Richard Krieger, president of Isramworld, talked to TravelAge West about some of his favorite destinations for great travel experiences:
Isramworld is currently going through a rebranding. Can you tell us about the changes at the company?
We have recently changed our corporate name to the Isramworld Portfolio of Brands. We’re a global tour operator and we feel like this name helps reinforce that wide range of offerings. When people see the phrase “portfolio of brands,” it reinforces our multi-brand offerings across the globe.
So what are some of those brands?
Our cornerstone brand is Isram, which specializes in Israel and the Middle East. Then we have Latour for South/Central America and Cuba; a new brand called Asian Vistas, which replaces Orient Flexi-Pax Tours, for travel to Asia and the Gulf; and Europetoo for travel in Europe. We also have several niche brands, including worldwide travel for women, Spanish speakers and the LGBT community.
What destination do you think is especially intriguing for travelers these days?
Cuba is now huge for us. There are only a handful of operators in the U.S. who have the license enabling them to do travel to Cuba, and there is a lot of interest in the destination. We printed 5,000 Cuba brochures two months ago and they are all gone already. I just got back from there and it’s such a unique destination, and it’s amazing to meet the people there. If you’re a traveler, not a vacationer, you should go to Cuba. You can take one of our trips or go with one of our colleagues, but you really have to go.
How about Egypt, which has been one of your core destinations? Do you feel like travel to Egypt is making a comeback?
Isramworld was always one of the largest tour operators to Egypt. We feel that things are starting to turn around. We are recommitting ourselves to making Egypt one of our powerhouse destinations. It’s a slow process, but it’s important to us.
The Details
Isramworldwww.isramworld.com
