Your Travel Specialist Maureen Jones: On Assignment in Europe

I am being sent on assignment for the next couple of weeks and will share with you my travels in the New Year.

The Signature Travel Network of which I am a member, a large consortium of travel agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada, asked me to attend the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes, France the first week of December and I said thank you, no, three times.

It is invitation only to attend, the French Government makes the selection of people from 87 countries and Signature had sent them my resume, and recommended me as an American delegate. The President of the Signature Network then rang my husband and said it was an honor to be chosen to represent America so, the General said – Mo, you must go. They pay all my expenses, but even if they sent a private jet for me, I did not want to go.

It means I will miss seven Christmas functions, which we go to every year and I hated to have to do this.

The last thing I needed was another trade show in December, with a black tie function every night. I think I was chosen because of my unusual background.

I have 39 specialist certificates, have been to 120 countries, and have won many awards such as Australian Expert of the Year, New Zealand expert of the Year, Top 25 Travel Agents in the U.S., Top Educator of the Year, and others.

I will be in Cannes, staying at the Majestic Hotel, the best hotel on the Riviera, along with the President of the Signature Travel Network, then in Mougins in the Provence – Alpes-Cote d”Azur, a fortified medieval village built in a circle to review a hotel with a Michelin star restaurant, and in Paris doing an article on two hotels.

I will go on Eurostar train Paris to London in 2 hours 15 minutes city center to city center then spend a week in London inspecting three hotels in the Signature network. Next will be Basel, Switzerland, where my husband will be joining me to take a river cruise on Viking, to Amsterdam, and writing articles along the way.

When we book our clients into a hotel anywhere in the world, which is part of the Signature preferred hotel list, they are required to give our clients an upgrade, a free breakfast, early check in, late check out, and other amenities which vary from property to property such as $100 dining credit, free spa treatment, free airport pick up.

This could amount to thousands of dollars in added value for the client. I am asked regularly to go do a hotel inspection, and write a report to headquarters as to whether they are fulfilling all the requirements our clients are supposed to get. I am the “mystery” guest, a hotel never knows who I am when I am doing an inspection.

My articles will go into several Travel Magazines, and help travel agents who aren’t as well travelled as I am. Of course, my Patch readers will get the benefit of my European experiences. It will be cold, so I get to wear my full length mink coat and my husband who has a smashing sense of humor said “Mo, you should wear your cowboy boots, the French will think you are chic”.

Merry Christmas,

Maureen Jones

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street, Los Altos. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.

Previous columns by Maureen:

Your Travel Specialist On: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Your Travel Specialist On: Scotland, The British Open 2015.

Delectable Dining - Hawaii’s Farm Fresh Table Temptation.

Your travel specialist on: Themed River Cruises.

Islay, A whisky lover’s delight!

Your Local Travel Expert On: Different Perspectives of Australia.

Your Travel Expert On: Exotic Cruises.

The Kimberley, Cruising the Australian Outback.

Tips for the perfect family vacation.

Ciao Italy.

Four countries in harmony.

Latin Luxury.

Adventure Travel - With a Difference.