2011 Travel Planning Kicks-Off This Week!

LITTLETON, Colo., Jan. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today(January 17th) marks the unofficial start to the 2011 travel planning season.  This week, Internet search terms such as "vacation planning" and "vacation packages" will hit an all-year high as millions of Americans begin dreaming about where their vacation will take them.  And, whether they decide to travel to Paris or Prague, Shanghai or Sydney, Rio or the Redwood Forest and anywhere in between in the New Year, getting there, and getting around, has never been more simple thanks to Monograms and www.monogramstravel.com.   

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110117/LA29785)

With just a few clicks (at monogramstravel.com), Monograms provides travelers all-in-one personalized vacation packages complete with all the "must have" components – even the ones they haven't thought about.  From choosing pre-screened, centrally located four- and five-star hotels and sightseeing with VIP access (no waiting in lines), to transportation around and between cities, flights and airport transfers, Monograms handles the tough logistics so travelers need only focus on the fun.   

And, unlike every other packaged travel company in the world, Monograms also provides travelers an on-site, English-speaking Local Host for on-trip support in dozens of destinations around the world.  These Local Hosts are replaced with personal guides and experienced rangers to make for amazing and awe-inspiring private safaris on Monograms' Africa getaways.

"Monograms isn't just a travel Web site, we are a travel company, backed by 36 support offices on the ground on six continents," said Scott Nisbet, president and CEO of the Globus family of brands.  "We're a part of the award-winning Globus family of brands – a company with more than 80 years of experience in perfecting vacations – and our behind-the-scenes experts connect travelers to real-life, on-site travel professionals and unforgettable experiences and getaways worldwide."

With Monograms, travelers can put aside the countless hours of research, guesswork and frustration that can come with online travel package shopping.  Activities and excursions are at their fingertips to book before or on their getaway to make their vacation complete.

"We offer our travelers a range of activities and excursions for add-on consideration, ensuring they are doing as much, or as little as they want on vacation," said Nisbet.  "Just a few of the experiences they can book with us include driving to the hilltop town of Tivoli to view the ruins, enjoying a guided ghost tour of Venice, biking through Amsterdam and learning about the art of beer-making in Munich."

Monograms travelers also appreciate having the ability to choose the length of their vacation package.  Travelers can delve into a multi-country adventure; spend a week in the city of their choice for an in-depth discovery or just three nights for a mini-break.  

And, Driving Vacations are extremely popular Monograms journeys, giving travelers the chance to drive – quite literally – every component of their getaway in both North America and the South Pacific.  

According to Nisbet, the vacation options Monograms affords travelers are innumerable.  Below is a sampling of the range of vacation packages travelers can book through Monograms.

Sample 2011 Europe Monograms Vacations:

• NEW! Dublin Summer Getaway (4 days), priced from $699*
• Venice Getaway (4 days), priced from $725*
• A Week in London (7 days), priced from $720*
• Paris & Nice (7 days), priced from $1,568*
• Budapest & Vienna (7 days), priced from $1,187*
• Rome & Sorrento (7 days), priced from $1,279*
• Barcelona & Madrid (7 days), priced from $1,639
• Rome, Florence & Venice (10 days), priced from $1,905*
• NEW! London, Paris, Budapest, Vienna & Prague (16 days), priced from $3,343*

Sample 2011 Exotic Monograms Vacations:

• Galapagos Highlights (8 days), priced from $2,649*
• Amazonia Voyage with Rio & Iguassu (10 days), priced from $2,619*
• Costa Rica Wonders (7 days), priced from $949*
• Beijing & Shanghai (7 days), priced from $799*
• NEW! Flavors of Vietnam & Cambodia (11 days), priced from $1,409*
• NEW DRIVING VACATION! Spectacular South Island (8 days), priced from $1,159*
• NEW! Best of Kenya (9 days), priced from $2,939*
• NEW! South African Sojourn (9 days), priced from $2,729*
• NEW! Untouched Botswana (9 days), priced from $4,679*

Sample 2011 North America Monograms Vacations:

• New Orleans (4 days), priced from $269*
• Canadian Rockies by Rail (6 days), priced from $1,389*
• NEW DRIVING VACATION! Sea to Sky, Vancouver & Whistler (7 days), priced from $439*
• Oahu & Maui (7 days), priced from $849*
• Boston & New York (7 days), priced from $1,029*
• America's National Parks- DRIVING VACATION (8 days), priced from $549*
• NEW DRIVING VACATION! The Best of Alaska (8 days), priced from $1,049*
• Redwoods, Wine Country & Yosemite- DRIVING VACATION (9 days), priced from $739*

*Land and intra-vacation flight- pricing. Air-inclusive pricing from the US is available.

Special Deal Alert: Travelers can receive $200 off per person on any Europe Monograms vacation of six nights or more when booking air-inclusive.  Or, they can receive $200 off per person on any Monograms Europe vacation of three cities or more.**

Visit www.monogramstravel.com or call 1.800.221.0090 for more information or to book a vacation.

** Book a 2011 air-inclusive Monograms Europe vacation of six or more nights or a Europe land only vacation of three cities or more to receive the $200 per person discount off the land price.  Must be booked, under deposit and discount applied between January 4 and February 15, 2011 for travel commencing by December 31, 2011. Offer not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club.  Applies to new 2011 bookings only, and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability.  Full cancellation penalties will apply.  Additional restrictions may apply.  

ABOUT MONOGRAMS

With nearly 40 offices staffed with more than 200 travel experts that extend as far as Asia and as wide as Europe, Monograms has a rich reputation as a company travelers can depend on to help them simplify travel planning while creating special dream getaways.  Monograms affords travelers the power to personalize their vacation without having to take care of planning details or logistics, thanks to the on-site support of a Local Host. With Monograms, travelers are assured their vacation details are taken care of, including hotel, transportation, sightseeing and more, so they can simply focus on having fun.  Monograms is part of the Globus family of brands, an award winning, travel industry leader with more than 80 years of international travel expertise.  The Globus family of brands is a member of Sustainable Travel International (STI).

Consumers can book a Monograms vacation or request brochures by visiting a preferred travel agent or by calling the following toll free number: 1.800.250.7614.  For more information, please visit www.monogramstravel.com.  Travel agents can request brochures by calling toll free 1.800.221.0090 or visiting www.globusfamilypartner.com.

SOURCE Monograms