Dear Friends,

Happy New Year from Morocco, where I welcomed in 2012.  Morocco is on our list of places to travel this year, and at Galavante, we practice what we preach.  I rang in the New Year in Essaouira, a small hippie beach town made famous by Jimi Hendrix’s Castles in the Sand.

For decades, Essaouira has been a chill seaside place to take in the less frantic pace of Morocco.  In my opinion, you’re going to hear a lot more about Essaouira in the next few years.  The Sofitel opened a grand scale resort in 2011, and the Aman Resorts recently acquired a riad in the Medina.  The plan is to convert the riad into 12 luxury suites. I can only imagine how beautiful the hotel will be when it opens.  For luxury, Aman is known to have the brilliant foresight into making the next hottest destination accessible for high-end travel.  Like an Wall Street Analyst would look at certain indicators to forecast the market, Aman is the leading indicator on up-and-coming destinations for the travel industry.  Besides Essaouira, I’ve traveled to Marrakech and Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot.  It’s been an unexpected lifetime trip.  We can’t wait to share our inside tips with you.  Keep a lookout for features throughout the year.

Speaking of which, it’s a New Year, and a New Galavante.  Don’t worry; we’re still going provide you rock star itineraries for destinations all over the world.  But this year, we’re adding more to our weekly newsletters and features.   Our Co-Founders are current Wall Streeters, or finance refugees like myself.  Inspired by my time in finance, we’re going to feature a business travel article each month.  Our first two issues will be Negotiating in the Local Markets and The Commodities Report: Buying 22 Karat Gold in India.  In each of these issues, we’ll provide you with a business perspective and the inside tips on how to be a savvier traveler with that information.  After reading our first article, the merchants in the souks around the world won’t stand a chance with your sharpened negotiation skills.

Also, each month, we’ll give you the inside track on new hotel openings around the world.  Like a true Working Jet Setter, you’ll be the first to experience the insider places to travel in 2012 and beyond.

Lastly, we’ll be continually upgrading our website and formally launching our Reviews and Forums this 2012.  While we have the inside word on travel, it’s your recommendations as a Working Jet Setter that can’t be beat.  This 2012 is a New Year, and a new slate of vacation days.  We can’t wait to galavante around the world with you.