How AAA’s Club Adventures is Transforming Culinary Travel
At Softrip, we are fortunate to work with tour operators in the multi-day space that are creating unique and unforgettable travel experiences for their customers – as well as transforming the travel industry in general. Club Adventures, AAA’s small-group adventure tour operator is no exception. Club Adventures has recently launched a series of curated food tours, bringing together renowned chefs, restaurateurs, and beverage experts from Rhode Island to offer a truly unique culinary travel experience.
Created from the ideas of one of their talented tour operators, these culinary tours are making waves in the travel space already. With the popularity of niche travel on the rise, it’s the perfect time for the team to expand into this area. We’re excited to see how these trips grow and what’s next in the ever-changing travel industry.
Culinary Travel: A Taste of the World
Food and travel are a powerful combination. Club Adventures has tapped into this by collaborating with local food stars to create unique culinary journeys to destinations such as South Korea, Portugal, and beyond. Travelers can now explore these countries with guides who know all the best places to eat and drink, providing an authentic local experience.
Curated Culinary Tours
When it comes to food, there’s truly something for everyone. Starting in August and running into the next year, Club Adventures will offer 13 meticulously planned food and drink tours. These range from nearby destinations like New York City and Austin, Texas, to exotic locales such as the Azores, Sicily, Mexico, Spain, and Germany during Oktoberfest. They even offer a special gluten-free and vegan adventure in Italy.
Small Group Culinary Adventures
Each trip will accommodate an average of 14 travelers, lasting from 4 to 10 days. These small groups ensure a personalized and intimate experience, allowing travelers to fully immerse themselves in the culinary delights of each specially selected destination.
Inspiration Behind the Culinary Tours
Bethany Hodge, with 15 years of experience in designing culturally immersive small-group trips, now heads the product development for Club Adventures. The idea for these culinary tours was sparked by a conversation with Bethany Caliaro, owner/manager of Oberlin and Gift Horse in Providence. Caliaro shared her insights from a recent trip to Mexico, which greatly enhanced Hodge’s own travel experience. This inspired Hodge to incorporate the expertise of food professionals into travel itineraries, turning enjoyable trips into unforgettable culinary adventures.
Local Collaboration and Community Spirit
Hodge’s vision resonated with the local culinary community. She pitched the idea to Bethany Caliaro and Jen Davis, the beverage program manager at The Eddy and Durk’s Bar-B-Q, who then connected her with more local experts. Every establishment enthusiastically joined the initiative, contributing to a one-of-a-kind travel experience. Which, after all, is what today’s travelers are after.
Exclusive Culinary Experiences
These tours are uniquely curated by the chefs and beverage experts themselves, offering an exclusive experience not found elsewhere. This collaborative approach highlights the creativity and passion of tour operators like Club Adventures and makes the prospect of packing our bags more enticing than ever.
Club Adventures plans to expand this program further, creating even more trips for 2025 with additional leaders from the Rhode Island hospitality scene. This ongoing collaboration promises to offer even more unique and enriching travel experiences.
This success story exemplifies how innovative collaboration and community spirit can create extraordinary travel experiences, and here at Softrip, we are proud to support such amazing and exciting initiatives.
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