Forget about a quiet family dinner … a big birthday or anniversary makes a great excuse for a holiday.
A growing trend towards special-occasion holidays has brought about the creation of a travel company specialising in bespoke arrangements for big occasions. Started by two senior travel industry executives, Celebration Journeys is busy organising everything from 60th birthday parties to bar mitzvahs around the world.
Hotels and tour operators have for some time been seeing growth in bookings for special occasions, especially multi-generational trips for birthdays and anniversaries. In many cases one member of the family is paying for the trip as a way of bringing the family together.
Celebration Journeys says its bookings so far have included the renewal of wedding vows, surprise wedding anniversaries, family reunions and plenty of big-number birthday parties.
Owners Ilana Den and David Dymmott say their combined 40 years’ experience in travel and conferences allows them to organise everything from flights and hotels to access to VIP locations that are not normally accessible to the public.
In the case of a surprise celebration, they can even take care of RSVPs and travel visas so the trip can stay a secret.
This article is an excerpt from Jane E. Fraser’s weekly travel column in The Sun Herald, Sydney.
