HISTORY

It was a dark and stormy night…..

Well, actually is was a small group of businessmen in Mesa Arizona who familiar with the traveler side of touring decided to provide a more meaningful and secure method for others to travel, enjoy new places, sights and experiences and do so safely, with trained and quality checked service providers in a secure and protected financial manner.

These business men with thousands of days of travel throughout the world and thousands of days of family and group travel over several decades saw many opportunities to improve the tours, visits and experiences. They saw and experienced the nervousness of booking tours with some faceless and unknown tour operator and too often were disappointed in the tour presented, the inability to communicate by the guide or the excess charges that resulted from unmonitored operators.
They had their share of being taken advantage of and being outright taken for their money several times paying for a tour twice, one in advance and then to be required to pay for it again. Sometimes it was with the promise of sorting things out later and several times without even that thread of hope. They found to their chagrin that tours offered the passengers by cruise lines and hotel concierges for hotel guests we priced exorbitantly high. They learned that the price was often half or less than they paid on arriving at the tour office origination point. They experienced and paid for tours that originated at some tavern that had never heard of the tour or company. They even got to pay for a tour only to find out that the transportation was not included in the tour and at the farthest distance from the city to be extorted to pay for the ride back to the city.

They also experienced those occasional gems of tours in little know places that brought the charm of the country and people uppermost to their thoughts and hearts. They saw the culture, experienced the struggles and efforts of individuals and families to get along in this world and support themselves and their families while taking joy in the journey. They saw beauty in these tours not only in their surroundings but on the faces of those people they saw and spoke with. These are the true treasures of travel and the rewards of visiting new climes and getting to know new cultures.

OPPORTUNITY

Desiring to make travel a more pleasant experience, remove the uncertainty of financial dealings with tour operators, establishing s means to better monitor and provide qualified and personable tour guides in various parts of the world, and make travel a more seamless and smooth experience for the novice traveler as well as the veteran traveler, WTT set forth to build a travel company to encompass these ideals. They also sought to maximize those “gem” tours and great experiences for themselves and for their clients and fellow travelers.

Efforts were measured and well thought out, changes were made a needed and as circumstances and conditions required. Technology assisted greatly in making the financial aspects of travel more easily accomplished. Internet communication, scheduling, coordination and planning all led to enhanced experiences for both the traveler and the tour operators. Partnerships with other agencies, organizations and institutions were sought, developed and measured to improve the communication of travelers needs and to build a network of individuals in various countries to carry forward the values and goals of WTT to provide safe, secure, entertaining and beneficial tour experiences for the traveler.

Partnerships quickly revealed the need to make the experience for all a win-win experience. Where all parties can share in success, true value is achieved. The traveler, tour operator, guides, facilitators and administrators all can jointly participate in a manner to enhance the experience for the traveler while providing an income for those in the travel business. The traveler receives fair value for their travel experience and the operators and tour providers receive fair value for their services and knowledge and ability to share it professionally and appropriately with the traveler.

Growth initially was slowly, tours began in the Southwest region of the United States, spread to Mexico and Hawaii. Technology allowed a quick level of growth for the addition of additional tours. Use of students from various colleges and universities to coordinate and aggregate tours in their native lands led to a local network of educated, trained, English speaking and culturally attuned to the North American traveler. This move has led to a more rapid buildup of reliable travel sources along the Pacific Rim.

Technology has made communication easier and quicker and the internet and its resources provide opportunities to individuals throughout the world to participate in travel experiences that they otherwise might be barred from.

Individuals seeking high levels of travel assurances, found a pleasant, professional entertaining experience by companies more familiar with their culture, language and able to share the local flavor of life, culture, foods, family and nature in a more secure manner.

Tour Operators and Guides have been pleasant surprised by increased business and pleased with the financial arrangements made and support in scheduling from the calendaring and better use of their tours. Payment in US Dollars has made them stronger and more recognized in their communities and has elevated their status and businesses in many lands. While beginning growth is usually slow, it is steady and reliable and growing each quarter. Other business supports given by WTT has strengthened their businesses and allowed them to book tours that otherwise they would have been unable to take.

Smaller businesses have been more successful and grown more rapidly in being able to us the merchant services of WTT to assist in the financial side of their business and see professional and accurate reports of their activities and growth.