About
Globus
More than
75 years ago, Antonio Mantegazza bought a rowboat to transport
commercial
goods across Lake Lugano in Switzerland. Who could know that rowboat
would
launch the world's leading escorted travel company? Today Globus is a
global,
family-owned company reaching every corner of the world. Globus is now
the first choice among individuals looking for vacations with both
domestic
and international travel in a variety of styles to six continents and
hundreds
of itineraries to choose from.
Antonio's frequent
trips across the scenic lake led him to consider opportunities in a
different
market - tourism. His entrepreneurial instinct pushed him to gradually
acquire some motorcoaches to transport tourists around the Lake Lugano
area. In 1928, Antonio opened a company specializing in motorcoach
touring
called Globus Viaggi. The company began with a fleet of 12 coaches
which
operated local excursions for European tourists in Switzerland.
By 1950, Globus
Viaggi had grown to a fleet of 33 coaches and featured overnight
excursions
to Rome, Venice, the Dolomites and the French Riviera. Gradually, these
became regularly scheduled tours and grew longer to cover more ground.
Later that decade, under the leadership of Werner Albek, Antonio's
business
partner, Globus pioneered the concept of Grand European Touring by
offering
first-class European tours to North Americans. By 1961, the company
launched
its Cosmos arm, which featured affordable, value-priced European
touring
for the cost-conscious British traveler.
The coach tours
were so successful that Cosmos soon introduced another form of travel
for
the British market: air holiday packages to the sunny destinations of
southern
Europe. By 1968, Cosmos air holidays became so popular the company
formed
its own airline, Monarch Airlines. Monarch Airlines started out
modestly
with two used Britannia aircraft and eventually blossomed into one of
the
most successful European charter companies with a large fleet of modern
jets and its own engineering division.
Under the flagship
of Sergio Mantegazza, current president and son of Antonio, Globus
began
expanding its markets beyond Great Britain and North America. Since
1974,
travel packages have been sold in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and
most
recently in Southeast Asia. Starting in the 70s, the company also
aggressively
expanded its offerings, introducing travelers to more countries than
any
other tour operator with packages to Africa, South and North America,
Europe,
the South Pacific and Asia.
Today, the
Globus family of brands is marketed and operated by a network of more
than
32 independent tourism and aviation businesses, serviced by a group of
more than 5,000 professionals worldwide. Combined, Globus, Cosmos, and
Monograms carry over 500,000 passengers a year, making the organization
the leading operator of guided vacations worldwide. Globus attributes
its
success to the ideals of founder Antonio Mantegazza. For three
generations,
his vision, hard work, love for travel, and commitment have guided the
company. These values are the cornerstone on which Globus was built and
will continue to grow.
Vacation
Standards
When you travel
with Globus you'll simply get MORE! You'll get MORE selection, MORE
included
features, MORE quality hotels, MORE experience and MORE value. You'll
get
inside attractions which you'll merely see from the outside with other
travel companies. Globus has almost 80 years of experience for you to
take
advantage of. Vacation Standards
* Free airport transfers
* Saving options
* Help along the way
* Hotels
* Transportation
What
is
Escorted Travel?
One of the
biggest benefits of escorted travel is the ability to experience a
destination
without worrying about the details such as transfers, hotels and much
more.
You will have plenty of free time to explore on your own but you will
also
benefit from the expert knowledge of our Tour Directors.
And Globus
enables you to choose the escorted experience that will suit you best.
Do you want a vacation with more planned time or a do you want to enjoy
a more independent experience with less "guided" time? There are
hundreds
of itineraries for you to choose from.
There is also
value you receive with an escorted vacation that is difficult or nearly
impossible to get with your own planning. Because of Globus' buying
power
and thanks to nearly 80 years of experience, you will get unmatched
values
when it comes to your hotels, excursions and even your air price. You
will
often also have the option of adding even more inclusives to your trip
or even adding days to your vacation.
Escorted travel
with Globus will allow you to travel with confidence. Globus has
offices
located all around the globe so you can rest assured during your
vacation
that you will never be stranded without access to our legendary
customer
service. The Tour Directors all speak English, besides their native
tongue,
and often other languages. They are also some of the most experienced
in
the business, averaging almost 150 vacations each, which also helps
avoid
confusion or problems for you on a Globus vacation.
You will also
have the peace of mind of Globus' $10 million consumer protection plan
while you travel domestically or abroad. You can even (for a small fee)
be sure that if an emergency came up before your trip you could cancel
or reschedule it easily.
The best way
to experience the benefits of escorted travel is to choose the Globus
vacation
that is best for you and then trust Globus to provide you with a superb
travel experience.
Trust
& Travel Insurance
For
generations, Globus has worked hard to provide the best on-trip
experiences,
world-class customer service, and the best consumer protection plans
available
in the travel industry.
* $11 Million of Travel Protection
* Worldwide Scope
* Travel Protection
* Travel Protection Plus
* Global Travel Community
* Awards
* Affiliations
$11 Million
of Travel Protection
Globus has
provided a $10 million letter of credit* issued by a leading bank to
protect
payments made by its customers for all 2005 vacation departures sold in
the United States. "In these uncertain times, we feel it is important
to
assure our customers and our travel partners that we are financially
secure
and that we back our products 100 percent," said Phillip Gordon, chief
executive officer and president. This is in addition to the $1 million
traveler's assistance program maintained by the United States Tour
Operators
Association (USTOA) in favor of Globus travelers.
*The $10 million
letter of credit has been issued by Credit Suisse S.A. in favor of
PRO-CLAIM,
INC. of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, acting as trustee of a trust for the
benefit of Globus and Cosmos customers who advance deposits or payments
for any Globus or Cosmos tour departure sold in the United States.
PRO-CLAIM
INC., as trustee of the trust, is responsible for refunding deposits or
payments (excluding deposits or payments made by credit cards, since
chargebacks
are available), for Globus and Cosmos tours sold in the United States
in
the event Group Voyagers Inc., d/b/a Globus and Cosmos, becomes
insolvent,
bankrupt or ceases business.
Worldwide Scope
Globus is truly
a worldwide operation with 32 offices around the world to assist
travelers.
Booking Globus vacations is always simple due to a network of over
13,000
knowledgeable travel agencies offering Globus vacations. Globus is also
offered by some of the most well known travel consortia, such as:
Vacation.com,
Ensemble, TravelSavers, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Jurni Network, and
MAST.
Travel Protection
You're planning
your annual vacation, or the vacation of a lifetime. Either way you
don't
want to think about canceling or interrupting your trip. Or getting
sick.
Or losing your luggage. We know these things can happen and we provide
travelers peace of mind with a Travel Protection Plan. The plan costs
from
$79-$249 per person (depending on the vacation destination and price)
and
offers a wide range of benefits. Ask your travel agent for the details,
get the details in your travel documents or follow the link below.
Please note
that the Czech Republic now requires a minimum of $35,000 medical and
repatriation
insurance coverage. Our basic Travel Protection policy has a $25,000
limit,
however will be increased to $35,000 while in the Czech Republic in
order
to meet Czech Republic requirements. There is no additional cost for
this
extra coverage. If you choose to purchase insurance independently,
please
know that the you may be required by immigration to produce proof of
coverage
while traveling in the Czech Republic.
Travel
Protection Plus
(Cancellation Protection)
If you purchase
the Globus family of brands Travel Protection Plan, you may also
purchase
the optional Globus family of brands Travel Protection Plus Plan at an
additional cost of only $30.00 per person. This additional Benefit* (if
purchased) allows you to cancel your vacation up to 24 hours (or the
prior
business day, whichever is farther out) before your scheduled departure
for any reason not covered by the basic Travel Protection Plan
provisions.
Under this Travel Protection Plus Plan Benefit, Globus family of brands
will reimburse the cancellation penalty amount, as retained by the
Globus
family of brands, in travel certificates, minus the insurance premium.
Plus, now Travel Protection Plus extends your basic Travel Protection
Plan
benefits to include coverage of air penalties or change fees on air
purchased
outside of the Globus family of brands, when canceling for a reason
covered
by your basic Travel Protection Plan.
*The Travel
Protection Plus Plan is provided by Globus family of brands and is not
an insurance benefit and must be purchased with the initial payment for
your Trip.
ASK YOUR AGENT
ABOUT DETAILS.
Globus recognizes
the importance of preserving the North American attractions that our
travelers
go to great lengths to experience, which is why Globus is donating
generously
to the Tourism Cares for Tomorrow for restoration and preservation of
five
"American Icons." The donations are going toward specific projects,
rather
than operational costs. Learn more.
Awards
For six years
in a row, Globus has been selected by Recommend Magazine as the best
Tour
Operator to Europe, and a top finalist for North America, Asia, Latin
America
and Africa. The brand was also named in Travel Weekly's 2004 Reader's
Choice
Awards as Best Tour Operator - Europe and 2005 Reader's Choice Awards
as
Best Tour Operator - Europe, Best Tour Operator - International and
Best
Tour Operator - Asia and South Pacific.
More
GLOBUS TOURS and Terms and Conditions
|
©
1999
-
2012
Limestone mountains, their needle
peaks hidden in mist, rise from the green plain surrounding Guilin. The
scene conveys a sense of mystery that artists have tried to capture for
centuries. Savor unique vistas during a leisurely CRUISE on the Li
River, where you’ll enjoy a light lunch. Tonight, consider joining our
optional trip to see trained cormorants dive for fish, the traditional
Lijiang fishing method. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Your full-day sightseeing includes a
visit to the Forbidden City’s IMPERIAL PALACE, once the sacred home of
China’s great emperors. Nearby is TIAN’ANMEN SQUARE, the largest public
square in the world, where the People’s Republic of China was
proclaimed in 1949. You’ll visit the BEIJING ZOO to see pandas, and
will also discover the former Imperial SUMMER PALACE, a complex of
pavilions, temples, and galleries situated around Kunming Lake. Tonight
you may decide on the optional tour of the Peking Opera with its
various forms of drama and music tracing back to the 13th century.
(Breakfast, Lunch)
