In December last year Travel 4 took a group of agents on an educational to Florida. Designed to show areas of the state beyond the familiar Orlando and Walt Disney World package, the week-long trip took in Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Lauderdale and the Everglades. We asked three agents for their impressions before and after the trip.
Before: I had never been to Florida – or anywhere in the US – and I was expecting to see a lot of Mickey Mouse. These days you hear and see a lot about Florida – everyone knows someone who has been there and that generally means someone who has been to Orlando. I suppose I thought of the whole of the US as being like Orlando. I thought it would all be pretty loud and very busy. I have sold quite a few holidays to the US – but mostly to Orlando. Travel 4 had told us they were trying to show us another side to the place, but I couldn’t really imagine there was another side.
After: I have completely changed my opinion of Florida. It is totally different to what I had imagined and really lovely. The thing that surprised and impressed me most was the unspoilt, natural look of the areas we visited and the access to wildlife. We saw dolphins, turtles and alligators – and no Mickey Mouse at all. Sanibel and Captiva Islands are both really relaxed and peaceful and the accommodation everywhere is of a really good standard. I would certainly go back and I have already sold the area to clients who have been delighted. My only slight complaint is that the Americans are big meat eaters – I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t eat fish or meat and they had never heard of that.
Emma Harding, Travel Consultant, Keith Bailey Travel, Oxford, Age: 24
Before: To be honest, I thought Florida would be pretty tacky. I had never been to the US before and imagined Florida would be very busy and crammed with holidaymakers and a lot of loud Americans. I had sold holidays to Walt Disney World but for clients who didn’t want to go to the theme parks it had no real appeal – they just said “no thanks” if you mentioned Florida because they just thought of Orlando. I imagined that all the attractions in the US were man made and didn’t really have much of an idea of what the landscape would be like.
After: Florida is lovely, and the areas we visited were small and quaint with beautiful long sandy beaches. The resorts are like I imagine New England to be – not Florida – and I am really recommending them for peaceful, relaxed holidays. The weather – even in December – was boiling hot and I now think of it as an ideal winter sun destination. The attractions are all very natural and although everything is geared up for tourists nothing feels terribly touristy, it’s not as in your face as you imagine it might be. It is not tacky at all and I am really recommending the islands in particular for real away-from-it-all holidays with style.
Charlotte Carter, Manager, Galaxy Travel, Wisbech, Age: 24
Before: I had never been to the US and it had never appealed to me. I love the Far East and tend generally to prefer destinations where the culture is totally different from my own I didn’t think there was any culture or depth to the US and I didn’t see any point in going there. I thought it would be big and brash and full of marching bands. I expected the people to be over the top and to be forever saying “have a nice day”. I just can’t stand that kind of thing. I was the world’s biggest sceptic when Travel 4 said there was another side to the US but as it’s a pretty important destination to me as an agent I thought I should take a look.
After: I now feel the US is a fantastic place and have no hesitation recommending it. The West Coast resorts and islands are often very quiet and secluded – quite the opposite to what I had imagined – and even the organised tourist attractions are much more enjoyable than I had expected. Many of the attractions are very natural and build on natural assets the country had long before tourism. I realise now that the US does have an interesting history and culture which I have not explored. I feel the trip was a taster and I would like to go back to other states – such as Arizona – to learn more about the native American culture. I realise now the US really does offer something for everyone.
Stuart Goodin, Assistant Manager, Wessex Travel, Bognor Regis, Age: 26