Winter Wonderland Vermont Package To Southern Senior Market

by Lani Duke

Custom Tours owner Linda Edelman is adding a third touring season to the packages she offers Vermont visitors. The new Winter Wonderland package targets already satisfied customers who have enjoyed her summer and fall offerings. Characterized under the heading “soft adventure,” the snow-time package aligns with a growing trend in motor coach tours, geared towards seniors and multigenerational groups.

“It’s what’s happening in the industry,” Edelman says. “It’s attractive to seniors and to second-and third-generation travelers who may come with them.”

Nearly eight out of 10 “active leisure travelers took at least one vacation with extended family, other families or friends” in the last five, a new survey by Yuesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell revealed. Cited in a recent Hotel & Motel Management magazine, the study dubs this trend “togethering.”

Seniors, a large percentage of the groups who sign on with Edelman’s bus tours, have the opportunity to see Vermont in the winter and sample the variety of activities that it offers. Snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, sleigh riding and riding a gondola to the top of the mountain are among the possibilities for her guests.

Southern groups have the most successful market for her tours. Some of them may never have experienced snow or had an opportunity to see New England in winter. She feels certain the new offering “will take off - it may take a little time.”

Edelman floated a trial package of Winter Wonderland last year, offering it to two groups from Tennessee. “They loved it,” she reports. “To them, it was unique and different.” Ergo, she is making it a permanent part of Custom Tours’ calendar year.

Seniors are delighted to be able to take an excursion geared to their comfort and ability level, Edelman generalized. She tailors the tours to each group’s likes and dislikes, abilities and interests. No two tours are ever alike, she notes. As a Vermont receptive tour operator, she receives groups into Vermont from all over the country. Locally she works with the Rutland County Retired Teachers group, putting together two trips a year for them. Every December they travel to New York City, and take a trip in the spring. This year, they will go to Cape May.

Baby Boomers offer a great business opportunity for Vermont, says Dave Kaufman, president of Vermont Tourism Network. They have a “greater propensity to do more things actively, and have no intention of slowing down until they have to.” Outdoor activities are a strong attraction for this age demographic. Vermont has a unique draw for them by being able to offer outdoor activities against a backdrop that is rich in historical and cultural aspects, he noted. “Vermont faces its biggest challenge ever for the tourism dollar,” Kaufman comments. “We have no theme parks, no casinos. We are what we are.”