Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Passport Procedure

It's easy to get a passport and you need it for traveling with UGA choir to Europe in the spring of 2009. Here are a couple websites you can visit to get information to apply for your passport such as the US State Department . You may also go to your local post office and fill out an application there. Remember to send Incantato a copy of you passport.

Good Luck!!! This is the beginning of a wonderful journey you will experience this year!

Friday, October 10, 2008

About Incantato Tours

Incantato is a boutique performance tour operator. Every tour is custom designed to match the choir’s expectations – especially when it comes to the performances and musical experiences. We know that for many singers this tour to Europe may be a once in a life time opportunity and we do everything we can to make sure it is unforgettable. Essential artistic experiences are our trademark and we are known for our in-depth knowledge of Europe, professional concert management and marketing, highly skilled team members, attention to detail and flexibility. We take the time to get to know our clients so that our dedicated team members in the US as well as in Europe can make sure that every participant gets the most out of the journey. In addition, we create a tour blog that allows those remaining in the US to follow the choir virtually.

Please find below a few endorsements we are proud to share with you today. I encourage you to speak with your colleagues and their students who have experienced what sets Incantato apart.

"As a director I loved the personal touch Incantato was able to provide and the attention they gave to even the smallest details. Incantato worked with us to suit our tour of Central Europe to our ensemble’s needs and objectives. The result was a brilliant tour that featured amazing performance venues, excellent guides, and unique cultural experiences that the students and I will remember for a lifetime."

Dr. Graeme Langager - Director of Choral Activities, University of Arkansas


"Canticum Novum, The tour choir of Central Church in Phoenix just completed its most successful tour in 35 years of contertizing abroad, solely due to the excellent management of Incantato. Their attention to every detail, response to every request, superb International Staff, and excellence in concert management are singularly distinctive. Theirs is a professional concert management group who are also excellent providers of travel services. That is a distinctive difference. Travel agents are for travel; Incantato provides concert management in stunning venues, and the organizational minutia supporting these artistic events in addition to fine tuned travel experiences filled with special amenities. If music making in superb acoustical spaces to wonderfully receptive audiences is your priority, Incantato is the professional tour group for your ensemble.
"
Donald E. Morse, Music Director

“Having recently returned from a successful tour of Ireland, I can say without a doubt that this was my finest tour experience. I have used several different tours companies in my years of performance tours, and none have matched the attention to detail, the thoughtful planning, excellent venues & marketing, meal & hotels, and overall management by Incantato. Their pricing was excellent, and when the US currency dropped, they did not raise any of our cost. I would recommend this company to anyone planning a tour, whether they are a large professional ensemble, or a small church choir.”
Nathan J. Kreitzer, Director of Choral Activities, Santa Barbara City College

"Our tour was so much more than a music festival. It was a complete cultural enrichment including great performance venues, hotels, restaurants, local tour guides, as well as connections with other choirs and instrumentalists. An added bonus for us was an introduction to an Italian composer who presently will be joining us in NC for 3 concerts featuring some of his choral music. So the cultural exchange continues. Bravo, Incantato!"
Dr. Sue Klausmeyer, Chapel Hill Community Chorus, Chapel Hill, SC


“When we travel to Europe again, it will be with Incantato. I have been more than impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail. We sang in great and unforgettable venues, had excellent marketing and audiences. I highly recommend Incantato.“
Howard Cheung, San Marino Chamber Choir, CA


Please note that Incantato is a women-owned and operated business. We are a registered seller of travel and comply with state regulation. In accordance, all client funds are placed in secured trust accounts and your group earns the interest on the deposits. We only work with fully licensed, insured and bonded partners. In addition, Incantato covers your tour with a $3 million dollar tour operator insurance policy.

We encourage every participant to obtain travel insurance and have negotiated special low rates for coverage starting at $20 for a comprehensive post-departure policy.

Your tour price includes a convenient confirmed schedule and ticket cost of $1035 quoted to us by Lufthansa. This is the actual group ticket price as Incantato has a 100% transparency policy when it comes to airfare. Lufthansa estimates Taxes/Fuel/Fees at $400, but is hoping for a lower final surcharge.

For a detailed itinerary and pricing, please see your tour brochure.

Final remarks about pricing

As you know, some cost elements of a tour remain the same (coach fee, tour manager & driver salaries, fuel, permits etc) , but when shared among a certain number of participants, a lower overall pricing per person can be achieved. It is our experience that especially with college groups, the original interest is usually smaller than the ideal size for the better or best rates. Yet, and we see it every year, once the singers start talking about their upcoming trip, family and friends start to join and sometimes even members of the community. This is especially true when the tour is as unique as the journey we propose for your group.

Please write down other questions you may have when reviewing your tour itinerary as we are glad to answer them. We are also open to adjust the tour further to meet your expectations and work within your budget.

We thank you for the opportunity to propose a performance tour to Italy for the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music.

With warm regards,
Sandra Weinacht – CEO Incantato Tours