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.
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.
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.
SAVE UP TO 45% OFF
when purchasing a Globus Tour
Program when compared to booking your trip independently. Since 1928,
Globus has been a world leader when purchasing bulk rates from every
hotel, transportation and attraction featured within these quality
touring programs. We also provide a private viewership rate for an even
greater savings. Inquire below or call us!
Save Smart/Save More with GLOBUS!
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