Impact Travel- What is it and What Does it Mean to You?

Travel has changed a lot over the years. Gone are the days of tourist traps and big sight seeing tours. Travelers are looking to experience a destination, not just visit a place. Through travel, lifetime memories and connections are made. Our global world can become smaller when we can immerse ourselves in a culture or location other than our own.

Travel has the power to transform the soul, and Impact Travel is one way to experience transformation with a purpose. Destination tourism boards, travel companies and tour operators have heard the call of people wanting to get more from their vacations. More and more there are opportunities to get off the beaten path, to enjoy one on one, face to face and in-depth interactions with the people, history and culture of a place.

You can now travel with intention, planning a vacation that goes beyond an excursion at a port of call or taking in the major sights of destination. Impact travel offers you a chance to make a positive difference in your own journey, as well as in the places you go to. Impact travel allows more people to make a difference on a global level which is then experienced and shared on a personal level.

C.P. Trips has recently reserved space on board a Fathom Impact Travel cruise around Cuba. Fathom cruises are designed to give their guests cultural immersion both on board and on shore. With their cruise around Cuba, you can engage in lively exchanges with Cuban artists, musicians, local businesses and families. Your interaction with the people of Cuba will be part of an ongoing exchange of cultural awareness.

Another type of impact travel are volunteer vacations. There are a wide variety of destination itineraries designed to give you a chance to make a direct difference in a short amount of time. Biologists need help releasing animals back to the wild, archaeologists need help digging into our past. From clearing hiking trails across America, to helping restore habitat in Costa Rica or Peru, if you want to help the environment, there is a volunteer vacation for you. These types of journeys also provide opportunities to help those in need, such as helping to dig a well in a village, or trekking in needed medical supplies in the depths of the jungle. The world is a big place with plenty of ways you can make a positive impact when you travel.

We all have charitable organizations we like to support, some of us even volunteer or help out specific groups. Did you know that travel packages make a great charitable auction item? I have worked first hand with several charities in helping plan a vacation as an auction item for a fundraiser.

When it comes making a donation that makes a difference, with a reward that can include a villa vacation in Italy or Bali, these auction items can make a big impact on fundraising. The next time your favorite charity is looking for auction items, perhaps a villa vacation will be just the thing. With my extensive experience in this type of travel planning, I would be happy to help you and your organization create an vacation package for auction.

Travel transforms the soul, now you can hep transform the world through Impact Travel. Call or email C.P. Trips today to begin planning your next vacation: 503-658-5646/ cptrips@aol.com. Check out more travel ideas and options at our website: www.cptrips.com

Summer Vacation Ideas for Kids & Teens

Summer has arrived and with it the ever pressing question- “What are we going to do while school is out?” If you have kids and teenagers in your life you know it can be challenging to plan a vacation for the whole family. Summer is also the time for great vacation deals. Whether you are looking for a last minute vacation in the coming weeks or beginning to plan a big trip for next year, there are some great deals around that also cater to families providing memorable experiences for everyone.

Part of planning a family vacation is the budget. If you are ready to take a family cruise and want to maximize your dollars for activities and excursions, cruise companies such as MSCCruises have several sailings where kids aged 11 and under cruise free. Norwegian Cruise Line also offers free cruising for a 3^rd or 4^th passenger in a stateroom, making it easier to cruise with the whole family. Both of these cruise lines offer a variety of age appropriate programs and activities sure to keep a smile on everyone. Cruises offer a lot of

activities for every age group, making this option and ideal choice when it comes to multi-generational travel. Most cruise companies have special programs and events just for kids and teens. Princess Cruises offer their Youth Centers and Teen Lounges, and Holland America Line has Club HAL, the Teen Loft and even specialized culinary experiences for kids ages 3-18. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has an award winning Ocean Adventure Youth Program and age appropriate activities on board. Cruise companies understand the value of vacationing with your family, and the benefit of providing activities and experiences geared towards different ages and tastes, making traveling with your kids and teens relaxing and fun.

Many travel and tour companies have realized the value of creating unique experiences when it comes to travel. This includes kids and teens. When you travel with your family you are creating life long memories. For many today this includes personal travel opportunities where the world is brought alive through up-close interactions.

Tauk Tours, an award winning luxury tour company, has created TaukBridges, travel with the whole family in mind. They offer a variety of adventurous vacations from African safaris to Costa Rica zip lining and river rafting, and the Galapagos Islands as destinations. Special Tauk Bridges tours even include on-tour film vignettes with BBC Earth natural history experts. If you have a film buff or naturally history scientist in the making, the jungle rafting trip along Costa Rica could be just the ticket with hands on field equipment and experiences.  

If you and your kids love Disney, take your next family vacation a step further with Adventures by Disney. These specially catered travel excursions bring destinations around the world to life like only Disney can. From movie themed trips, such as a Frozen® tour of Norway, to personal Adventure Guides and activities for kids of all ages and adults too, Adventures by Disney brings families together as they travel. 

Both Tauk Bridges and Adventures by Disney have expanded their family vacation offerings to 

include river cruises. Tauk Bridges’ all-inclusive family only river cruises brings families together from around the world, giving kids the chance to make new friends and enjoy age appropriate amenities together. There are shore excursions planned with the family in mind, from bike riding to culinary classes, or exploring the catacomb mazes of medieval Devin Palace on the Rhone River. There is always something to do and exciting places to explore.  

Adventures by Disney has ventured into to River Cruising in partnership with Ama Cruises. With cruises along the Rhine and Danube rivers, these make for a great way to experience northern Europe. Toboggan or zip line your way through the Black Forest on one of their newest river cruises, along the Rhine river. Have chocolate lovers in the family? On the Adventures by Disney Rhine river cruise there is a special stop in Cologne Germany where you can learn to make chocolate from the masters.

Traveling with your family can be a rewarding experience full of great memories and lasting connections. When you are ready to take the kids and teens on an adventure they are sure to remember, contact C.P, Trips and we can help you plan the perfect family vacation. 

Hello From Hawaii

2016 marks a very special occasion for my family, this past June, my husband Tony and I celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss.  Well, being realistic it is not always so blissful, but we have had a long and strong marriage full of love and laughter, and much of it has been experienced through our travels. To celebrate our 50th anniversary we decided to make a special trip to one of our favorite places in the world, the Big Island of Hawaii. We love to spend as much time on the island as we can, and have been known to spend many a week or long weekend in Kona where there is incredible diving, fishing, lovely museums and unique cultural experiences to be found. 

We were also lucky enough to have several family members join us for part of our time on Hawaii and treasure the time we get to spend with loved ones. We enjoyed some time at the Ocean Rider Seahorse Research Center where conservation of these delicate and endangered species is their top goal. The flowers were fragrant, the wildlife vibrant and the atmosphere relaxing, what more could you want from paradise?  Below are just a few photos from some of our time spent in Hawaii.  If you have not been to the Big Island yet, perhaps its your turn to go.....

One of the many species of Seahorses being cared for at Ocean Rider

These little guys are quite social

To feel the tail of a seahorse around your finger... Priceless

The air was fragrant with Plumeria

Rainbow Eucalyptus found at the World Botanical Garden near Hilo- so lovely

A Hawaii Waterfall

One of our Geko housemates in Hawaii

From left to right, my Granddaughter, my Daughter and Myself