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Boston Globe
05-07-2025
- Boston Globe
Why more newlyweds are honeymooning closer to home
'We had great seafood, cozy dinners, soaks in hot tubs and took walks along the water,' Repetto said. 'We came back refreshed, not exhausted, which is exactly what we wanted our honeymoon to be about.' Get Love Letters: The Newsletter A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more. Enter Email Sign Up Married couples have traditionally used their honeymoons as an opportunity to take once-in-a-lifetime trips that have long been on their wish lists or to book stays at romantic resorts in the Caribbean or farther afield. More recently, however, many newlyweds have been opting for domestic honeymoons instead. Advertisement The shift can be attributed to several factors, including constrained budgets, limited time off, or a desire to avoid the complications of international travel. Many couples are also increasingly drawn to the idea of a more laid-back, relaxed honeymoon without the pressure of a packed itinerary. Domestic honeymoons and weddings have had a slight but steady year-over-year increase between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of this year, according to data from the Internova Travel Group, a travel service provider in New York that has more than $20 billion of travel sales a year overall. The data reflect sales from 20 travel agencies within Internova specializing in honeymoons and destination weddings. Advertisement When choosing where to go, couples appear to be looking beyond beaches, resorts, and other domestic honeymoon mainstays like Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Internova's data indicate that Massachusetts more than doubled its wedding and honeymoon travel sales, while Colorado, Arizona, and Utah also gained momentum as romantic destinations. New York City also had a significant rise in popularity, according to Internova, with bookings more than tripling. Other emerging city destinations for couples include Phoenix; Memphis, Tenn.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Austin, Texas; and Burbank, Calif. The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study, released in February, also indicated an incremental increase in domestic honeymoons. Of the nearly 17,000 US couples surveyed who wed last year or planned to marry this year, 41 percent opted for the United States as their destination, compared with 38 percent of couples asked in 2023. Florida, Hawaii, and California were the most popular states for these trips, with Tennessee and Colorado not far behind. In a recent survey of 400 engaged couples by the wedding platform Joy, nearly half said that they planned to have a domestic honeymoon. 'We're finding that many couples are making the conscious choice to simplify, to savor, and to stay grounded in the moment,' Vishal Joshi, the chief executive, said. 'The dream of faraway places meets the reality of time, budget, and logistics.' Related : Advertisement Speaking to this point, Caitlin Bell-Evans, 26, a nurse, and Erica Bell-Evans, 28, a middle-school special-education teacher, who wed last April and live in Philadelphia, took a 10-day honeymoon to Palm Springs, Calif., last November. They stayed at the Mediterranean-inspired Korakia Pensione during the trip and spent their days sleeping until 10 a.m., sitting by the hotel's pool, and visiting local spas to use the hot springs. Come evening, they enjoyed Mexican food with tacos and tequila and treated themselves to a few nicer dinners. Caitlin Bell-Evans said that they chose Palm Springs because the city's mountain and desert landscape offered a stark contrast to the East Coast and made them feel as if 'they really escaped.' 'It was so much less work to stay domestic,' she said. 'We put so much work into planning our wedding and were tired. Plus, I didn't have a passport and didn't want another thing to add to my to-do list.' She noted that they also thought domestic travel would be 'cheaper' than going abroad. 'We really feel that staying in the US was our way to give back to ourselves,' Erica Bell-Evans added. Some luxe domestic resorts also report a bump in honeymoon bookings. The Wauwinet, an oceanfront resort on Nantucket, introduced a 'happy honeymoons' package this spring in response to the rise in newlyweds at the property, according to Ashish Verma, the executive vice president of White Elephant Resorts, the resort's parent company. The offer includes two nights of accommodation, daily breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner. When they arrive, couples are welcomed with flowers, oysters, and Champagne. Kara Bebell and Harlan deBell are the brother-and-sister owners of the New York travel company the Travel Siblings, and planned Repetto's and La Bella's trip. They said that the United States had an abundance of resorts for newlyweds. 'Whatever experience couples find romantic to them, from wineries and small towns to beaches and glamping in the wilderness, there is something fabulous for everyone,' Bebell said. Advertisement The two suggest Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, and Faena Hotel Miami Beach, in the Miami area. 'These resorts have a Caribbean feel without leaving the country, and for the West Coast, it doesn't get more romantic in Laguna Beach than checking into the Montage,' deBell said. Wine lovers might consider Napa, Sonoma, and Healdsburg, which are among the wine regions in California. For couples seeking upscale camping with activities like fly fishing and hiking, Bebell and deBell recommend resorts in Montana, including Paws Up, a ranch resort in Greenough, or the Ranch at Rock Creek, in Philipsburg. They also recently planned a weeklong honeymoon to the all-inclusive luxury resort Twin Farms, in Barnard, Vt., which offers activities such as archery, ax throwing, cycling, hiking, canoeing, and pickleball. Caitlin Fogle, a travel adviser with Protravel in Miami, suggests couples plan their trips six to nine months in advance, if possible. 'You'll get better rates and hotel availability, especially on premium rooms,' she said. But she added that a memorable, last-minute domestic honeymoon was 'definitely doable.' Fogle also advises couples to splurge on one or a few extravagant activities. This might include a private cruise with a sunset dinner, a hot-air balloon ride, or a lavish private picnic in the middle of a hike. 'These extras go a long way in elevating your trip,' she said. Advertisement This article originally appeared in .
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Time of India
Why more newlyweds are honeymooning closer to home
Jennifer Repetto and Mark La Bella had planned on taking a weeklong honeymoon after their Dec. 27 wedding in Philadelphia. But instead of jumping on a plane to the Caribbean or some far-flung locale, the couple, who live in North Wales, Pennsylvania, headed off to coastal Maine. "We wanted to keep it simple and low-key and not change time zones," Repetto said. "The trip was about being with each other without spending a fortune." Their getaway began at Cliff House Maine in Cape Neddick on the southern coast, where they celebrated New Year's Eve. Repetto, 44, a middle-school math teacher, and La Bella, 51, an owner of a sheet-metal fabrication business, then drove a rental car 45 minutes north to the Cape Arundel Inn & Resort in Kennebunkport. "We had great seafood, cozy dinners, soaks in hot tubs and took walks along the water," Repetto said. "We came back refreshed, not exhausted, which is exactly what we wanted our honeymoon to be about." Married couples have traditionally used their honeymoons as an opportunity to take once-in-a-lifetime trips that have long been on their wish lists or to book stays at romantic resorts in the Caribbean or farther afield. More recently, however, many newlyweds have been opting for domestic honeymoons instead. Live Events The shift can be attributed to several factors, including constrained budgets, limited time off, or a desire to avoid the complications of international travel. Many couples are also increasingly drawn to the idea of a more laid-back, relaxed honeymoon without the pressure of a packed itinerary. Domestic honeymoons and weddings have had a slight but steady year-over-year increase between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of this year, according to data from the Internova Travel Group , a travel service provider in New York that has more than $20 billion of travel sales a year overall. The data reflects sales from 20 travel agencies within Internova specializing in honeymoons and destination weddings. When choosing where to go, couples appear to be looking beyond beaches, resorts and other domestic honeymoon mainstays like Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Internova's data indicates that Massachusetts more than doubled its wedding and honeymoon travel sales, while Colorado, Arizona and Utah also gained momentum as romantic destinations. New York City also had a significant rise in popularity, according to Internova, with bookings more than tripling. Other emerging city destinations for couples include Phoenix; Memphis, Tennessee; Knoxville, Tennessee; Austin, Texas; and Burbank, California. The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study, released in February, also indicated an incremental increase in domestic honeymoons. Of the nearly 17,000 U.S. couples surveyed who wed last year or planned to marry this year, 41% opted for the United States as their destination, compared with 38% of couples asked in 2023. Florida, Hawaii and California were the most popular states for these trips, with Tennessee and Colorado not far behind. In a recent survey of 400 engaged couples by the wedding platform Joy, nearly half said that they planned to have a domestic honeymoon. "We're finding that many couples are making the conscious choice to simplify, to savor and to stay grounded in the moment," Vishal Joshi, the chief executive, said. "The dream of faraway places meets the reality of time, budget and logistics." Speaking to this point, Caitlin Bell-Evans, 26, a nurse, and Erica Bell-Evans, 28, a middle-school special-education teacher, who wed last April and live in Philadelphia, took a 10-day honeymoon to Palm Springs, California, last November. They stayed at the Mediterranean-inspired Korakia Pensione during the trip and spent their days sleeping until 10 a.m., sitting by the hotel's pool and visiting local spas to use the hot springs. Come evening, they enjoyed Mexican food with tacos and tequila and treated themselves to a few nicer dinners. Caitlin Bell-Evans said that they chose Palm Springs because the city's mountain and desert landscape offered a stark contrast to the East Coast and made them feel as if "they really escaped." "It was so much less work to stay domestic," she said. "We put so much work into planning our wedding and were tired. Plus, I didn't have a passport and didn't want another thing to add to my to-do list." She noted that they also thought domestic travel would be "cheaper" than going abroad. "We really feel that staying in the U.S. was our way to give back to ourselves," Erica Bell-Evans added. Some luxe domestic resorts also report a bump in honeymoon bookings. The Wauwinet, an oceanfront resort in Nantucket, Massachusetts, introduced a "happy honeymoons" package this spring in response to the rise in newlyweds at the property, according to Ashish Verma, the executive vice president of White Elephant Resorts , the resort's parent company. The offer includes two nights of accommodation, daily breakfast, one lunch and one dinner. When they arrive, couples are welcomed with flowers, oysters and Champagne. Kara Bebell and Harlan deBell are the brother-and-sister owners of the New York travel company the Travel Siblings , and planned Repetto's and La Bella's trip. They said that the United States had an abundance of resorts for newlyweds. "Whatever experience couples find romantic to them, from wineries and small towns to beaches and glamping in the wilderness, there is something fabulous for everyone," Bebell said. The two suggest Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club and Faena Hotel Miami Beach, in the Miami area. "These resorts have a Caribbean feel without leaving the country, and for the West Coast, it doesn't get more romantic in Laguna Beach than checking into the Montage," deBell said. Wine lovers might consider Napa, Sonoma and Healdsburg , which are among the wine regions in California. For couples seeking upscale camping with activities like fly fishing and hiking, Bebell and deBell recommend resorts in Montana, including Paws Up, a ranch resort in Greenough, or the Ranch at Rock Creek, in Philipsburg. They also recently planned a weeklong honeymoon to the all-inclusive luxury resort Twin Farms, in Barnard, Vermont, which offers activities such as archery, ax throwing, cycling, hiking, canoeing and pickleball. Caitlin Fogle, a travel adviser with Protravel in Miami, suggests couples plan their trips six to nine months in advance, if possible. "You'll get better rates and hotel availability, especially on premium rooms," she said. But she added that a memorable, last-minute domestic honeymoon was "definitely doable." Fogle also advises couples to splurge on one or a few extravagant activities. This might include a private cruise with a sunset dinner, a hot-air balloon ride or a lavish private picnic in the middle of a hike. "These extras go a long way in elevating your trip," she said. Andrew Gehrt, 36, the owner of a tree removal company, and Brittany Quay, 30, the director of a child development center, who live in Spartanburg, South Carolina, took her advice during their late-May honeymoon to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. At Fogle's recommendation, they splurged on privately guided tours of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks . They also golfed, explored downtown Jackson and soaked in a hot tub while drinking Champagne. "Most of our friends go to beach resorts in the Caribbean for their honeymoons," Gehrt said. "Ours was different. It was unique and definitely perfect." This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Travel Weekly
10-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Travel Leaders Network enjoying double-digit revenue growth
LAS VEGAS — Travel Leaders Network (TLN) revenue is up double digits so far this year, president John Lovell said during the group's Edge conference here, with luxury and river cruising particular bright spots. Theme park revenue is also up, thanks to a bump from the Universal Orlando Resort's newest theme park, Epic Universe, which opened in May. TLN is part of Internova Travel Group. The Edge conference is ongoing this week at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Revenue boost from cruise As of the end of April, TLN's cruise and land revenue was up 12% compared to the same period in 2024, Lovell said during a media briefing. That number will "bump up a little bit" once May revenue has been calculated, he said, based on figures that have already been reported by suppliers. Breaking that number down, cruise revenue is up 14.5%, and land revenue is up 6.5%, Lovell said. He attributed the cruise increase to advisors selling high-quality cabins as well as gaining a bigger share of the market. By segment, luxury cruise revenue is up 20% compared to the same time last year, while premium cruise revenue is up 16%, contemporary cruise revenue is up 8% and river cruise revenue is up 29%. "We just wish they would dredge more river somewhere," Lovell said. "The growth there is just absolutely phenomenal." Solid gains in land revenue Though it's a smaller increase than cruise revenue, a 6.5% increase in land "is a really strong number," Lovell said. At the same time last year, comparing 2024 to 2023, land sales were only up around 2.3%, indicating land sales are growing. By segment, land FIT and touring revenue is up 13% compared to the same time last year, fun and sun revenue is up 3.7% and theme park revenue is up 12%. Lovell attributed a lot of the bump in theme park revenue to Epic Universe. "Had you asked me these numbers in February for theme parks, it would have been vastly different," Lovell said. "But as soon as that date came out, the May launch of Epic, we just saw bookings flying in for the Orlando market." Lovell said those bookings aren't just for Universal, as Epic's opening has driven a bump in business for the whole market. In the past four years, TLN has grown its base by 1,175 members, representing $1.5 billion in preferred supplier sales, said COO Lindsay Pearlman. To ensure all member needs are met, TLN has been expanding its field team that supports members, recently adding nine new employees, he said. Business tips from Richard Branson During the conference, Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, stopped by for an on-stage chat with Lovell. He shared stories about his famed companies as well as his advice on how to operate a solid business. "I think the key to running a good company is to experience it yourself," Branson said. It's a practice that Branson preaches. For instance, if he's on a Virgin Atlantic plane, he'll talk to each guest and employee, notebook in hand, seeking pain points and advice for improvement. "On an average flight, I write down anything from five to 25 different items," he said. Then he gets to work fixing problems and putting suggestions in place. He behaves similarly on Virgin Voyages ships. "If you talk to your customers and you talk to your staff, they know what needs to be done," Branson said. "I think what makes an average company exceptional is getting those little things right."
Travel Weekly
10-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Travel Leaders Network expands Super Agent designation
LAS VEGAS — Travel Leaders Network (TLN) is adding two new categories to its Super Agent designation on its Agent Profiler tool, among other technology updates discussed at its annual Edge conference this week at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Agent Profiler is TLN's lead-generation tool for members. There are nearly 20,000 advisor profiles on today. In 2022, TLN added the "Super Agent" designation, awarded to advisors who fill out their profiles with a variety of content, like reviews, specialty bios, maps and photo albums. Now, two additional categories of Super Agent profiles are coming: Super Agent Gold and Super Agent Diamond. Advisors can reach those levels based on performance metrics using Agent Profiler, said Stephen McGillivray, chief partner marketing officer at parent company Internova Travel Group. That includes metrics like response rate within 24 hours and booking close rate. The basic Super Agent designation will remain in place. The new categories will likely go live in July, Lovell said. Having an elevated Agent Profiler designation puts an advisor higher in the search order, making it more likely a consumer will select their profile and send leads their way. Leads from the profiles are about flat compared to last year, which saw an all-time high of more than 300,000, McGillivray said. "We're happy about that, because a lot of the digital space, I've seen traffic numbers drive down," McGillivray said. "We were very happy that we're holding our own in lead flow to the members." The average cost of a booking that comes through Agent Profiler that an advisor can close is $10,665, according to McGillivray. The close rate, Lovell said, is a little over 25%. Continuing CRM integrations TLN continues its work to become CRM-agnostic, enabling members to work with whichever CRM they prefer and benefit from integration into TLN's systems. "CRMs are exploding all over the place in our industry," said Cory Voss, TLN's chief information officer. "When I say exploding, I mean lots more options than there ever was before. And we're sensitive to that. We acknowledge that, and we want to make sure that our membership base has the ability to make the choice and work with the CRM that fits their business best." Traditionally, TLN's systems were integrated with ClientBase and AgentMate, but the consortium has been making moves to be CRM-agnostic, enabling more CRMs to communicate with its systems. Integration of the VacationCRM is ongoing. Planiteasy, Tess and Tres are coming down the pipe, Voss said. "There's so many options in the CRM space," he said. "It's an important business decision for an agency to make, and we want to be as accommodating as we possibly can in supporting the decision that they're going to make. And we're going to do that by trying to get as many integrations as we possibly can." Simplified Sabre GDS rolling out for Canadian members Getting more advisors to sell air has been a focus of TLN in recent years. Last year, TLN began to roll out SNAP, its co-branded version of Sabre Red Launchpad designed to be a simpler-to-use version of the GDS. "Air has been ignored for a long time, and it's a huge opportunity," Lindsay Pearlman, TLN's COO, said. "When you think about it, it doesn't make sense that an advisor doesn't book air." It helps build relationships and loyalty by providing a more complete vacation product, he said. The proof is in the numbers: If an advisor books air for their customer, he said, the cancellation rate drops by 39%. "There's a stickiness factor," he said. "You're going beyond the transaction piece to providing full service for that customer." After a year of beta testing in the market, SNAP is now officially rolling out to TLN members in Canada.
The Herald Scotland
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Barrhead Travel to post record result as people 'book human'
Key events have included a change in ownership at Barrhead in 2018, which saw the family-owned company sell up to US-based Travel Leaders Group (now part of Internova Travel Group), and her own rise to the top of an organisation she joined as a trainee. However, while the ubiquity of the internet means many people now book holidays online, Dobson said what has not changed is the appetite of consumers for advice from reputable travel agents. 'That demand is still there,' she told The Herald Business HQ Monthly. 'I think what has changed in the industry is definitely technology. 'Obviously, the internet was a huge thing back when it launched. Barrhead was one of the first agencies to adopt this. We launched our first website in 1999. When I first started you would phone operators and suppliers to book holidays. Now with the click of a button you have your flights there, your accommodation options, your cruise options. Everything is a lot more accessible. 'Also, the product has really changed. There is lots available for customers. Before you would maybe have to travel down to Manchester or London from Scotland to access flights. The accessibility is so much better. There are so many more flights now out of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee. 'And people are becoming a lot more adventurous. When I first started out, it was only the minority who went on holiday. Now the majority of people I would say look forward to that annually, if not several times a year.' Read more: Dobson added: 'How we look after our people is a real focus now. I have really embraced that. If you look after your people, you look after your customers and also the business. Having a happy workplace is really essential to make business work.' Much of the Barrhead workforce continues to operate in store, with the company now running 90 outlets throughout the UK. The majority of holidays sold by the firm, which has 565 directly employed staff and 1,000 in total when self-employed consultants and franchise members are included, take place in-store, despite the convenience of the internet. 'Our website is more of a shop window,' Dobson said. 'You can book online. Maybe about 10% of customers book online. People search on the website then actually come into store for booking. They do their research first of all. 'We have invested quite a lot in our website and will continue to invest, but more so from an information perspective, not from an online booking perspective. But if people choose to book online, the facility is there.' She also emphasised the importance of customers being able to count on Barrhead's deeply knowledgeable staff, which includes teams of specialists for different destinations. 'We train our people. We send them out to resorts so they can see the hotels, they can experience the restaurants, they can take the trips, so that we can recommend different excursions and things to the consumer,' Dobson said. 'People generally want a bit of advice.' Barrhead's ability to serve customers has been greatly enhanced since becoming part of Internova, one of the biggest travel companies in the US with more than 100,000 advisers on its books. (Image: Barrhead Travel) Barrhead president Jacqueline Dobson with managing director Nikki Tempest-Mitchell and members of the team Dobson, whose role was expanded recently to include responsibility for four businesses in the US, said being part of such a big company gives Barrhead access to more products, better pricing, superior technology and investment, all of which has powered the roll-out of Barrhead stores south of the Border. Further store openings are planned. 'We are 'book human',' she said. 'Obviously, the high street has had issues but we want physical stores, whether that is in shopping centres, retail parks or the high street. 'We have a commitment to opening more stores.' While many households continue to come under pressure from the cost of living, Dobson said people are still prioritising holidays over other forms of discretionary expenditure, as underlined by recent major surveys from PwC and Barclays. This continues a trend that first became evident in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more: 'People are definitely ring-fencing their holiday spend,' she said. 'They are also booking their main holidays further ahead than ever before. 'People work so hard now that time with their families is precious. We see multi-generational families booking a lot more as well – grandparents, mum and dad and the children. 'A lot of people are time-poor and a holiday is a great way of being able to spend time with your loved ones. 'For instance, you can get a cruise for everybody. These kinds of holidays bring people together at meal times. 'They maybe do their own thing during the day but in the evenings they will come together and enjoy spending time together. 'I just think people are really time-poor and trying to spend as much time with each other as they possibly can, especially after Covid.' Cruises have become an extremely popular way of holidaying among Barrhead's customers in recent years, and now account for around one third of its bookings. 'What is really emerging now is river cruising,' Dobson said. 'That has really taken up popularity. There are so many more new ships being built and coming on board. It is really popular. 'River cruising is definitely an emerging market for us.' She added: 'The Danube is really popular and some of the other rivers in Europe, but also, the Mekong [in Asia] is really an up-and-coming destination for river cruising. 'These smaller boats can get into places the larger vessels can't.' Dobson observed Scots are increasingly adventurous in their choice of holidays, too, and highlighted India, Japan, Kenya and South Africa among the most sought-after destinations. 'People want to experience things more,' she said. 'Our touring and adventure business has increased by 25% this year over 2024. It is mainly destinations such as Japan, India, Kenya and South Africa. 'These are the destinations that are up and coming for touring and adventure. In South Africa people will maybe spend some time in Cape Town and then go on to a safari. Japan is an up-and-coming destination as well – we have seen a real spike in bookings for Japan.' Given the positive trends reported by Barrhead, it is no surprise the company is on course for another record-breaking year. Customers are already booking for 2026, taking advantage of the opportunity to stagger the cost of holidays via regular direct debit payments, Dobson noted. This allows people to spread the cost of holidays over 10, 12 or 14-month periods. However, Dobson believes more should be done at the government level in order to support the industry. In particular, she argues the Scottish Government should be helping high-street businesses such as travel agents and highlights the contrast with England where the retail and hospitality sectors are continuing to receive rates relief. 'I do think the Government needs to look at the high street and how we can regenerate it,' she said. 'Travel agents, charity shops and coffee shops really prop up, in my opinion, the high street – and that's not retail parks or shopping centres, that's the high street in general. And I do think there is a lot more it can do in terms of rates. 'We are really at a disadvantage to our counterparts in England.' Dobson also believes ministers must do more to broaden the provision of educational courses to train young people for entering the industry, and for the apprenticeship levy to be reformed, noting that many companies pay more than they receive in return in terms of accessing funding for the training of apprentices. She would like to have an apprentice in every Barrhead Travel store.
