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January 2012: Hospitality Tours ~ Cape Cod Escape
Experience by: Laura Kammarmeyer, First State Bank (Manchester, IA) AND Cindy Blaine, Farmers Savings Bank & Trust (Traer, IA)
It all began at a Peer Group not so long ago. Laura Kammarmeyer and Cindy Blaine sat in the same Destination Showcase listening to the highlights of the Cape Cod itinerary that Hospitality Tours was offering. The two directors, both having worked with Hospitality Tours before, made eye contact with each other agreeing that it was an exciting destination at a good price and they wanted to do the trip together.
Planning together…
They started planning with Ted Nelson of Hospitality Tours immediately and to their excitement learned that they could take the itinerary that was presented and customize some as well. For example, the itinerary had the choice of Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. Both Laura and Cindy knew they wanted their customers to be able to experience both excursions and so they added a day to the trip allowing for the extra ‘free’ day of choice for their travelers. Hospitality Tours is also known for providing additional options for some of the younger customers like golfing, spa or just a flexible day to be on their own. 
It did not take either Laura or Cindy long to realize the many benefits of networking together. From the very beginning they marketed the same dates and itinerary to their customers which gave them options they had not had before. They were relieved to learn that if both filled their groups they could travel separately and, if they each ended up with two smaller groups then they would travel together as planned. In fact, the trip was so successful that each club had to offer the trip two weeks in a row!
When it came to accounting for the trip, Hospitality Tours made this very simple for the clubs. “Ted makes it easy to network with other banks because of the invoicing and gives a price break based on total number of customers (the combination from both banks) for the entire trip, and not just what each bank has traveling,” said Cindy. “This was very beneficial for both Laura and I.”
Laura and Cindy also agreed that networking a trip together can be a lot of fun. “What is better than traveling with a friend?,” shared Laura. “This is another chance to see your friends from Peer Group and takes a little of the work out of it too.” Laura and Cindy trust each other with their customers and found their groups to be very cohesive. “It is a great back up plan,” added Laura. “We are able to share responsibilities and we could trust the other with our customers if needed.” A huge benefit for clubs to consider is that networking a trip allows there to be two escorts on the trip when a bank may typically only allow one.
Traveling together…
Even though the banks are 1 ½ hours apart, logistically it worked to share the coach as well, loading in Traer first and then picking up in Manchester on the way to Chicago where they flew together to Boston. Upon arrival in Boston they were greeted by Margot, a Hospitality Tours Guide. “The guides are just one of the many things that really make Hospitality Tours stand out,” said Laura. “They are always top notch and Margot is one of the best so we were thrilled to have her for this trip.” In addition, Ted typically meets the group at the hotel and then joins dinner on the first night. “This is not something that you get with all companies. Ted has such a passion for where he lives and he wants others to experience it,” adds Cindy. “He really knows and loves the area and wants you to experience it in the best possible light.” 
Both Laura and Cindy agree that the entire itinerary was first-class. The hotel was very nice and conveniently central to everything, and dinners at a different restaurant every night with several menu choices kept all the customers happy. "The meals were awesome,” confirmed Laura.
As far as highlights from the trip, both Laura and Cindy agreed that it was tough to narrow down their experience to just one memory. “For me, whale watching was a huge highlight,” recalled Laura. “You could literally hear the whales breathing we were so close. And I would be remiss not to recall the day that we all walked barefoot along the 
beach. It was just so neat to see all my customers being so playful and enjoying themselves.” Cindy recalled her personal highlights. “I personally loved Martha’s Vineyard and it was fun to learn that the guide was an extra from the movie ‘Jaws’,” continued Cindy. “There was also the Kennedy Museum and the Kennedy church and, really everything was so great.”
“Ted goes the extra mile to make the trip most memorable for everyone,” includes Laura. “The farewell lobster dinner was so much fun as Ted showed everyone how exactly to eat the lobster and really made it a great experience for all.” In addition, Laura recalls another trip she planned with Ted in which he instructed the coach to ‘take a little detour through Maine’, which was so that one of her passengers could complete her list of having been in all 50 states!
When deciding upon a Tour Company for your next upper East Coast adventure, it is unanimous that Laura and Cindy give Hospitality Tours a two-thumbs up! They encourage you to contact them with any questions.
