Visiting destinations that have yet to be discovered by tourists is one of the most exciting parts of being a travel agent. March 14-22, our Vice President of Sales, Geoff Cox, accompanied 23 KHM Travel Group agents to the Azores, a group of nine islands some 800 miles off the coast of Portugal.
The Azores are known as one of the best-kept secrets in the Atlantic, and thanks to the local Destination Management Company Inovtravel, our agents got an in-depth look at a place that very few people know much about.
A minimum of 3 nights were spent on the island of Terceira at the Hotel do Caracol in Angra do Heroísmo, the Azores oldest city. After that, agents could opt to extend their stay in Angra do Heroísmo, or venture to Sao Miguel, Faial or Pico island. Several agents also hopped over to the mainland, to visit Portugal’s capital, Lisbon.
While on Terceira, they toured two other hotels on Terceira, Pousada de Angra do Heroísmo São Sebastião and Terceira do Mar. On Day 2, they also did a full day tour of the island which included stops at Monte Brasil, Praia da Victoria city, Serra do Cume, Serra do Facho and Algar do Carvao Lava Cave.
Nature lovers will truly appreciate Algar do Carvao Lava Cave, which is one of only three places in the world where you can go inside a volcano and take stairs from the top of a volcano down to the bottom.
They also explored Angra do Heroísmo during a half-day tour the following day, in which they visited the city’s most notable landmarks, gardens and the city market.
Geoff also recommends sending clients to Genuino Restaurant on Faial island. In addition to being a memorable dining experience, the owner is Genuino Madruga, one of only 10 people to every circumnavigate the world by himself.
Between the islands’ natural beauty and their cultural attractions, there are many reasons why the Azores would appeal to travelers.
“If agents have clients that are active and are tired of the same old destinations, this is a great option,” says Geoff. “Plus, it’s just a 4-hour flight from Boston, and most people speak English.”
Surprisingly, it’s also very affordable, especially compared to most European destinations. Hotels averaged around $70 euros/night (about $87 US) during the off-season, and dinner at a high-end restaurant cost about $18 euros ($22 US).
When selling to clients, Geoff advises not to market it as a beach destination. There are beaches but the Azores is more geared towards active travelers. Much of the islands are hilly or paved with cobblestone, so clients should be in relatively good shape.
“Off-season weather can range from 50℉-70℉,” adds Geoff. “Because the weather is not as hot, people can do a lot outside, like hike, golf, and whale-watch.”
Prime season in the Azores is June through August, when the weather is warmer but pricing is higher. Delta Vacations has packages available for travel from May through September 2018. Outside of that, agents can book direct with Inovtravel.
Thank you to all of the agents that joined us for this special FAM trip, and to Inovtravel for coordinating this trip with us.
View more photos from our Azores FAM trip in our Flickr album.
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