In early November I traveled to Europe to meet with several close partners and colleagues. Each city I visited possessed wonderful energy that was amplified by the glow of holiday lights and decorations. It’s a beautiful time to be in Europe.
Pictured here is Edoardo Pallavicini on the left. We spent time walking through the private apartments of his Palace in Vienna which was built in 1784; his family traces its origins to the 11th century. With infectious enthusiasm, he shared many stories of his work to preserve this cherished home which is an important element of his family’s history.
I recalled being very nervous when I met Edoardo over fifteen years ago. I wondered, do I call him “Prince” or “Edoardo” or “Mr. Pallavicini?” We had a dream to use his Palace in Vienna for a special Viennese evening for our guests where we’d enjoy fine music and food in a location with a sense of place. Fortunately, Edoardo became a vested partner with Tauck, and we’ve entertained many thousands of guests at his home. What started with uncertainty has evolved into a special relationship that feels more friend than supplier. And this relationship – like so many around the world – is central to how Tauck thrives today.
One Global Family
More than any company I can think of, we have a very focused and unique approach to the “how” of our global business, particularly with our scale and scope in 70+ countries across all 7 continents. And it all comes down to people. We do not invest in physical assets and instead invest in relationships. Our culture enables this enormous web of interconnected people who come together in a way which creates a “win-win-win” between our guests, our partners, and Tauck. Central to this is our vision of One Global Family. The “Tauck family” goes well beyond Tauck family members. It includes our amazing team across our various offices, our global operations and the staff of Tauck Directors who come from more than 42 nations. And the concept goes farther to include our global web of partners and travel advisors, which number more than 2,000 different entities – from individual guides, to family businesses, to organizations ranging from very small to very large.
Where possible, we select partners who share our sense of purpose – enhancing lives through travel – and nurture long-term, respectful relationships. While products come and go over time, our purpose is timeless and unites all of our global family to serve our guests. Our relationships have enabled us to expand our offerings this century to include an exquisite fleet of custom designed riverboats; an expanding fleet of small ships on oceans; and land experiences of various sizes, all powered by Tauck’s original content and exclusive access to people and places.
Moving Forward
We’re moving into our 99th year of operation still family-owned and led. Despite our longevity, we encourage our team to act and feel like a startup, to find new ways to do existing things and bring new thinking to the fore. This combination of timeless values and a restless desire to keep moving forward has been central to our ability to both endure challenging times and thrive during this past century.
We will begin our second century launching many new itineraries in 2024 and 2025 on land, rivers and the oceans. For as much as some think the world has been fully explored, we believe this couldn’t be farther from the truth. We will always have the opportunity to meet new people and share new stories and experiences all across this beautiful world. Through storytelling, we bring our world a bit closer together.
A Paris Delight in Store for the Olympics
And finally, one quick thought. Last month we had dinner with a close partner on a new all-electric boat along the Seine River. We planned our river fleet deployment for 2025 and 2026 while gliding past Paris’ many charms, each illuminated by light. I was entranced by the beauty of the city and reminded of the benefit of experiencing places from different perspectives. Paris will host the 2024 Summer Olympics and I learned that for the first time, the Olympic opening ceremonies will not take place inside a stadium. Instead, the ceremonies will take place on small boats gliding down the Seine carrying the athletes, with spectators observing from bridges and along the riverbanks. Can you imagine? I smiled, as like Tauck, the organizers of the Paris Olympics are finding new ways to do “old” things. Well done!
Thank you for your connection to Tauck and for being part of this ecosystem of people exploring the world together. We are so appreciative of all that you do for us. On behalf of the entire Tauck family and the team at Tauck – we wish you and your family a joyous holiday season.
Warm Regards,
Dan Mahar, CEO