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Elsewhere8/29/2023 "We came from this philosophy that trips should be built and sold directly from the destination itself," Bowen said. (The exact date this will take effect has yet to be announced.) To help compensate for that time, Elsewhere will eventually require a $200 deposit for its planning service that can be applied to the cost of the trip if it's booked. These experts, Bowen said, spend between eight and 10 hours planning and customizing individual itineraries, which can vary widely in price depending on the scope of the trip. The experts also share those extra-special places you usually have to "know someone who knows someone" to learn about.īut unlike that friend of a friend, these experts are owners of licensed and insured tour agencies (even if they're the only employee) that have been vetted by Elsewhere, much like how other, larger tour operators work. The company matches the traveler with a local expert in the selected destination who then speaks directly to the traveler to craft a bespoke itinerary, from accommodations to tours, restaurant reservations and excursions. At this time, Elsewhere has 28 local experts in 45 destinations around the world, including Peru, Iceland, Nepal, Ghana, Brazil, Botswana and many places in between. The way Elsewhere works is simple: Would-be travelers head to the website and answer a short questionnaire to describe what a dream trip to select destinations would look like. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. So, the two decided to try to do something to help. "Everything is completely shut down and we have more support financially than our partners in Nepal, for example, who are just these tourist dollars." "These messages were coming in and we were saying to ourselves, 'It's so sad,'" Bowen explained to TPG. That's when they realized how badly their network of guides and on-the-ground partners in near and far-flung destinations were struggling. At the time, the two were working together managing tours and experiences for Evaneos, a Paris-based company creating custom trips for travelers. įounded by travel industry veterans Alexis Bowen, who worked in tour sales and operations for companies like Geographic Expeditions and France's Voyageurs du Monde, and Craig Zapatka, who led cycling tours of France, Portugal and Spain for Butterfield & Robinson, Elsewhere was born in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, a new company called Elsewhere (owned by TPG's sister brand, Lonely Planet) wants to do exactly that for customers by pairing travelers directly with highly knowledgeable local experts in destinations around the world.įor more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. For others, it's the absolute worst.īut whether you own a guidebook on every destination where you've ever been (or dream of going) or leave it all up to chance, sometimes it's just easier to have an expert help you plan those particularly important trips. For some people, planning is the most exciting part of a vacation.
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