The most unforgettable trips are the ones that take you beyond the tourist sites.
In the Know Experiences is a travel company that focuses on providing young and savvy travelers with once-in-a-lifetime experiences based on their personal interests. Each trip is based on the traveler's personal passions, whether they be food, art, sports, shopping, or design.
Those who love watches can be taken on personalized tours of high-end watch factories, while art lovers can be paired with curators for private tours and events.
Founders Lia Batkin and Seth Kaplan were inspired to start the company in 2007, when they took a trip to Argentina and found that the recommendations they found through research or from friends were completely disappointing.
The two felt there should be a travel company that goes beyond hotels, flights, and attractions to offer travelers off-the-beaten-path experiences that relate to their tastes and preferences.
"Affluent travelers are looking for experiences that can make them connoisseurs in areas they're interested in," Batkin told Business Insider.
So they started In the Know Experiences, initially tapping into their personal contacts to expand into a network of more than 100,000 contacts in the hospitality, retail, restaurant, and nightlife industries.
The experiences they've put together include a mini Grand Prix for a client's birthday, where vintage Porsches, Ferraris, Ford Mustangs, and Aston Martins were brought in from Europe for a rally that included stops at the client's favorite places along the way.
They've also planned a honeymoon that they say ended up costing more than $1 million, during which the lucky couple were surprised with luxurious experiences in Paris, New York, Orlando, the Bahamas, and London.
The couple was treated to a greeting of one million roses, a personalized dress from a famous bridal designer, a private shopping experience, gifts from Disney cast members in Orlando, and a fireworks presentation in the Bahamas.
During trips, travelers have 24/7 access to staff in case of emergencies. They'll also be treated to perks like hotel discounts ranging from 10 to 40% and amenities like complimentary breakfast, upgrades at booking, spa credits, and airport transfers.
Costs for each trip vary depending on what they include, but they can range anywhere from the low thousands to millions of dollars in some cases.
The company has a service fee of $300 per person (for trips within the US) and $350 per person (for outside of the US) for vacations that are up to two weeks, though longer trips can be arranged with custom prices.
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