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TOURCO, a 28-year-old inbound Receptive Wholesaler, specializing in FIT and group tours to United States and Eastern Canada announces that it has acquired Generations Touring Company of Seattle, WA. Generations Touring Company (GTC) promotes intergenerational bonding through exciting small-group travel experiences designed to enrich and entertain.
Founded by travel industry veteran Tom Easthope in 2003, GTC was created out of a desire to help families connect with each other and the fascinating world in which we live. GTC tours are designed with family and loved ones in mind. Every GTC tour is an experience that goes well beyond the traditional vacation. On a GTC adventure, you can expect to encounter the unique and the must-see. Among the unique experiences offered are: meeting sportswriters on the Baseball Tour; meeting a Shaman on the Peru Tour and seeing a 400-pound tortoise lumber by on the Galapagos Islands Tour! Must-see experiences include a sunset at Machu Picchu, orca pods, swimming in Canada’s Puget Sound, surreal rock formations in the Black Hills and Sunday festivities in the town square of San Miguel de Allende. “Jerry and Marian were instrumental as suppliers in helping GTC launch in 2003 and I can’t think of a better, more hardworking group to help GTC realize its full potential,” says Tom Easthope.
Additionally, Generations Touring Company practices responsible tourism through the ethic of global awareness. Tour companies have an obligation to exercise sensitivity when traveling. The best practice of this concept benefits both host community and traveler, as it respects the environment, values different cultures and supports local economies.
“Tom built a great company,” says Jerry DiPietro, TOURCO president, “and we believe that his philosophy is key to successful future touring programs. Having entered the ‘grandparent’ demographic ourselves, my wife, Marian, and I realize that there is no holiday more enticing than an opportunity to share the education, adventure and cultural enrichment of travel with our children and grandchildren.”
“We are committed to building on the foundation of global awareness, cultural sensitivity, and sustainable tourism that Tom began,” Marian DiPietro, Executive VP adds. “I am excited and energized about expanding the product, and am exploring the possibility of adding faith-based tour programs to the existing array of tours. Cheryl DeLisle, Manager of TOURCO Vacations, the outbound TOURCO subsidiary will be working with me. Her background as President of Maine ASTA provides us with great contacts in the travel agent community, and a great resource for conducting focus groups and surveys as we look to grow GTC.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
