Meet the Members
PRESENTED BY
Milne Travel
WEST LEBANON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
NTA contact: Emily Martel,
director, Milne Educational Tours
Office phone: +1.603.836.4699
Website: milnetravel.com
NTA member since: 2004
How long have you worked in tourism?
I started in the travel industry January
2, 2008, so 10 years! I’ve been at Milne
Travel for over five of that, and I cur-
rently run our educational travel and
tourism division.
How did the company get started?
Founded as a one-person, woman-
owned business in central Vermont in
1975, Milne Travel has grown to be one
of the largest travel businesses in New
England. We have locations around the
world as part of our equity partnership
with ALTOUR.
What are a couple of your most
requested destinations?
With our large network through NTA and
American Express, we have the connec-
tions to deliver a unique, fully customized
experience at a good value anywhere on
our planet. Most of our educational tours
go to Europe, and [we’ve had] a grow-
ing demand from customers around the
world who want to visit New England,
New York City and eastern Canada.
How does a group benefit by working
with your company?
We work to make every itinerary a
unique experience. In Italy it might be
an itinerary with an agritourism and art/
artist focus, or a lecture and conversa-
tion with local university professors.
For school groups traveling to Boston,
perhaps it’s a tour of Fenway Park
and a game, along with following the
Freedom Trail and museum visits.
What is your favorite travel destination?
I fell in love with Italy while living in
Orvieto—the people, the culture, the
food, the language and its beauty—
and, as the photo shows, I still visit.
Regardless of how many times I go, Italy
is always where I dream of returning to.
For more information, contact Martel at
[email protected].
Visit Tucson
TUCSON, ARIZONA
NTA contact: Jackie Ludwig,
director of tourism of the year. It’s a spiritual place with
calming energy.
Office phone: +1.520.770.2147 Talk about The Best 23 Miles of
Mexican Food travel idea you’re
promoting on your website.
With our Hispanic roots and proximity
to Mexico, Tucson has the best Mexican
food and celebrates mom and pop
local Mexican restaurants, taco trucks,
Sonoran hot dogs and El Charro, the
oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in
the U.S.—delicious!
Website: visittucson.org
NTA member since: 1976
What’s new and exciting in Tucson?
Tucson’s food scene is exploding and
so much fun right now. Tucson received
the UNESCO designation as a City of
Gastronomy in December 2015. Our
farming techniques date back 4,000
years, and these techniques are still used
today, along with natural food items like
tepary beans and mesquite flour.
What are some of the must-see
attractions in your area?
No. 1 is the Arizona-Sonora Desert
Museum. This is an outdoor exploration
of the flora and fauna of the Sonoran
Desert. Sabino Canyon is my personal
favorite. It’s a riparian area and canyon
where water flows about nine months
48
April/May 2018
What brought you to the area?
In 1982, Tucson was booming in the com-
mercial real estate market. I was living in
Atlanta, Georgia, and I was a Southern
girl. My former husband asked me to
marry him and move to Tucson. My
response: “Tucson, where is that?” Thirty-
six years later I am still here and love it!
What travel experience is at the top of
your bucket list?
Rafting on the Colorado River through
the Grand Canyon.
What do you like to do on the weekend?
With 350 days of sunshine a year here, I
enjoy golfing, gardening, hiking and out-
door barbeques with friends. I also love
college basketball and watching our
University of Arizona Wildcats! Go Cats!
For more information, contact Ludwig
at [email protected].