Karen Doyle (L) meeting with Ecuador suppliers
Personal travel manager (PTM) Karen Doyle, representative for South Yarra in Victoria, was thrilled to be invited by the Ecuador Tourism office to attend a recent Ministry of Tourism famil to Ecuador.
Hosted by Mischelle Montenegro and Alejandro Romero from local ground operator Camon Travel, Doyle and four other Australian participants discovered just how much this small country has to offer on their 16-day famil.
“Although Ecuador is the second smallest country in South America, there are few places on earth that have so much natural diversity and stunning scenery and landscapes,” said Doyle.
“Every day was an adventure and we were privileged to see the well-known points of interest such as The Amazon and Galapagos Islands but also the lesser known but equally thrilling sights of the Andes Mountains, the Pacific Coastline and many interesting cities including colonial Quito.”
A highlight for Doyle was a visit to the Galapagos Islands.
“Nothing can prepare you this most incredible experience of having baby sea lions come up to you just wanting to play. With no predators, they have no fear of humans so the animals are very close to you. This was such an incredible experience and one I will never forget and will recommend to all my clients.”
Although this was Doyle’s fourth visit to the Amazon, this time was different.
“On previous visits I stayed in a jungle lodge but this time we were on a cruise aboard the MV Manatee Amazon Explorer. It was a fantastic way to see the amazing flora, fauna and animals from the comfort of our ship. With only 20 passengers on board we were treated to extremely personalised service and the food and wine was sensational.”
The famil ended with a full day workshop where the participants had an opportunity to meet with local tourism suppliers face to face.
Doyle said sharing her personal experiences with clients is important.
“Having direct access to suppliers and being able to soak up all their local knowledge makes such a difference to the sort of experience I’m able to put together for my clients. This famil allowed us to experience the local cuisine, take public transport and immerse ourselves in the Ecuador way of life and I’m now confident I can give my clients accurate and up to date information.”
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