Aventura World, a wholesale travel company based in Moonachie, New Jersey, wants to focus on giving hope rather than taking reservations. Founded in 1972, the company takes the long view of the pandemic, confident that it, too, will pass.

“We’ve experienced many downturns, two Gulf wars, the Balkan conflicts and all kinds of world events,” said Ian Scott, president of Aventura World. “We have created new programs to take care of our travelers.”

The company partners with the Association of the Chambers of Commerce Executives to provide chamber programs with tours. It also plans trips for alumni associations, church groups and other affinity travel programs. Aventura World markets its tours to the 55-plus crowd, with typical itineraries going to exotic locales for authentic, immersive experiences.

To respond to the pandemic, the company is taking a step back from marketing for the present to aspirational travel.

“It’s about expressing the dream of travel,” said Scott. “We talk about our tour programs to keep hope alive. We’re still here to take reservations, but we are more education-focused. It’s about making our clients comfortable.”

The company is using its Cultural Discovery Series to educate guests on fascinating facts about various countries. These digital campaigns are often timely, with facts about how Egypt’s pharaohs stayed healthy over the centuries with honey and anise seeds.

Posts on social media contain a new address — #aventuraworld4u — to reflect this digital campaign.

“People want to come together but don’t want to put their money down yet,” said Scott. “They want a plan. We want to facilitate their dreams. We have the ability to reserve our programs without any financial risks.”

The company has loosened its cancellation policies to assuage fears. Guests can now cancel with no questions asked 90 to 120 days before a trip, depending on the destination. Before the pandemic, there would have been cancellation fees for dates that close to international tours.

“We have to look at life a little differently now,” said Scott. “We are aiming to build a community of hope for our group leaders and our vendors. We want members to allow their travelers to believe that we are going to get back to normal. All of our products are there, and we can do that.”

Ian Scott
President
250 Moonachie Road
Moonachie NJ 07074
(760) 212-0779
[email protected]