Belest Travel Co.

04/11/2024

The countdown to Europe is on!

Take a peek inside my luggage as a carry-on only traveler.

And don't forget to keep an eye on my stories from November 7th - 17th as I travel through Central Europe, the gothic art and architecture wonderland.

Cheers!

12/09/2024

Hi! We are here to help and glad you found us! Let’s take something off of your to do list for you ✨

10/09/2024

“Aren’t they from the 80’s” “Why wouldn’t I just book it myself?”

The amount of times I’ve heard these two specifically in the few short years I’ve been in the industry is humorous… I’ve even had people get mad and unfollow me for doing my job. But hey… just like in everything else in, you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea… and that’s totally fine… some people are meant for champagne, darling 🥂

So while you may not need a travel agent for every, or any trip, we thought it was important to go ahead and break down the differences so you can understand how I can benefit you a little better.

It truly is all about making sure you’re getting the trip you’ve dreamed of! Just like a dream house… you’ll bring in a professional if you’re not versed in all of the things it takes to build, buy or sell yourself right? Well why should your vacation be any different?

So tell me… can we help you on your next big trip? We’d love to chat about it!

09/09/2024

For the fresh faces, welcome!

We are Belest Travel Co. your couple’s travel concierge for all things Europe.

Although admittedly late bloomers in the travel world, our passion was sparked in 2013 after our founder, Emily, took her first plane ride to Rome, Italy. From there, the rest is history in terms of letting that wanderlust craving thrive.

In 2019 Emily decided to become an independent travel designer and spent the lost years “aka 🐼-emic” honing her skills and making sure she was appealing to the people she wanted to help the most… those busy newlyweds who are stressed about planning their dream wedding but also want to make sure they take their dream European honeymoon.

Emily is proud to have been to over 20 countries, spanning 5 continents and counting, and has helped many enthusiastic travelers who crave culture do the same!

We hope you’ll be next. We can’t wait to meet you!

Cheers!

18/12/2023

T’is the season for gifting! But let me ask you, if you could gift yourself a dream trip, what would it be?

For me it would be going on a Safari in South Africa.

What about your dream trip? Share with me in the comments.

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04/12/2023

One thing I love about my clients?

They love a running start on their trip planning, and it's not slowing down in 2024.

Here are just a few trips my clients have already locked in for next year

The Motherland aka Italy
Finland
Canadian Rockies

What destinations are on your radar for 2024?

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26/11/2023

26/11/2023

Lazy Sunday post! Dropping in to say I hope you’ve all survived any Black Friday shopping you’ve endured through the weekend. May your Sunday be relaxing as we head into another week. Cheers!

24/11/2023

Write a caption... Who says you can’t have your apple pie and eat it too?

Okay, clearly, I still have Thanksgiving dinner on the brain. Or maybe it’s the turkey hangover talking.

Is anyone else already planning out how they are going to be filling their plates (and how many “seconds” is too many)? 🙋‍♀️

And speaking of planning, I just finished an itinerary for my clients going on an epic two week honeymoon through Italy.

As part of their itinerary, I arranged for private transfer from Milan to Bellagio so they could spend more time in Cinque Terre without having to rush to catch multiple trains.

Just one of the perks of working with me as your honeymoon concierge.

Sounds just like having your pie and eating it too.

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22/11/2023

Thanksgiving prep is in full swing! On a scale of 1 to 10, how good are you in the kitchen?

I can whip up a mean Clawserole (google it, you won’t be disappointed).

But when it comes to planning a European getaway, I’d like to think I know the exact recipe for a memorable trip.

I always start the planning process off by getting as much intel from my clients as possible. This is my main ingredient for success!

The more I know about you and your travel style, the more opportunities I have to customize your trip to fit your personal needs.

Whether it’s an Italian honeymoon or a family trip through Scandinavia, your trip should be created for you with the perfect ingredients mixed together and served on a fancy dish so you and your loved ones can come back with stories to tell for years to come.

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20/11/2023

Staring down those Black Friday travel deals, wondering if you should take the leap and book?

I’ve been planning travel for over 5 years, and I’ve seen it all — the good, the bad, and the too-good-to-be-true.

Black Friday can definitely mean some great savings, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Let’s break it down:

⏰ Timing is everything: Black Friday can have some deals, but you really want to be on the lookout all the time as hotels, resorts, and tour operators release new promotions (or insert expert like me who can be your lookout😉)

🔎 The Fine Print: I can’t stress this enough. You’ve gotta put a huge magnifying glass on the fine print of said deals because so many come with restrictive travel dates, blackout periods, and even hidden fees. Make sure you play detective before you book anything 🕵️‍♀️

✨ Personalization Matters: Travel is more than just the destination. It’s about having experiences that match your desires and preferences, and Black Friday days may be enticing, but they so often lack personalization and customization. It’s a one-size-fits-all situation so they can sell as many as possible without a regard for the travelers themselves.

My advice? Don’t fall prey to the frenzy and frantically book — take your time to research, plan, and be on the lookout all year for great promotions and offers. Or work with a licensed and skilled travel designer who is doing this anyway so you dont have to 💁‍♀️ shoot me a DM if you want to chat further.

Side note : Can’t believe we are already in Thanksgiving week! 😮‍💨

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19/07/2023

Why should you work with a travel concierge? I’m glad you asked!

As a travel concierge we take all of the guesswork out of your trip planning. We get to know you, your preferences, your bucket list items for said trip. In doing so we can curate something tailored directly to you. Want a beach day? A cooking class? A private museum guide? All three? Don’t worry, we got you! And we personally vet a number of our recommendations so we know we are sending you on an excursion you can trust.

Additionally, I am there to support you every step of the way. It is important to me that you are 100% happy and satisfied in everything that is within our control (sorry about those wild flight delays though).

Do you have any questions about the travel planning process? Send me a DM or an email anytime!

05/07/2023

Do you enjoy taking photos when you travel? Photo tours are becoming more and more popular… either photo shoot or guided photography tours, these are a great way to get wonderful images captured on your vacation, with the help of professionals.

If you’re interested in a photography inspired vacation, send me a DM so we can chat!

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03/07/2023

Here’s your sign to take that trip. Make the memories. If you overthink you’ll talk yourself out of it and then wish you didn’t miss out on the moments.

So if there’s something you want to do in life…give yourself permission to do it! You won’t regret it.

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11/05/2023

Working with a travel agent means fun little perks and surprises for you where we can!

I love building relationships with vendors for your benefit 😉

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06/05/2023

Stopping in to say cheers to the weekend! Do you have any plans?

Heading down to St Augustine for a quick night to celebrate this guy’s birthday a little early. He’s been celebrating since yesterday, seeing Mastodon with his bestie and dad at the St. A amphitheater 🍻 Excited to join in the festivities.

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02/05/2023

It’s National Travel Agent Day! 🥂

Trusting a travel agent to plan and book your getaway is the best way to free up your precious time and know you’ll be sent on the vacation of a lifetime.

Trusting us to give you the best value, without second guessing us means more than you know!

We’ve done the research. We’ve visited A LOT of this beautiful world (usually what inspires us to want to help others experience it themselves). We have the cred that backs up your trust.

If I haven’t said trust enough…. Thank you to those clients who have trusted me to send you out into the world that I love so much. You know who you are 🫶🫶

And to those who haven’t yet… I can’t wait to earn your trust (one more time for good measure!😉)

Cheers!
💛Your doofy faced, friendly neighborhood travel agent, Em
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27/04/2023

Travel insurance: once overlooked by many travelers, has now become a necessary part of your travel budget.

My clients were able to get back almost $600 they would have been out due to a delayed flight that caused them to lose one night in their hotel and have to arrange alternate transportation to their destination. The airline wasn’t going to compensate them because it “wasn’t a long enough delay,” (even though it was long enough for them to miss their connection that had nearly a 4 hour layover), and the hotel wasn’t going to refund them the one night because it was within their cancellation penalty, even though it was beyond my client’s control.

So knowing they had purchased the travel insurance, while they were enjoying their honeymoon, I submitted a claim with all the dirty deets of the wild start to their vacation. And about 10 days later got the happy email that Allianz was going to handle the reimbursement.

Moral of the story… your travel agent isn’t trying to upsell you when they offer travel insurance. We hope for the best but prepare for the worst. And it’s always better to have this protection and not need it, than to need it and be SOL.

Pro tip: some credit cards will offer complimentary travel insurance as well… be sure to check your cards and see what the coverage offered (if any) is and if it meets your needs, use that card to book the logistics of your trip.

You’re welcome 🫶

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