Have you ever thought about going to an exclusive and luxurious resort with your kids? They’re not just for honeymooners or couples in love – Beaches and many other resorts are offering programming, camps and activities for kids while mom and dad can enjoy some R&R alone. Our local Nashville travel agent for family vacations, Linda Dancer with Honeymoons Inc. is the expert on these types of trips and can help you all along the way to plan the perfect getaway for you and your family. Plus, she is a Certified Autism Travel Professional if you are looking for the best vacation for kids with autism. See our interview with Linda below!
Tell us about your business and what made you want to work with families?
Linda: I have been in the travel industry for 30 years. I loved traveling with my son as a family, introducing him to new experiences, cultures and creating memories to last a lifetime.
What is the philosophy behind Honeymoons Inc.?
Linda: We are primarily a romance travel company, but our goal is to also develop relationships with our clients – it is never about just the one time sale of a travel package. So the natural progression from planning their destination wedding or honeymoon, to babymoons, to milestone wedding anniversaries, and family trips with their children is just a natural part of that relationship spanning over many years. When you have been in the business as long as I have, you have the opportunity to travel along your clients journey as they go through different phases of their relationship.
What are your strengths compared to other travel agents?
Linda: I am a Certified Autism Travel Professional (and credentialed by the IBCES) as a Beaches Resorts Chairman’s Royal Club Specialist, it is important for me to maintain my working knowledge of what the Beaches Resorts Autism-Friendly Kids Camps are doing to make sure that when a family comes to their resort, their child is well cared for so that the parents can enjoy a little down time. And if there are children in the family that are not on the spectrum, parents can spend some quality time with them while their child is under the care of the qualified staff at the Kids Camp. Beaches is the first resort company in the world to complete the rigorous IBCCES training and earn Autism Certification.
What attracts families to book their vacations with you?
Linda: I am a parent that has traveled extensively with my son. I visit many of the destinations that are popular for families and can offer advice about locations, room categories and fun activities to do as a family. I share creative ways I used to use our next trip as ways to teach my son discipline of spending his money, and thinking about saving it to spend during our next trip instead. I have parents that will find out their children’s curriculum and what they will be reading or studying throughout the year and we try to find ways to incorporate travel into that. Especially boys who hate to read some of the books they are assigned, find something they are passionate about and build trips around that – and it is a wealth of knowledge when it comes time to start writing papers as they get older, we could almost always find an approved topic to write about with experience from one of his trips.
What are some new innovative trends in family vacations that you’ve seen lately?
Linda: Multi-generational travel with infants, grandparents/parents taking their children on eco-friendly trips, and even volunteer trips. One of my personal favorites is the reading road trips that I can arrange for my clients through Island Routes as an extension of the Sandals Resorts Foundation giving back to the communities around their resorts. I loved shopping with my son for the Pack for a Purpose backpack program. Before each trip he and I would go purchase school supplies and things and put them in our suitcase. Then during our trip we would go visit a local school and read to the children and share our backpacks. Children have beautiful hearts and if parents will allow them to participate in these giving opportunities, they see for themselves how fortunate they are, and it helps them to grow into caring and sharing young men and women.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about Honeymoons Inc’s family vacations?
Linda: For blended families that are planning a wedding, if you think about wanting to combine the wedding and vacation I would love to assist you in planning a destination wedding. I can save you time, money and stress by taking care of all the details for you – I do not charge any fees for that service.
Linda! Thank you for sharing all of these amazing vacations with kids! You can check out more on Nashville travel agent for family vacations, Linda Dancer of Honeymooons Inc. here!
