We are pleased to announce the newest ambassador in the USA, Carol Berger, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We asked Carol a few questions to help us introduce her to our community.

Q. Carol, please introduce yourself.
A. I am the owner and founder of All Places Traveled, LLC a Certified Woman-Owned Small Business. As a Destination Pairing Specialist with over 18 years in the travel industry, I strive to make travel personal again, creating a customized vacation experience. As a culinary term, pairing matches complimentary or contrasting flavors to create a pleasing experience. My clients own interests are the focal point of cultivating just the right custom travel experience they deserve, without the frustration of getting lost in a sea of information. Without all the worry that goes into planning and feeling like they are alone, I am their sous chef. I envision how to cultivate their ingredients together, prepare and plate their itinerary into just the right custom travel experience that will awaken the senses ~ the tastes, smells, sights, sounds and the feeling of an amazing adventure! I work together with my clients to approach their vacation in a way you would not often find in other professionals or through booking randomly online. You, your family and your friends are unique therefore your vacation should be as well!

Q. What does your company do and who do you work with?
A. As I strive to make travel personal again, when consulting with a client, I like to know why they are traveling, are they celebrating anything special, what types of foods and beverages do they enjoy or want to try, what hobbies do they have or want to experience and I work to “pair” all of their interests with the right destination and the travel experience they deserve. All Places Traveled, LLC is a full-service travel agency in the Greater Philadelphia area. In addition to traditional travel options globally, I focus on more unique, boutique customized experiences booking local and domestic Bed and Breakfast/Inn packages paired with area food, beverage and tour hotspots. Often partnering with other local small businesses, I host community-based public and private uniquely customized events bringing a sample of the destinations around the world to area businesses and their patrons. This is an excellent way to take a journey with others as I pair their favorite activities and hobbies with amazing destinations. Destination Pairing Events showcase the business’s products and services locally and globally, promoting food and beverage tourism attracting potential new clients to and from around the world.

Q. What is your company working on right now?
A. As a small business owner, I am all about promoting other businesses, and have worked on focusing these last few months to promote them through social media as well as my blog entitled “Forward Is A Pace” (www.forward-is-a-pace.com), an inspirational and motivational blog regarding a journey to keep moving forward. My favorite hashtags in many of my social media posts is #justkeepmoving and #forwardisapace and I desire to highlight business owners and/or individuals who have inspirational stories to tell, most especially how they have pivoted during the pandemic. As I am receiving numerous submissions for the blog, I will also be highlighting area businesses on a new section I recently created on my website entitled “Meet the Locals (Greater Philadelphia). My goal is to highlight tourism globally on the “Meet the Locals” (U.S.) and “Meet the Locals” (Around the World) sections as well.

Q. Why did you join the World Food Travel Association?
A. I feel that there needs to be more focus on food and beverage tourism in the Greater Philadelphia area and hope to build that through the resources available in the World Food Travel Association. Food and beverage is a centric part of any travel experience no matter where you are and I plan to cultivate a more customized experience through the rich history that is Philadelphia and Pennsylvania as a whole. Whether traveling into Philadelphia or out, travelers should have their senses awakened – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the taste – the feeling of an amazing adventure. I feel that Philadelphia and our surrounding areas provide such an experience through history and diversity.

Q. When and how did your interest in food/beverage tourism begin?
A. I love to cook and I love to travel therefore it is only natural to combine those two passions. Being in the travel industry for over 18 years, I have always been a full-service agency however since establishing All Places Traveled, LLC almost five years ago, I have created my food and beverage centric niche to provide a more personal, customized and unique experience for my clients, awakening their senses on a much deeper level within the destinations.

Q. What advice do you have for prospective members of the Association?
A. I feel through membership in the Association, as a business owner the opportunity exists to showcase your creations by area chefs, the history, the culture, the ethnicity and pairing that heritage and celebrating it. Most visitors, both international and domestic seek the authentic Philadelphia experience of a cheesesteak or the historical sites but aren’t really experiencing much else. Philadelphia is so much more than that and the businesses have the option to show who they are to the world.

You can learn more about Carol here.