2025 Year in Review — Big Moments, New Places, Deeper Connections
There’s a very specific feeling that hits every December: equal parts gratitude, exhaustion, pride… and a little awe at how much can happen in twelve months when you’re building something of your own.
This year was full of movement—literally (a lot of stamps in the passport) and professionally (new partners, new clients, new ideas). But when I zoom out, the through-line is simple: relationships + human touch. That’s what makes the best travel, the best business, and honestly, the best life.
Here are the big moments that defined my 2025.
January: New York travel season + Scandinavia (and a cruising mindset shift)
January always kicks off with the New York travel circuit—those energizing, calendar-filling days of meetings, travel events, and reconnecting with people in Manhattan.
From there, I headed to Scandinavia—a region I’ve long admired, and one that finally became personal this year. I toured major Scandinavian cities (and added Denmark as a brand-new country for me), which was the perfect lead-in to the ASTA River Cruise Expo.
And I’ll say it plainly: cruising has evolved. If your mental image is still “big ship, big crowds,” it’s time for a reset. River cruising, and especially, expedition-style experiences have become more design-forward, destination-immersive, and experience-led than ever. (Yes, I’ll be resurfacing my River Cruise Guide because it’s officially having a moment.)
Spring: Valle de Guadalupe + three days of San Diego partner meetings
In the spring, I went to Valle de Guadalupe and fell hard. It still feels raw in the best way—authentic, character-rich, not overly touristed, and full of flavor (literally and culturally). If you’re building a 2026 list, consider this your sign.
After that, we rolled into San Diego for three full days of meetings with travel partners and suppliers. Trips like that aren’t glamorous in the Instagram sense, but they are highly valuable. They’re how I stay sharp, stay creative, and keep improving what I can offer clients—better intel, better perks, better “I know who to call” problem-solving.
Summer: The “over a month” trip—10 countries, a wedding, Milan, Northern Italy, and (yes) more river cruising
Summer was… a lot. In the best way and the “who approved this itinerary” way.
I spent over a month traveling through 10 countries, starting with a wedding (which was part fun, part business, and fully worth it). I finally made it to Milan and explored Northern Italy—a region that’s only getting more popular, and now I understand why. It’s stylish, layered, and surprisingly easy to pair with lakes, wine country, the Dolomites, or a sleek city-meets-countryside itinerary.
And because the universe loves a theme, the trip wrapped with river cruising—ending in Budapest, one of my favorite (and still underrated) European cities.
Also worth noting for my Philly-area people: new and returning flight routes are making certain “cooler” destinations more accessible again. Airlift matters, and it’s a quiet game-changer for smart trip planning.
Early fall: Montana + a reminder that PR is relationships
Travel Advisor Think Tank Retreat
September and October were busy in a different way: building something we’d been plotting for a while—a Montana trip at Alpine Falls Ranch that brought together travel advisors, a partner, and a dear friend in a PR capacity.
It reminded me (again) that PR isn’t just press hits and pitch angles. PR is relationships. It’s influence. It’s who trusts you and who you can thoughtfully bring into the same room.
People talk a lot about “media,” but travel advisors are the original influencers. If you want to move the needle for a brand, you don’t only look at headlines—you look at who’s shaping real traveler decisions every day.
And personally? This is where I feel most me: connecting dots, pairing people and ideas, building the kind of opportunities you can’t always put into a neat little line item, but you can absolutely feel in the results.
Late fall into now: Lebanon (and a new kind of dinner-series travel experience)
As the year winds down, I’m working on something that makes me genuinely happy: a Lebanon-centered dinner series that “uncouples” the traditional group trip model into something more flexible, more intimate, and more insider-driven.
The concept is anchored by three unforgettable dinner-table experiences across a country that’s (wildly) about the size of Connecticut—each one designed to pull back the curtain a few layers into Lebanon’s culture, creativity, and hospitality.
Lebanon has nuances you don’t always see on a screen: summer culture, expats returning, the rhythm of the season, the way a place transforms depending on who’s home. Having the right insider structure makes all the difference, and I can’t wait to share more.
Client wins that made me proud
This year also brought meaningful momentum on the client side—new clients, strong growth with existing ones, and a few “pinch me” moments:
African-focused clients and projects coming through (always exciting, always meaningful work)
Eating Europe continuing to see tremendous success
Vamos (a long-time client) hitting a huge milestone: Stephanie cracked The New York Times, which was incredible
Client and Trip Whisperer coverage wins including AARP, Travel + Leisure, Sherman’s Travel, Hotels Magazine, and more
Continuing our presence at TBEX (and planning to attend again in 2026) for our Vamos client
And one of my favorite full-circle moments: I got to work again with two former colleagues from my hotel marketing days—people I truly adore—ten years after we last worked together. They’re now launching a new digital agency Veridian, and they’re operating right at the intersection of hospitality + operations + AI + the future of booking behavior. Watching smart, hotel-trained minds tackle the “what now?” of digital is exactly the kind of energy I love being around.
The real takeaway: AI can help—human touch still wins
Let’s talk about the elephant in every room lately: AI.
I use AI. It helps me move faster, organize better, and serve clients more efficiently. But here’s what I don’t believe: that travel will become better when it becomes more transactional, more robotic, and less human.
No one sits around the dinner table talking about how they booked a trip through an OTA.
They talk about the welcome at the hotel. The guide who felt a friend by the end. The meal they’ll remember for ten years. The way a place changed them.
That human aspect is not a nice-to-have. It’s the point.
And it’s also why the term “travel advisor” matters. We aren’t here to click buttons. We’re here to guide, advocate, anticipate, and make the experience better than what you’d get on your own—especially when things change (because travel always changes).
Looking ahead
If 2025 reinforced anything for me, it’s that entrepreneurship is a roller coaster, and somehow, when one door closes, two more open. That’s been true in my business, and it’s been true in travel planning too.
Here’s what I’m excited about heading into 2026:
more intentional travel (less checklist, more meaning)
continued growth in river cruising + expedition cruising
a bigger spotlight on places that still feel character-rich (hello again, Valle de Guadalupe)
and bringing Lebanon to life in a way that feels generous, beautiful, and deeply personal
If you’re thinking about 2026 travel—big milestone trip, honeymoon, family adventure, or “I just need something to look forward to,” I’d love to help.
Ready to start planning? Reply to this post or reach out through my site to get on my calendar.
