If the evening events for the Select Traveler Conference (STC), held February 15–17 in Williamsburg, Virginia, were any indication, Virginia’s Historic Triangle will be the place for groups to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this summer.
Visit Williamsburg served a seated dinner with on open bar the opening night and brought the Good Shot Judy band with vocalists Brett Cahoon and Jeanette Corey. By evening’s end, the floor filled with guests who danced the stellar event to a close.
The following evening, delegates enjoyed a remarkable event at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, hosted by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. This superb venue will be a must-see for groups observing America’s 250th anniversary in this Colonial period destination. The museum’s exhibits and films offer an in-depth look at America in its infancy and its unrelenting quest, first for survival and, ultimately, for independence.
“What a great destination for this conference in 2026,” said STC general manager Jennifer Ferguson. “The interest level was so strong due to America’s 250th anniversary. No wonder we had 200 delegates and 40% new buyers. Brittany Alger and Ally Ramello did a great job for us. Everyone loved the Williamsburg Lodge, and the chef and service there were phenomenal. And it was Select Traveler Conference’s 30th anniversary!”
“There has been such excitement here ever since we announced this conference,” said Ramello, Visit Williamsburg’s group sales manager. “It’s been an honor to welcome everyone. Our CEO, Edward Harris, has been involved from the outset. He’s so committed to highlighting Colonial Williamsburg, our hotels, our attractions and our history.”
Harris personally welcomed delegates at the opening session and attended the opening dinner as well. Brian Jewell, CEO and executive editor of The Group Travel Leader Inc., delivered a presentation entitled, “Untapped: Travel’s Hidden Power to Solve People’s Deepest Problems.” Afterward, a fife and drum corps led delegates from the session to the evening event.
Over two busy marketplace sessions, hundreds of business appointments were held. In addition to the host destinations, meal sponsors included Collette, Mayflower Cruises and Tours, and US Tours. Sightseeing tours for delegates included a walking tour of Colonial Williamsburg, the historic First Baptist Church that dates to 1776 and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
What delegates are saying
Travel planners
“We’re going to Bardstown, Kentucky, this year and will see The Stephen Foster Story again. We’re doing an Italian Cities itinerary with Globus in 2026, and in 2027, we’re going with them on a Switzerland train trip, and we’re doing a Danube River Cruise with their Avalon brand. We’re doing trips to Chattanooga, Branson, the Holland (Michigan) Tulip Festival and the New York Finger Lakes this year, and we’re taking 50 people on a Trains and Canyons trip with Mayflower. We’re also doing an Alaska Cruise and Land trip with Nowak Tours.”
— Karen Noble, Good News Travels
Sullivan, Indiana
“We specialize in 50-plus travel. We do a New York City trip every year — we’ll take 80 there. We’re taking 19 to South Africa. We’ll take 30 for a Springtime in New Orleans trip, and we’re doing a river cruise this year during the Christmas markets in Europe. We’re taking 20 people on a trip to Prague and Geneva in April and 40 to Mackinac Island. Our groups break down about two-thirds female and one-third male most of the time.”
— Jeanie and Dave Johnston, Jeanie’s Journeys
St. Paul, Minnesota
“We’re doing a Hawaii cruise and land trip with US Tours in October. We have 23 signed up so far. In total, that trip is 11 days. We’re going to Branson in December and seeing six shows. I think we’re seeing the Duttons, the Haygoods, and Sight & Sound, plus three others. We absolutely love Branson. We like wholesome destinations like Branson and Pigeon Forge. That matters to us.”
— Brenda Hall, Nightmark Travels
Red Bay, Alabama
“We’ll take 35–45 to Washington, D.C., this year. We’ll take about the same number to Niagara Falls and to Vermont. We’re working on a Mackinac Island trip, too. Our group is seniors and retirees, and we’re a conservative bunch. We enjoy history, nature, shows and just having fun. Our trip to Washington, D.C., is for America’s 250th anniversary and will probably include Philadelphia. I am using a lot of ideas I’ve gotten here for 2027. I want to do a river cruise in Europe, and I want to do the Northern Lights in Finland. This has built my confidence to go international, and we’ll likely fly out of Charlotte.
— Lisa Blauser, Adventures with Lisa and Jay
Autryville, North Carolina
“I’m taking 35 to Portugal this year with Goway Tours. That’s an eight-day trip, and some are doing pre- or post-trips in Spain. I took 30 to Greece last year. I’ll take a group to Thailand and Singapore next year. We’re also doing trips with Goway Tours to Paris and Normandy this year and then another to Morocco as well. Last year, we did Italy with Globus, and we did the Panama Canal and Martha’s Vineyard.”
— Donna J. Mikell, First Travel Alliance
Baldwinsville, New York
“We’re doing a Route 66 100th anniversary trip June 6–8, and I’m hoping for 30. We’ll do the Chicago to Joplin, Missouri, leg. The Route 66 museum in Chicago is wonderful. We’re doing that with US Tours. We’re doing a vintage train trip in Colorado in August — I’ve sold two different trips two weeks apart in August. I’ll have 40 people on both. We’re doing a Christmas in Branson trip, too. Our age range is 65–90, and the average is about 70. We did Alaska twice last year, and in 2027, we’re doing Iceland with Collette.”
— Cheryl Finley, West Plains Bank
West Plains, Missouri
Travel Companies & Destinations
“We have lots of groups going to Boys Town for a lunch and tour this year. They’ll also do Omaha; they’ll do the zoo and the riverfront there. And, of course, we’ll have lots of groups come to do the sandhill crane migration again. It’s amazing. A lot of that business goes to Grand Island and Kearney. The preserve runs sunrise and sunset tours, and it’s very well organized — you can count on seeing the cranes in flight at both times. Every day, they leave and then come back. We promote our Buffalo Bill heritage as well. It’s authentic out there in that part of Nebraska — there’s nothing fake about it.”
— Michael Collins, Nebraska Tourism Commission
Lincoln, Nebraska
“We help groups navigate Western national parks. There are no increased fees for domestic travelers, so it’s still a great time to come out west. Our company offers custom motorcoach tours for traditional groups, and we’re doing a lot of small-group trips on smaller vehicles. We’re doing groups of 12–14 in custom-built Mercedes sprinters. These are more active travelers who range from 55–75 and want to do more outdoor activities. The best new thing we’ve done is to offer a Zion tunnel shuttle that groups can use to cross the park. Motorcoaches are no longer allowed in the Zion tunnel, so we’ve solved that issue for tour operators.”
— Shawn Horman, Southwest Adventure Tours
Cedar City, Utah
“We’re trying to tap into this upscale market at this conference. We have wonderful artisan shops to enjoy and amazing cuisine as well. We offer classes for groups on art, cooking and dancing that these groups would love. We even do classes on making chocolate from scratch. We tie El Paso into packages that include New Mexico and Mexico, so the cultural aspects of our destination are outstanding. El Paso is a perfect base from which to see an entire region that includes military base tours at Fort Bliss, Jaurez, Big Bend, Las Cruces and other places.”
— Janel Trejo, Destination El Paso
El Paso, Texas
“History is our calling card, but history here is always changing and being uncovered. There is so much yet to discover and explore about this remarkable destination. We want your delegates to know that in Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle they can step into the past, but that no one is rushing them. Our interpreters offer spontaneous interactions that last as long as they are interested. Many of these interpreters are devoted craftspeople. Honoring and depicting America’s Colonial period is our craft in Williamsburg.”
— Ally Ramello, Visit Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
“Collette had another great year in 2025. We have more product than ever, and the past three years have shown remarkable growth for our company. Our Explorations brand emphasizes smaller groups and experiential travel and continues to grow in popularity. Our Spotlight brand features one hotel and immersive travel in a city or region and is also growing. We have customers who are asking for exotic destinations like Vietnam, and they want to see them with Collette’s expertise and guides. We’re debt-free and family-owned. We encourage these planners to work with an American-owned company they can trust.”
— Jim Edwards, Collette
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
“We’re here to introduce these travel planners to one of Oklahoma’s most authentic destinations. We are an undiscovered gem for military reunions, wildlife enthusiasts, hikers and history buffs. We’re only an hour from Oklahoma City, and we’re a gateway to the Wichita Mountains. Many people don’t realize there are mountains in southwestern Oklahoma. We have buffalo soldier history in Lawton/Fort Sill that ties in well with the Black Wall Street heritage in Tulsa. And every group should visit Medicine Park, a small town with cobblestone streets along the river. The shops and cuisine there are perfect for groups.”
