Industry veteran Marona heads up Exotissimo North America

Mr Lee Marona      301 Howard Street

Lee Marona, a 35-year travel industry veteran, has joined Exotissimo Travel Group to head up Exotissimo North America. One of the leading inbound tour operators in South-East Asia, Exotissimo is a specialist in travel to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Marona describes himself as an ‘old Asia hand’ when it comes to sending Americans and Canadians abroad. During the Vietnam War Marona lived in Saigon and traveled throughout Vietnam and Thailand on special assignment with Trans America Airlines, the world’s largest charter airline in the 1970s.  After having served as Vice President of Sales for Royal Cruise Line, he went on to found his first company in 1980, Passages. Passages, along with companies like Linblad and Pacific Delight Tours, was one of the first companies in the USA to send tourists to China.  Marona was responsible for expanding Passages’ product range offering South-East Asia including Indochina, during his tenure there.

Marona says, 'Despite being well-known to European tour operators, the Exotissimo name is not known all that well in North America. With long established sales offices in France and Spain and representation in the UK, Germany, Australia and Singapore, it was time for Exotissimo to develop its presence in North America, and I feel I am the right person to help them achieve that. One of our North American staff members and I traveled throughout South-East Asia in May with Exotissimo and I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I was with the region in general, and specifically with the professionalism of Exotissimo. As a further seal of approval few tour operators, especially those catering to North Americans, can say they are the sole appointed representative of American Express Travel Services Network in their country as Exotissimo is in both Vietnam and Cambodia. In addition to being the American Express representative Exotissimo also operate service offices in the US embassies and consulates in Vietnam and Cambodia. That alone speaks volumes about Exotissimo, their financial stability and their attention to service and detail'.

Marona goes on to tell us, 'We are finding a great need here for information regarding the region. Both tour operators and agents are starved for responsive and intelligent feedback on behalf of their clients. We are here to provide that service along with our clearly responsive attitude when it comes to providing them with excellent prices due to our volume buying power in Indochina'.

Marona looks forward to continuing the development of relationships with US and Canadian tour operators and travel agents.  Exotissimo claims they can do 'anything that’s doable' in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand and Mr. Marona says, 'That’s our mantra. Ask, and ye shall receive! Our staff here in San Francisco is here to work with agents and tour operators bringing them and their clients the very best in responsive service'.

Contact Lee Marona and his team at:
Exotissimo North America, Inc.
301 Howard Street, 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105 USA
Phone: (1 415) 538 8687
Toll free: (1 877) 396 8687 (1 877 EXO-TOUR)
Fax: (1 415) 538 8680
E-mail: infoEXO@exotissimo.com

Exotissimo Thailand moves to new office

Please note that Exotissimo Thailand has relocated to a new office. The new address is listed below. Phone and fax numbers have not changed.

6th Floor Zuelling House,
1-7 Silom Road Silom,
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel: (66 2) 636 0360
Fax: (66 2) 636 0363

Exotissimo Travel Vietnam voted top tour operator

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has voted Exotissimo Travel as the top tour operator in the country. Exotissimo was awarded first place among the top ten tour operators for the year of 2004, based on a range of criteria, including profitability, the effectiveness of its business strategies, the total number of tourists served, and complying with financial and auditing regulations.

Exotissimo's travel show schedule

Exotissimo will be participating in major travel shows around the world. Below is our schedule up until March 2006. We look forward to meeting new travel partners and keeping in touch with old partners at one or more of these events. If you would like to arrange a meeting in advance for any of these shows, please contact marketing@exotissimo.com.

·        11^th - 13^th October 2005 - IT&CMA, Pattaya, Thailand (Stand no. 902)

·        14^th - 17^th November 2005 - WTM, London, England (Stand no. AS 6400)

·        29^th November - 1^st December 2005 - EIBTM, Barcelona, Spain (Stand no. F850)

·        5^th - 8^th December 2005 - ILTM, Cannes, France (Stand no. V110)

·        13^th - 21^st January 2006 - ATF, Yangon, Myanmar

·        25^th - 29^th January 2006 - FITUR, Madrid, Spain

·        8^th - 12^th March 2006 - ITB, Berlin, Germany