BY RUTH LANDO / PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX STAFFORD

Click here to read the article as it appears in Style Magazine.

Malaka Hilton is known for her chutzpah. “I’m not afraid of being turned down,” the Admiral Travel International founder and co-owner admits. “What’s the worst that someone can say, ‘no’? I’ve asked celebrity chefs to do trips and they’ve said no. I don’t go into a corner and cry. I say ‘OK,’ and go on to the next one.”

Hilton is fearless, whether she’s contracting exclusive excursions with Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten, or Il Borro winery owner (and fashion designer extraordinaire) Salvatore Ferragamo, or former pro-football star Dan Marino. She’s also been the only one in a crowd of 800 who dared to ask Virgin Airlines owner Richard Branson to take a picture with her. But the greatest gamble was creating a world-class travel emporium
from scratch. Malaka credits her dad, Dr. Mahfouz El Shahawy, an Egyptian-born cardiologist, for her confidence. “Growing up, my dad was the type who was always so pushy that my brother and I would get a little bit embarrassed,” she says. “But now I recognize that’s where I got it from.”

Admiral Travel International has two locations, including a flagship office downtown that Malaka opened in 1997, just four years after graduating from FSU with a degree in hospitality. A fast learner, she began answering phones for the now defunct Horizon Travel in Sarasota, until one day her Dad called and told her there was a storefront available on Palm Avenue.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

Malaka wasn’t sure, but took the plunge. Two months later, she was a customer on one of Zimbabwe-born wildlife photographer Ryan Hilton’s photo safaris in South Africa. She jokes about pulling her handsome husband “out of the African bush’” and how they’re complete opposites. But Malaka also had her culturally diverse parents as role models: an Egyptian father and a Yugoslavian mother who came together in Austria. Malaka and Ryan married on Valentine’s Day 1998 at the Ringling Museum.

They thrive as a couple, and as business partners, by cultivating distinct spheres of responsibility and expertise, Malaka says. “I’m the hands-on person, day-to-day running the business, and Ryan’s the behind-the-scenes guy.” She also believes in stepping back and allowing experts to do their thing, citing her wedding as an example. “Phil Mancini of Michael’s on East calls me the easiest bride he ever worked with,” she boasts, “because I just let him do what he does best.”

Persistence and vision have earned Malaka the highest accolades from her peers in the travel industry. Since 1999, Admiral Travel International has ranked among the elite boutique travel agencies of the world as a member of Virtuoso, which Malaka describes as “the highest, most upscale group of travel professionals, not just in this country, but also in Australia and South America.” ATI is routinely recognized as one of the most
innovative travel advisors in the business by superior cruise lines, tour companies and hotels.

That’s because, in addition to guts, Malaka has brains, connections, talent and taste. Always a risk taker, the newest product in her suitcase is AuthentEscapes, an ultra-exclusive, experiential tour company launched in May 2009, with offices in Sarasota, Los Angeles and Cairo. AuthentEscapes expands ATI’s escorted journeys for travelers who can afford being led to exotic destinations by icons of food, wine, sports, entertainment and global culture.

“Everyone is looking at ways to get creative and take advantage of their celebrity, and we’re connecting it with travel,” Malaka explains. Last year the Hiltons took 14 guests backstage with Andrea Bocelli in Italy. Placido Domingo happened to join the singer, so the lucky travelers met him, too. “How do you do it?” people keep asking her. Malaka’s answer: “What I attribute it to is creative marketing, but also thinking outside the box.”

She’s a master at forging partnerships that give rise to ever more specialized niches, even during a recession. In 2010, ATI and Sarasota’s Gulf Coast Connoisseur Club (a rewards program of the Klauber-Moulton-Mancini family of businesses), will take members to Champagne, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley and Northern Spain with A-list chefs and prestigious winemakers for one-of-a-kind food, wine and cultural experiences. The hook is that GCCC members traveling through ATI earn a 5 percent credit for every dollar they spend, which translates to free dining, catering, hospitality and wine. Malaka says this formula has proven to be a great incentive for savvy travelers seeking added value.

She’s also diversifying the “extreme adventure” part of Admiral Travel’s portfolio with excursions that include crabbing trips to the Bering Sea with the captains of TV’s “Deadliest Catch” on their ship, the Time Bandit. “I’m thrilled about it, but I wouldn’t do it myself,” Malaka admits, laughing. This is no trip for the faint of wallet, either. It’ll cost tens of thousands of dollars for five days of extreme crab trapping. “I love creating it, I love putting it out there, but it’s not something that I would personally do,” she says.

Malaka’s been globetrotting with her parents since the age of 4, and says the one place she hasn’t yet seen, but would like to, is The Maldives, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean. Her idea of extreme adventure was meeting Richard Branson at the unveiling of Virgin Galactic’s suborbital excursions, an event held in the Mohave Desert, under hurricane-force winds, with zero-degree temps. It was, Malaka recalls, a “weird weather day, and the tent ended up blowing away and everyone was evacuated.”  That was exciting enough, although she’s always wanted to cage-dive with sharks off the coast of South Africa near Cape Town. “But now that I’m the mother of kids ages 9 and 6 (Alexandria and Carter), I probably won’t do that,” she avers. Husband Ryan is another story altogether. He enjoys gorilla trekking in the mountains of Rwanda; and adventures in Antarctica and space are definitely on his bucket list. Ryan is one of only 60 accredited space agents for Virgin Galactic’s suborbital flights that will cost around $200,000 per person.

The Hiltons are always looking for new angles on customized trips that can’t be duplicated by searching on Google. “I’m trying to bring sexy back to travel,” Malaka says. “I want travel to be something that is just really cool, hip, sexy and fun experiences. And AuthentEscapes is going to bring that because it’s all experiential.” One upcoming voyage will explore the waterways between St. Petersburg and Moscow with the former White House chef to presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Ex-Broncos tight end and CBS sports analyst Shannon Sharpe will be leading a custom tour thanks to connections made through Malaka’s brother, Magdi El Shahawy, a senior associate athletic director at USC.

Malaka also has a reputation as an unmatched Egyptian expert, praised by Travel + Leisure magazine and National Geographic Traveler. She visits this beloved destination often, insisting “Egypt is one of the safest places in the world. I have no qualms stepping outside of my hotel at anytime day or night in Cairo — alone. Egyptians are the friendliest people in the world. I can say that with 100 percent conviction.” It doesn’t hurt that her father still has nine brothers and sisters living there.

Born in Minnesota, Malaka has lived on Bird Key since her parents settled there in 1975, when she was 5. Currently, the Hiltons live right next door. Malaka saw the world from an early age alongside her parents, as her father traveled to Russia, Japan and elsewhere for medical symposia — trips his daughter began organizing for him fresh out of college. She is certain that traveling is an education that has also made
her children thrive. “I’ve lived such a charmed life, and have been able to do things that many people may not ever be able to do. I’m fortunate that I’m able to share that with my children,” Malaka says. Alex is especially worldly. At 9, she’s already on her third passport.

After more than a decade of almost constant travel (the Hiltons each average about 16 weeks a year, though rarely together), Malaka-the-mom is ready to stick closer to home. “People make an incorrect assumption about traveling with their children,” she says. “They think they need to be on a beach somewhere that has a kids’ club that will entertain the children and keep them happy. You’ve got to think about taking them to destinations where they will learn, as well. They’ll be bored on a beach. If you have the ability financially to take your children once a year on an international trip, they will come home more accepting of other religions, cultures and races. They will really be able to see and appreciate what they have and where they’re from.”

She will continue to participate in her company’s exclusive product trips with celebrity hosts, but other than that, Malaka wants her staff to be able to experience the world. “I have a really great, young staff, and they have the enthusiasm to travel,” she says. Malaka’s favorite trip is the one she makes with her kids to the bus stop every morning. She’s been getting more involved with leadership roles on the boards of top cruise lines, such as Crystal, and there is satisfying work to be done with local charities, such as Dick Vitale’s V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Recently, Malaka fell in love with Costa Rica and plans to celebrate her 40th birthday there with friends and loved ones in July. Who knows? There might even be a new adventure waiting in the rainforest with her name on it.

Click here to read the story on Travel Agent Central.

Distler grew up with a passion for travel, and after graduating with a double major in Business Management and Hospitality from Florida State University, he was trained by Admiral Travel’s owners Ryan and Malaka Hilton, both highly regarded specialists for Egypt and Africa, respectively.

“In thise conomy, many transaction-based agencies have been forced to close their doors, and it is the innovative agents/advisors/specialists that are not only surviving but thriving,” Distler says. “It’s wonderful to be among the innovative that are privileged enough to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences that shape how our travelers view the world around us."

“I love that no two experiences are ever the same,” he says about his business. “With so many options available in the marketplace, it is extremely important to remain knowledgeable and pair each guest with the appropriate itinerary, property selections and ‘wow factors’ that best suit their needs.”

Malaka Hilton, CEO of Admiral Travel International, says that the company depends upon Distler for a wide range of necessities, from training independent contractors to marketing efforts and IT development and maintenance. “We know he can—and will—get the job done well…When I see some of our industry veterans asking Michael (the youngest member of our team) for input and advice, I know we are on the right track, and helping bring the next generation into the industry.” 

From Travel Agent Magazine
Click here to read on TravelAgentCentral.com

What makes a top travel agent? Is it determination and drive? Knowledge about suppliers and destinations? Specialization?

We asked travel agents to tell us what makes them a top agent. Among the criteria we considered were:

• Sales volume

• Travel Specialties and Destinations

• Certifications

• Associations and Affiliations

• Examples of challenges they’ve overcome in the industry and dream trips they’ve put together for clients

• Endorsements from suppliers and clients

Out of well over 100 entrants, we selected those who stood out for a number of reasons—from exceptional customer service to remarkable expertise in a particular destination. The one thing they all have, however, is dedication to their craft, and a commitment to excellence. (While we had many excellent submissions, in the end we gave most serious consideration to those who complied 100 percent with the guidelines by supplying the requested endorsements from suppliers and clients.)

Malaka Hilton
Admiral Travel International Inc.
Sarasota, FL

Hilton specializes in culinary travel and organizing exclusive journeys throughout the world that are escorted by iconic figures in food, wine, sports, entertainment and global culture. She has owned Admiral Travel since 1997, and founded AuthentEscapes earlier this year. Some of AuthentEscapes’ exclusive, “wow-factor” experiences include: VIP access to Andrea Bocelli’s concert in Italy and a stay at the Ferragamo family’s private villa at Il Borro; traveling with Chef Roy Yamaguchi (founder of Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine) through Japan and Australia; privileged access to the Carnival parade in Brazil on a program with Chef Jean-Georges; and a Safari in South Africa with public television’s “Simply Ming” host, Chef Ming Tsai.

Hilton also considers Egypt her destination specialty, and can even combine her passions into one trip. “My Egypt tour with Chef Roy Yamaguchi included a day with famous Egyptologist Zahi Hawass; a private reception with First Lady Jehan Sadat in her home on the Nile; a rare opening of Queen Nefertari’s Tomb; a private dinner by Chef Roy at Medinat Habu Temple in Luxor and tented dinner prepared by Chef Roy on the Giza Plateau with a presentation of Il Borro wines by special guest Salvatore Ferragamo.”

Culinary Travel Cooking With Gas
 
By JEFF HOUCK

Published: August 30, 2009 in the Tampa Tribune.
Click here to read TBO.com.

TAMPA - Millions of tourists will fly this year to Tokyo, zip along on a bullet train and take in a view of Mount Fuji.

Only a few dozen will get to have celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi as their personal culinary tour guide.

In September, the Hawaiian fusion-chef best known as the namesake of Roy's restaurants will partner with the Sarasota tour company AuthentEscapes to escort a few dozen travelers to his favorite food haunts in the world's most populous metropolitan area.

For about $7,000 (not including airfare), Yamaguchi will share his insider's take on restaurants - he loves the delicious variety served in the basements of Tokyo's department stores - interact with guests and cook a gala dinner for the entire group.

"I was born and raised there, so I know the Japanese culture," Yamaguchi said last week from his home in Hawaii. "I try to use the ingredients from that certain city and country to come up with a five- or six- or seven-course dinner."

Yamaguchi's culinary themed tour is part of a booming wing of the travel industry that increasingly caters to gourmands and food lovers tired of the usual tourist traps.

Bored with the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and the Colosseum, experienced travelers now want to consume the culture of the countries they visit by eating and cooking their food in restaurants and classes. Feeding the hunger for exotic flavors are Travel Channel shows such as "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain and "Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern," both of which take viewers to exotic dinner tables around the globe.

In early 2009, the Michigan-based Specialty Travel Agents Association named culinary travel one of the industry's fastest-growing segments, despite the downturned economy. Culinary options available worldwide include learning about food production, local-markets excursions, cooking classes, wine tastings and farm stays.

Chefs, authors and tour companies are rushing to cash in on the niche.

Joining Yamaguchi on the AuthentEscapes roster of trip celebs are such luminaries as chef-restaurateurs Ming Tsai and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Bon Appetit executive editor Victoria Von Biel.

Yamaguchi has been touring with the company for six years. During a trip to Egypt several years ago, he cooked dinner for 100 on a secluded plaza amid the Great Pyramids of Giza. He'll accompany another group to Australia in April.

Access to big-name stars is a strong lure. Alice Travel in Fairfield, N.J., is booking a Caribbean cruise in January for Paula Deen "Deeniacs" aboard the Celebrity line's Solstice ship with the Food Network star, her husband, Michael, and her sons, Bobby and Jamie.

Part-time Anna Maria Island resident Kathleen Flinn, author of the cooking school memoir "The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry," performed cooking classes and demonstrations during a 10-day Mediterranean cruise aboard Holland America's MS Noordam earlier this year. Through eight ports of call, she tailored dishes to ingredients found in the local markets.

Flinn started participating in culinary tours after AAA approached her about leading a tour last year through the Parisian neighborhoods where her book was set.

Her most surreal moment came when she showed a group of fans the spot where she dropped a duck she was preparing at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, an episode she chronicled in the book. A half-dozen travelers lunged to take photos of the empty kitchen floor.

"For them, that was a really big deal," she said. "For me, it was a realization I had emblazoned certain areas of Paris and the school into a bigger story."

Debbie and Barry Frangipane of Valrico began leading tours of Italy when they lived in Venice. Visiting friends and family convinced them that their advice and tips were so good, they should start a company.

Savory Adventures with personal chef Dolce Debbie was born two years ago. They lead small groups several times a year to the less-traveled Amalfi coast and towns like Piamonte. A recent trip featured a class taught in the home of legendary Italian cook Mama Agata, who has served meals for Jacqueline Kennedy, Sophia Loren and Fred Astaire.

For $5,900 per person minus airfare, the tour includes everything customers need from the moment they land until they fly home, including Mercedes limos and an Italian cellphone.

Next year, in addition to a Piamonte trip timed with the October white truffle festival in Alba, Savory Adventures will branch out to France with a tour led by Tampa chef Gui Alinat of his native Provence.

"What Debbie and I want to share is what it feels like to live there," Barry Frangipane said.

"Part of that is going to markets and cooking day by day and not deciding what to eat until you see what the fishmonger has," he said. "It's watching the artistry of the butcher as if you were watching an artist painting. People want an alternative to the monuments that is uniquely theirs."

Reporter Jeff Houck can be reached at (813) 259-7324.

The colors and spirit of contemporary Africa are energizing our world.
By Carol Tisch for Sarasota Magazine, August 2009

The romantic notion of the Dark Continent as expressed through the hauntingly beautiful images of Meryl Streep and Robert Redford’s Out of Africa prompted a 20-year explosion of luxury safaris and camp resorts. Now the siren song of Africa has us swaying to a different beat: that of Precious Ramotswe, owner of Botswana’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and the heroine of a best-selling book series and new HBO series by the same name.

Not since Sex and the City has the fashion world been more entranced. The series’ exquisite scenery, colorful textiles and quirky clothing are inspiring interpretations of contemporary Africa in everything from jewelry to couture fashions.

Jill Scott, an American singer and actress, has captivated audiences around the world as Mme. Ramotswe. She’s eliciting praise as Mother Africa incarnate and the embodiment of the continent’s vibrant contemporary mood, style and soul. And modern Africa has come to Sarasota as well, from enterprising immigrants who share their culture to the artists, dealers, and connoisseurs who bring Africa’s wines, art and fashion inspiration to our town.

The call of the wild Though he may raise an eyebrow if you ask for a guided tour of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, native Zimbabwean Ryan Hilton has led more than 700 safaris in every corner of Africa over the past decade. As safari specialist and co-owner of Sarasota’s Admiral Travel Gallery, Hilton has consistently been named top specialist for Southern Africa by Conde Nast Traveler magazine—one of the über-agents they say has unrivaled access, connections and destination savvy. Once a safari guide on staff at Landolozi Private Game Reserve in Kruger National Park, the avid wildlife photographer quips, “We don’t do hunting safaris; the only thing we shoot is photos.”

Africa on Display

At first, Africa was simply an alluring destination. Then it became Rebecca Saggau’s passion and ultimately her career. “After my first African safari, I kept going back, each time collecting tribal art and crafts. When my private collection outgrew my home, I opened a gallery with the idea of making a contribution,” Saggau says. She has established philanthropic connections to orphanages and schools throughout the continent, giving back to Africa with every sale. The 2,500-square-foot basement of Saggau’s new Siesta Key home is an appointment-only gallery with rare treasures like this Zulu basket used traditionally for beer storage at tribal ceremonies.

Calling All Connoisseurs

“Nelson Mandela’s election in 1994 ended sanctions against South Africa, but the country’s 350-year-old wine industry needed another decade to revive,” says Michael Klauber, owner of Sarasota’s Michael’s On East and Michael’s Wine Cellar. The Connoisseur Club, a loyalty program of Klauber-family-owned restaurants, several years ago did its part to resurrect the industry with a luxurious South African safari and winery tour, with exclusive tastings at cellars that had been off limits for half a century. What were Klauber’s most memorable experiences in Africa? “Dinner out in the bush under the stars, sleeping outside on the balcony of our room at Singita’s Lobombo Lodge, and dinner alone with my wife, Terri, in the wine cellar at the Boulders,” he replies without a moment’s hesitation.

Tribal Vibes

Africa is Marc Jacobs’ muse in a brilliant spring/summer 2009 collection for Louis Vuitton. Tribal art references abound: shoes, necklaces and handbags adorned with clusters of abstract African masks, stacks of bangle bracelets, skirts, jackets, hats—even ankle straps embellished with brilliantly colored plumes. The look evokes images of retro 1940s glamour. Yet the designer’s thoroughly modern aesthetic shines through every exotic python print and leopard spot.

Beading Frenzy

Jewelry designers are finding inspiration in Africa as well. One of the most notable is Masha Archer. With her au courant mix of new and old materials—antique glass trading beads, Baule Tribes’ gold ziggurats, buffalo horn, ancient coins, even African cameo shell—Archer’s jewelry moves with the body in the manner of native adornments. “Africa was a repository of beads from the glass-making centers of Czechoslovakia, Russia, Italy and India—the tradition of trading beads dates back centuries,” says Archer. “I turned to the African bead trade in the 1980s and developed relationships with the major trading families in Mali, Nigeria and Cameroon. They all know me.” Archer’s jewels are sold at La Perlelle and Saks Fifth Avenue in Sarasota.

Test of Time

“My favorite African arts picker is called Adjibou—I just love the way that sounds,” declares Cheryl Burke of Sarasota’s Burke & Company. “He’s a handsome African man—very friendly with a great big smile and eyes that light up when he speaks to you. Adjibou taught me so much about primitive art from the different regions of Africa. One trick to help you spot airport art—the fake souvenirs people buy as they’re running to catch a plane—is to smell the wood. If it smells burned or smoky, it’s airport art.”

Patterns of Life

Growing up a few blocks from Cape Town’s most vibrant flea market, Gary Stern learned early on to appreciate hand-crafted tribal objects—some functional, some spiritual, some for adornment. Now he re-creates the African open-market experience indoors at Nontando, his Sarasota store. Stern returns each year to the Green Point Market of his childhood, then scours the continent for unique arts and crafts. “I enjoy the variety of creative textiles in Africa. I love the combination of ancient traditions and modern patterns—which really aren’t modern at all—but appear so in their simplicity. You can tell where a cloth is from by how it is made, and from the patterns, which often have a symbolic or cultural meaning,” Stern explains. And most of all, he is inspired by the African spirit. “I meet people who have had a very hard time in life, but they keep going,” he says. “Even under severe restrictions, creativity abounds.”

Dressed to Explore

Exotic prints and relaxed silhouettes—the essence of the Bohemian-yet-sexy Milly label—conjure images of a vibrantly colorful African landscape. Designer Michelle Smith’s ethnically blended patterns in breezy silk chiffon are soft counterpoints to crisp cotton safari dresses, all ready to go and inspiring wanderlust. From hand-beaded bolero jackets to crocheted bikinis, the spring 2009 look is young and flirty, dripping with crafty tassels and fringes, and aimed at chic young followers from Beyoncé Knowles to Anne Hathaway. Available at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Continental Lift

Does she have only one name on her passport? We doubt it, but the storied interior designer Clodagh is a global nomad whose newest collection, Clodagh for Perennials Outdoor Fabrics, was inspired by the colors, patterns and textures of Africa. With fabric names like Kilimanjaro, Zulu Stripe and Katanga, Clodagh playfully explores the rich design nuances of this exotic continent.

by Richard Turen for Travel Weekly

When you watch a video of Tina Turner singing "Simply the Best" in her legendary 1990 Amsterdam concert, you could be forgiven for wondering if she was singing about the crews on the Crystal Symphony and Serenity.

In a world of five-star wannabes and luxury claims raining down all around, Crystal walks the quality walk.

At least, that's been both their reputation and my own impression, based on two previous sailings. But it has been a while, so I was back onboard the Serenity, on a sailing from San Juan that flitted about the Caribbean for 10 days, returning to Fort Lauderdale.

The last time I was on a Crystal ship, I witnessed one little detail I had not seen on any of my previous 124 sailings. As passengers began disembarking, crew members who I knew were off-duty showed up on the pier and at the gangway entrance to personally say goodbye to their new "friends." There were lots of hugs and kisses.

Having worked for one of the major lines, I know that you can't get crew to volunteer to do that during their time off. This has to come from the heart.

But I began wondering if in this age of pricing pressures and strong competition, Crystal would really be able to match its advertising claims. I had my doubts.

Not that cruise advertising bears much relevance to truth. Finding hype in the cruise industry is about as difficult as finding lobbyists working the halls of Congress.

But Crystal, with only two ships and fewer than 2,000 guests at any one time, somehow manages to underpromise and overdeliver so consistently that it remains virtually unchallenged as the midsize luxury leader.

On this sailing, I was determined to find out how this can be. After all, you pay for all your drinks on these ships. Standard cabins are just cabins, not suites, and you have to actually tip the people who serve you. To further distance itself from the five-star cruise designation norm, Crystal makes guests select either the main or later seating in the dining room.

So, on paper at least, one might argue that Crystal is a line with five-star pretensions but without the hardware to carry it off. Then there is the sheer number of guests. Can you share a luxurious, intimate experience with a thousand fellow passengers?

I wanted to find out what is at the root of the Crystal mystique. Are they really that good? How do they overcome their constraints to so dominate the consumer polls in Conde Nast Traveler and Travel+Leisure?

As I journaled what I observed onboard, I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Gen. Colin Powell: "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception. It is a prevailing attitude."

I kept a diary filled with "Crystalettes," little matters that other lines often simply miss. Here are a few excerpts from my notes:

• On the transfer from the Crystal pre-cruise hotel in Costa Rica to the port, special seats were blocked out for children so they could enjoy the best views.

• The cruise director was so appealingly unintrusive that we wondered where he had been trained. Public address announcements were dignified, brief and professional.

• Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" has become Crystal's theme song. In each port, his mesmerizing voice wafts over nearby passengers aboard lesser brands as the Serenity pulls gently back out to sea.

• The specialty restaurants are, in my opinion, the finest at sea. On the Serenity, the Silk Road is guided by famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa. I would book another trip on the Serenity solely for a chance to try, once again, the chef's signature broiled black cod with miso. But savvy diners can sit at the Sushi Bar and order from 35 or so sushi specials. This would be a $300 dinner experience for two on land, and I doubt that the service would be nearly as good or the setting as unique and relaxing.

• The library is well stocked and staffed by a gentle librarian who seems to have read every volume in her care. I heard her make some excellent recommendations to some pretty challenging inquiries.

Each of these things added to the experience, but none explained why Crystal wins all those awards when measured against ships of smaller size and better staff-to-guest ratios, especially when they are not as inclusive as most of their five-star competitors.

I thought I might find the answer during this cruise, but by the end of the first day, I realized that the Crystal "secret" lies thousands of miles away.

For three hours on embarkation day, I sat on the Lido deck, quietly observing what was going on around me.

The Filipino deck and wait staff approached just-arrived guests and, amazingly, remembered their names. They started talking about their last cruise together, recalling details that made some of the passengers wonder, after they walked away, how they could possibly remember "with all of the passengers they meet."

Every new guest was subtly approached by a crew member who formally introduced himself. He would then call over some of his colleagues for more introductions. In less than one hour aboard ship, the guests had made new friends among the crew, after which they had someone who would watch out for them as well as a small team that would know them by name and anticipate their needs.

While this scenario was unfolding, a white-uniformed Norwegian officer would occasionally walk through, signaling that the operation of the ship was in good hands.

But in the end, the Filipino crew is Crystal's secret weapon. They wage an ongoing stealth campaign to endear themselves to each and every passenger.

So, Crystal's secret is not hidden below decks or in some corner of the ship. It turns out that the secret to Crystal's extraordinary service springs from the Intramuros district in Manila, where the line's owner, NYK Line, a global Japanese firm, has established its crew-training center. NYK-Fil Management trains Crystal crews at the Manila facility and in Iloilo in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.

NYK-Fil, and therefore Crystal, maintains a strict policy: Crew must undertake rigorous training for a period of six months or longer before being deployed.

In June 2007, NYK-Fil and local partner TDG opened a new college-level training facility in Calamba, Laguna, about an hour south of Manila. This institution, which trains Crystal crew members, is considered the finest facility of its kind in the world.

The NYK philosophy of service is based on the Japanese principles of kaizen and kaikaku. Kaizen represents the belief in continuous improvement. Kaikaku is the never-ending journey for innovation and radical change. Kaizen, particularly, is an attempt to bring back the thought process to large-scale business endeavors. Workers use the scientific method to make recommendations and to eliminate policies that serve no purpose. The Japanese concept of kaizen is credited with, to use just one example, Toyota's success.

NYK's training emphasizes that when these ancient approaches are brought together in harmony, the path to true excellence begins.

For 10 days on the Serenity, I was allowed to follow that path. It led me from one of the world's best ships to a series of buildings in one of Manila's oldest neighborhoods.

That's where you learn to be "Simply the Best."

By Gracie Gagliano for The Bradenton Herald
Click here to read the story online.

SARASOTA — Malaka Hilton has a passport and a resume that should have the Travel Channel calling her agency for stories.

The president of Admiral Travel Gallery can get clients invited to a reception at the home of Egypt’s former first lady Jehan Sadat or dinner in Japan prepared by celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi or backstage with legendary classical singer Andrea Bocelli while traveling in Tuscany.

“We show them the country, the great hotels and the dining experience,” Hilton said. “Then we create that wow factor for them.”

The travel industry has been quite rewarding for Hilton.  In the 15 years she’s been in the industry, Hilton has started her own travel agency that’s gained accolades from Conde Nast, and Travel + Leisure magazines, she’s trekked across the world and met her husband on an African safari.

“Malaka gets it,” said Tommy Klauber, who has Admiral Travel Gallery plan trips to Chile, Argentina and South Africa for the Gulf Coast Wine Connoisseur Club. “She knows what we’re trying to accomplish in creating a unique experience.”

That’s probably because Hilton has plenty of training under her belt.

She’s been traveling since she was 4, when she took her first international trip to Egypt with her parents.

At 8 years old, Hilton went on a family trip to Asia that inspired her to pursue a career in travel and hospitality.

“The bug really hit me then, that I enjoyed being outside the country,” Hilton said.

Hilton, who grew up in Sarasota, received her business administration degree in hospitality at Florida State University.

“I knew I didn’t want to work for a hotel or restaurant,” Hilton said. “For me, I wanted to continue to travel the world. So I thought with my travel background, travel is hospitality you could eventually start your own travel company.”

Hilton worked at a small travel agency for three years before starting Admiral Travel in 1997. That same year she met her husband, Ryan. He was her tour guide on a safari in Africa. Ryan, a South African native, is recognized as the top safari specialist in the world by Conde Nast and co-owns Admiral Travel with Hilton.

“Africa is in his blood,” she said.

Africa is also the Hiltons’ favorite trip to plan for clients.

“We love planning Africa,” she said. “The guest never knows what they’re going to see. It’s always exciting to see their pictures and hear their experiences.”

Michelle Anderson, director of private client group for Admiral Travel, says the most rewarding aspect of the travel industry is planning clients’ global excursions.

“When you’re creating people’s dreams it’s the most amazing thing,” Anderson said. “It’s the most fabulous job I’ve ever had. I’ve been doing this for 26 years and it never gets old.”

Click here to view the article on LuxuryTA.com.

By Dave Eisen, Luxury Travel Advisor

Back in 2005 at Virtuoso's annual Travel Mart in Las Vegas, Matthew Upchurch, Virtuoso's CEO, made a remark that would ring more true then he might have ever expected at the time. "Create something that cannot be Googled," he told a roomful of luxury travel advisors. Meaning: In order to not only survive but grow, you need to manufacture something different that sets you apart from others. You can't be a cookie-cutter agency.

Admiral Travel, in Sarasota, FL, made a conscious decision then to separate themselves from the herd, led by owner and president Malaka Hilton, who was the subject of Luxury Travel Advisor's April 2007 cover story. The light bulb went off: Create strong partnerships with other credible people or businesses. "After 2001, we realized that the industry was going to change," Hilton says. "So, we decided to try and find something completely different. We had the attitude of 'nothing ventured, nothing gained.'"

By 2005, the agency really got going with its partnership strategy. One of its first collaborations was with a local film festival that chartered a trip to the Cannes Film Festival. Others followed, including a now long partnership with Chef Roy Yamaguchi. In September, Admiral offers its 10-day Land Tour of Tokyo, Hakone & Kyoto, in partnership with Yamaguchi, who will be the group's "personal guide to local flavor."
In 2010, famed Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will host a tour in Brazil.

There's more. Hilton was lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Salvatore Ferragamo, the grandson of the renown clothier, at a past Silversea gala. They hit it off, which led to Ferragamo hosting Admiral tours on his Tuscany estate. Admiral clients have had the rare chance to stay at his property and enjoy the estate's wine. Upcoming: On July 16, Admiral conducts a day with the Ferragamo's in Florence. Salvatore will join the group on Silver Wind at the completion of a tour to spend the two days sampling his wines from Il Borro. This is the type of exclusivity Admiral has cultivated.

"Exposure is key," says Cemantha Crain, Admiral's director of marketing. "Malaka is an excellent networker, she makes herself known and people want to hop on."

It doesn't hurt that her brother is the assistant athletic director for the University of Southern California. She likes to tap into his circle every know and then. "I look to expand partnerships with athletes," says Hilton, who also writes a travel column for Moves, an upscale magazine that covers professional athletes. She looks to also recruit from there. Case in point: Shannon Sharpe, former tight end for the Denver Broncos and now football studio analyst for CBS Sports. Sharpe's agent just so happened to know Hilton's brother. The rest is history. In May 2010, Sharpe will host a trip to Peru.

These types of partnerships have set Admiral apart, or at least given them their own niche to play in. "In this economy, it has played to our advantage," says Crain. "With bargains everywhere, commissions sinking, we are selling something that doesn't have a competitor."

Admiral's first quarter was tough, but now the phone is ringing off the hook according to Crain. "I think people are fed up and want to travel," she says.

Most recently, Admiral has launched partnerships with Bon Appetit magazine and SeaMiles, a cruise loyalty provider. With regard to the former, each year Admiral and the magazine will create a new "epicurean odyssey" designed by acclaimed chefs. The strategy is three-pronged: It's a way for Bon Appetit to gain potential ad revenue; Admiral is promoted by the magazine; and the destinations where the tours will be held gain exposure.

Admiral's partnership business has been such a success that, in some instances, Admiral has turned some potential ones down. "We make sure that the partnership is not just beneficial for us, but for the partner," Hilton says.

It's been such a boon that Admiral tells Luxury Travel Advisor it will, in the next four weeks, announce it is starting a new company focusing exclusively on its exclusive partnerships, what it calls "exclusive product."
All the success has been a "combination of luck and business sense," Hilton says. "Choosing the right partnerships is in the right market channels is key," says Crain. "That puts our product in the spotlight.

Click here to view the article on TravelWeekly.com.

From The Window Seat - Editorial by Arnie Weissmann, Editor in Chief, Travel Weekly

Three weeks before the value of the stock market dropped a trillion-plus dollars in a single day last September, I moderated a panel at TheTradeShow in Orlando about looming economic uncertainty.  Afterward, a young Irishman came up and wanted to talk about a topic that, while it interests me, didn't seem at the time to directly relate to what the panel had just been discussing.

He wanted to talk about recruiting new blood into the travel agency community.  The young man, Robert Tynan, was the director of global recruitment for Admiral Travel Gallery in Sarasota, Fla.  He followed up with an email a few weeks later, noting that in turbulent economic times, "it is vital to be adaptable and innovative...Many are attracted to the world of travel...and some are looking for a career change into our industry."

Looking at rising unemployment numbers last week, I thought about those comments and wondered if the talent pool for potential travel agends had increased significantly, making Tynan's job easier.

So I phoned to ask him, and I received a thoughtful, complex answer.

Admiral Travel Gallery has several components, he began.  It is a Virtuoso-affiliated brick-and-mortar agency, a host agency for home agents and a tour operator, putting together unique, celebrity-led tours (hosted, for example, by chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Roy Yamaguchi, Salvatore Ferragamo's vintner-grandson and Winston Churchill's granddaughter and biographer, Celia Sandys),

Tynan focuses on finding home agents to expand the hosting operation.  "Initially, I thought we'd be able to create a new business model.  We would not charge a hosting fee and would let agents keep 70% of the commission.  We thought a 70/30 split with no fee would give agents the leeway they'd need to build a client base."

Tynan said he used a recruitment tool that gave him a flood of leads.  "I was talking to up to 20 people a week.  I thought it was fantastic.  But in the end, we only kept about 20% of the applicants.

"We learned so much along the way.  We thought that the hunger people might feel after losing a position would drive them.  But we found it takes a combination of a strong personality as well as strength of knowledge and experience.  We need to find people who have innovative ideas."

After "three months of hard slog" with his recruiting strategy, Tynan decided it was necessary to have the "spur" of the monthly fee, so he instituted a $250 fee, but he also increased the portion of commission that agents keep to 80% (or, for a $500 monthly fee, they could keep 90%).

To better identify those who are ultimately unlikely to work out, he has "added a couple of rungs" to the recruitment process.  "There are plenty of people out there but not plenty of talent.  And we want to make sure the people who are affiliated with us represent our brand in the way we want.  Our branding is all we have."

Admiral Travel Gallery carries a fair amount of overhead dedicated to its expansions plans - two IT staffers to hone technology as well as a full-time recruiter - so I was surprised to hear how few agents the 12-year-old agency had.  "Five [in house] agents and 11 home agents that we host," Tynan said.  "We had 32 [home agents] at one point, but we decided to cut out the deadwood."

It occurred to me as we spoke that Admiral Travel Gallery is in many ways at the opposite end of the hosting spectrum from agencies such as Joystar and YTB, whose recruitment strategy has focused primarily on quantity.

Tynan took it further.  "Home agents are the future," he said.  "And the agencies that want quantity rather than quality are a bad reflection on the rest of us.  They don't seem to care how a person reflects their brand, and don't care if they dilute their overall brand name.  They seemed to have lost control a long time ago.  Ours is a family business; it's about integrity, and that won't change no matter how big we get."

I'm glad he noted that integrity and scale are not incompatible.  Among the positive changes that seem to be coming about as a result of our economic crisis is that integrity is back in style.  In the end, one hopes that long after the economy recovers, it's still remembered that an absence of integrity produces an unsustainable business model, while a strategy that emphasizes integrity creates a stable foundation to enable long-term financial success.

Contact Arnie Weissmann at aweissmann@travelweekly.com.

Admiral Travel Gallery (ATG) owner and President Malaka Hilton has been named among the world’s top travel experts by Travel + Leisure for the fourth consecutive year.  Hilton specializes in planning custom private tours as well as escorted luxury tours in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.

Travel + Leisure’s seventh annual "A-List of 128 Top Travel Experts," printed in the magazine’s September 2008 issue and posted live on www.travelandleisure.com, was selected by T+L editors, who interviewed hundreds of candidates for this highly-selective guide.  “Because travelers today have hundreds of options at their fingertips, using a great travel agent is more important than ever,” said T+L’s Editor-in-Chief Nancy Novogrod.  

Hilton, who is honored to be recognized as one of the nation’s top specialists for travel to Egypt, commented, “I love surprising my clients with things they never dreamed were possible.”  Spending an afternoon with the country’s chief of antiquities Zahi Hawass, accessing Cairo’s Egyptian Museum after hours, entering the tomb of Queen Nefertari by special arrangement and meeting former first lady Jehan Sadat are just a few of the exclusive experiences she arranges. 

“Egypt offers great opportunities for every type of traveler,” Hilton continued. “Families, honeymooners, history buffs…even foodies.”  For example, Chef Roy Yamaguchi (the namesake behind Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion©) and Chef Jean-Georges (creator of Spice Market, Dune, V and Jean-Georges, among others) cook for her guests at the base of the Pyramids.  

Hilton escorts at least one annual departure to Egypt; however, in 2009 she will lead two groups: a tour of Cairo and Nile River cruise with Jean-Georges in April and a second family-themed tour in June.  For more information, please visit www.admiraltravel.com or call toll free 888-722-3401.

Ryan Hilton Named To Condé  Nast Traveler's 9th Annual World’s Top Travel Specialists List

Admiral Travel Gallery (ATG) co-owner, safari specialist and wildlife photographer Ryan Hilton has been named one of the world's 128 Top Travel Specialists by Condé Nast Traveler magazine for the fifth consecutive year.  Hilton specializes in planning custom private safaris as well as escorted safari experiences throughout southern and eastern Africa.
 
By combining first hand experience and years of knowledge, the travel specialists named to Condé Nast Traveler's 2008 World's Top Travel Specialists list provide their clients with the most up-to-date, exclusive information out there.   Out of thousands of candidates, 128 made the list this year.
 
"To be included on the list, travel specialists need to remain ahead of online travel sites, and they need to offer a combination of insider advice, local connections, added value, and special access," said Condé Nast Traveler Consumer News Editor Wendy Perrin.  
 
"I am honored to be recognized by Condé Nast Traveler for being one of the world's top travel agents," said Hilton, who is recommended as one of only three safari specialists for his expertise in the Southern Africa Safari Experience.
 
Hilton, who is a native Zimbabwean and a former guide at the award-winning Londolozi luxury game reserve in South Africa, spends over 100 days per year in Africa, escorting safaris and researching new lodges and reserves. 
 
In addition to South Africa and Botswana, Hilton has added a series of new safari experiences to his repertoire, including the Great Migration in the Serengeti, tracking gorillas in Rwanda and elephant-back tiger safaris in India.  Hilton also works with individuals to create custom individual safari experiences.  An avid space enthusiast, Hilton is the only agent in the Tampa Bay region accredited for the Virgin Galactic space flight and previously flew aboard the Zero-G parabolic flight.
 
Condé Nast Traveler's annual Travel Specialists list began as a service travel directory 9 years ago, yet it has turned into a must-have list of the most impressive, knowledgeable, and experienced travel specialists in the world.
 
Each year, Condé Nast Traveler Consumer News Editor Wendy Perrin leads a team of editors in evaluating applicants.   Listed travel specialists have undergone a rigorous screening process that includes a 47-question application with sample itineraries and client references, then continues with phone interviews and, in most cases, road-testing by Condé Nast Traveler staff.  Perrin receives hundred of letters annually from around the world reporting back on the trips that were planned by these specialists, and you can read the most recent ones on Wendy Perrin's blog at perrinpost.com.

Click here to read Wendy Perrin’s article in the August 2008 issue.
Wendy Perrin's Ninth Annual 128 World's Top Travel Specialists (And When To Use Them)

Click here to view or post feedback on Ryan.

GULF COAST BUSINESS REVIEW
Around the World - 6/13/2008

entrepreneurs by Mark Gordon | Managing Editor

In the high-stakes world of running an international travel agency, it helps to be opportunistic. Never take no for an answer.

Ryan and Malaka Hilton have heard it many times: The travel agency industry is a dinosaur, a soon-to-be relic of the days before the Internet, when a neighborhood travel agent was as common as a diner lunch counter or a working phone booth.
While the industry has indeed suffered, its demise has barely registered with the Hiltons or the Sarasota-based agency they have run since 1997, Admiral Travel Gallery. Instead, the husband-and-wife team has been busy building Admiral into an agency with an international reputation by assembling high-end and exclusive trips for clients as far away as California, Chicago and New York.
The company’s revenues climbed at least 10% a year for three consecutive years through 2006, when it reached $10 million. And its 2007 revenues were up 30% from 2006, to $13 million. The firm has six full-time employees, including the Hiltons, as well as a stable of 10 freelance contractors.
The genesis of how the Hiltons survived, even prospered, as their industry shriveled around them, stems from a risky decision Malaka Hilton made three years ago. That’s when Hilton, Admiral’s founder and chief executive, decided she had to overhaul, not tinker, with the business plan in order to achieve sustained growth. “We decided we had to make a change,” Malaka Hilton says.
The plan was to create an exclusive catalog of trips and experiences that people could only get by booking through Admiral. They would still book trips such as luxury safaris in Africa and tours to the Egyptian ruins, many of which they personally led. And they would still book meeting and event trips, too. Both of those ventures provided solid sales.
But with exclusivity as the plan’s lynchpin, the Hiltons scored several major coups with what they now call their “travel partners.” Says Malaka Hilton: “We have come up with things that no other agency in the world I know of has done.”

Outer Space
Today, an Admiral client can choose between packages as diverse as walking tours led by Sir Winston Churchill’s granddaughter, Celia Sandys, who plans to trace her grandfather’s famous journeys to places such as Morocco and South Africa during two separate trips in 2009; a trip to Japan with chef Roy Yamaguchi, a popular food author and restaurateur who founded the Roy’s restaurant chain, now owned by the Tampa-based parent of Outback Steakhouse; and a trip to Turkey with Yamaguchi and Salvatore Ferragamo, grandson and namesake of the famous Italian shoe designer, who now runs a vineyard in Tuscany.
The trips involving Ferragamo, a celebrity-like figure in European fashion and cuisine circles, is a testament to the Hilton’s opportunistic, don’t-take-no-for-an-answer attitude. Ryan Hilton heard Ferragamo was a guest on a cruise they both were on last year, so Hilton simply tracked him down and pitched him on a partnership. Ferragamo loved the idea.
“Private access and exclusive experiences are a very important part of what we do,” Ryan Hilton says. “That separates us from the competition.”
And speaking of exclusives, there’s this: Ryan Hilton has been training to become an official space travel agent, through the Virgin Galactic Space Ship program run by British entrepreneur Richard Branson. Hilton recently traveled to Philadelphia, where he and 50 other travel agents went through simulations at the National Aerospace Training and Research Center that included experiencing zero gravity and G-force speeds.
Hilton is the only travel agent on the Gulf Coast enrolled in Branson’s program, which could begin running suborbital space flight trips for non-astronauts within a few years. Tickets, which cost as much as $200,000 depending on the seat and reservation, are already being sold.
A good deal
Partnership affiliations have been the lifeblood of Admiral’s business transformation — and not just the ones with celebrity chefs and Winston Churchill’s granddaughter. In the past few years, for example, Admiral has signed customer-sharing agreements with two travel entities that have served to further promote the agency’s trips and products.
One deal was with Virtuoso, a high-end, invitation-only travel network that’s akin to having an American Express Platinum travel credit card, but with more exclusive options. The second agreement Admiral signed was with Starwood, the international hotel conglomerate behind brands such as St. Regis, Westin and W Hotels.
The Starwood deal, which allows the hotel company’s elite-level customers to cash in their frequent travel points toward Admiral’s packages, is somewhat unorthodox for the travel industry. In addition to shrinking, the fragmented marketplace isn’t known for customer sharing arrangements, especially ones that combine travel points.
Indeed, Malaka Hilton says she had reservations about the arrangement at first, worried it would limit her client’s hotel options. But now she considers Starwood an invaluable partner, with several luxury hotel options. Adds Hilton: “Now our products are put forth in an area we would never be in touch with.”
All of this luxury comes with a steep price though, especially considering the current economic climate. The Yamaguchi led trip to Japan scheduled for September 2009 starts at $7,950 per person, for example, while the “Chasing Churchill” trip to Morocco, scheduled for Oct. 20-27, starts at $5,950 per person. Those fees don’t include international airline tickets.
The key to generating sales for these and other trips is the company’s contingent of independent contractors. They are a group of travel agents — some experienced, others coming from another industry, such as real estate — who have the ability to market and sell some of Admiral’s exclusive trips to clients. In return, Admiral provides back-office support, computer assistance and training. And if the agent closes a sale of an Admiral-exclusive trip, the agency pays out a commission.
The independent-contractor model is the newest trend in the travel industry and the Hiltons’ plan to grow that aspect of their business this year and into 2009. The Hiltons declined to disclose commission rates, as it varies widely depending on the trip and agent.

Gorillas in the Mist
Training others on the art of selling luxury international travel is a relatively easy task for the Hiltons since both Ryan and Malaka Hilton led globetrotting lives long before Admiral.
Malaka Hilton, 37, was born in Minnesota, the daughter of an Egyptian-born doctor who ran medical symposiums worldwide. Hilton’s father worked for the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for a few years before moving the family to Sarasota when Hilton was a young child.
Hilton frequently joined her family on her father’s trips. By the time she was four years old, she had been to Egypt; by eight she had been to Japan; and by 12, she was wandering the streets of Moscow. She did spend enough time stateside to earn a bachelor’s degree in hospitality from Florida State University in the mid 1990s. A few years later, she opened Admiral, in a small storefront on Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota.
Hilton, then single, went on a scouting trip to South Africa in 1997, preparing for a medical conference she was going to host with her father there. She also made time for a safari where her guide would turn out to be her future husband.
Ryan Hilton, 34, was born to be a safari guide. A native of Zimbabwe, Hilton’s uncle was a professional hunter, so the younger Hilton and his cousin spent vacations and summers in the African bush while growing up. Hilton worked for a company in Zimbabwe that rebuilt old safari vehicles and later worked and lived in Italy and Australia for a few years.
The Hiltons married in 1998 and Ryan Hilton moved to Sarasota, where they have since taken on different roles growing the travel agency. Malaka Hilton is the Egypt expert, while Ryan Hilton is the safari guru. Ryan Hilton’s next big trip is leading a gorilla-tracking event in Rwanda, to sites where the movie Gorillas in the Mist was filmed; the first 20 spots on the trip sold out, so the agency added a second trip. Both Hiltons travel about 100 days a year.
The agency is poised for more growth. In addition to seeking more independent travel agents, Malaka Hilton says she and her husband are considering opening an office in England to promote more European trips. And they plan to keep adding new and exclusive travel packages.
“We love what we do,” she says. “We love being able to travel the world.”

REVIEW SUMMARY
Business. Admiral Travel Gallery, Sarasota
Industry. Tourism
Key. The travel agency reinvented itself in a declining market by creating exclusive trips.

Click here for Jean-Georges' cooking demonstration of Squab a l'Orange on Gourmet.com. 

This month Malaka leads a group on a 10-day trip to Egypt that includes a 3-night Nile cruise. Joining the trip is Roy Yamaguchi, founder of the restaurant chain Roy's, and Salvatore Ferragamo (grandson of the shoe designer) who will be sharing wines from his vineyards. Adding to the wow factor is a full day in the company of famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass including an after-hours tour of the Egyptian Museum. Guests stay in the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo in addition to the Sun Boat IV which will take them on their cruise. That’s in part, what makes them both some of the best in travel according to Condé Nast and Travel + Leisure magazines

There's a whole world of boutique, specialty travel agencies catering to the gourmet tastes of sophisticated and well-monied travelers seeking extraordinary experiences rather than mere vacations. One of the best of those travel agencies is located here in Sarasota and run by its founder, Malaka Hilton, called Admiral Travel Gallery.

Though she's only in her late-ish 30s, this native got her travel career started while still a youngster—traveling with her parents to far off places like Egypt, Japan, and Moscow as part of her cardiologist father's (Dr. Mahfouz El Shahawy) many medical conferences. Later she would go on to organize those same conferences for him, setting up travel arrangements for groups of 100 or so physicians and their families.

The family connection played heavily in her formative years and in Malaka's career as well. Her father is Egyptian and her mother, Sylvia, is Yugoslavian. They met each other in Vienna, moved to New York, and have lived on Bird Key since 1975. Her dad knew Malaka would never get into medicine because she recalls how little he was home.

When college came around Malaka opted for majoring in hospitality at Florida State University and even interned at the Longboat Key Club but, she reflects, “I didn't see myself in hotels or restaurants.” She was about to graduate and join her dad on another conference—this one to Greece—when a family friend said to her, “You should get into travel.” She took classes at a Sarasota travel school and did grunt time at Horizon Travel (now defunct), learning the office side of the biz. But she had a head start on the travel side due to the many trips she had organized for her father, not to mention the many trips she made with her family, often visiting relatives in Egypt.

Those family trips had a lasting effect on Malaka. She not only remembers them “vividly,” but admits, “they're probably what got me into this business.” And so it happened. Her dad saw space available on Palm Avenue and 10 years ago, she opened her Admiral Travel company. While her agency can book any exotic trip you may want, its strong suit is in the unique special excursion they offer.

Case in point: this month Malaka is leading a group on a 10-day trip to Egypt that includes a 3-night Nile cruise. Joining the trip is Roy Yamaguchi, founder of the restaurant chain Roy's.

Add to that a rare visit to the tomb of Queen Nefertari and dinner at Medinat Habu Temple in Luxor (prepared by Roy himself). Guests will savor wines from Salvatore Ferragamo (grandson of the shoe designer) produced by his vineyards. Adding to the wow factor is a full day in the company of famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass including an after-hours tour of the Egyptian Museum. Guests stay in the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo in addition to the Sun Boat IV which will take them on their cruise. Travel and family would play a major part in her personal life as well. On a trip to South Africa to do what is called in the biz a “site inspection” in advance of her dad's medical group's next conference, Malaka was scheduled to visit a game reserve, but wanted to head home early instead. The rep from South African Airlines who had helped with the trip urged her to stay and insisted she visit the Londolozi game reserve.  Ryan Hilton, a veteran guide, drove Malaka and her parents and helped them choose a safari camp. Their days driving together included witnessing two kills by a cheetah—a rarity for such an elusive creature—that served as a positive omen of sorts as the couple clicked and maintained contact after Malaka left. 1997 proved to be a watershed year for Malaka. She opened her biz in March, 1997, and met Ryan in June. He visited in July, came here permanently in September, the couple married in spring of 1998, and are co-owners of the business. The couple have two children: Carter, 4, and Alexandria, 7, who always travel with their parents.

They split the travel duties, but still average 10-15 trips a year with Ryan gone 12-16 weeks while she may be gone around 14 weeks and they schedule their trips pretty much back to back.

Malaka and her 16 employees staff either the Palm Avenue or Lakewood Ranch locations. She has wisely tapped into the many contacts she has made over the years here in Sarasota and beyond. The couple trade on their collective personal experiences in designing their trips. Ryan takes groups to South Africa to visit game reserves. Malaka takes groups to Egypt. Trips are personalized to give unique experiences—not the usual “today we did the pyramids, tomorrow we ride camels” type of itinerary. They also keep their group's size intentionally small so guests can enjoy the experience more.

Their expertise has not gone unnoticed. Open this August's Condé Nast Traveler, and Ryan was listed as one of only four top travel consultants specializing in travel to Southern Africa. The native Zimbabwean adds artistic touches to his trips such as poetry readings and painting sessions in addition to wildlife sightings. Malaka has topped Travel + Leisure's lists for being the best expert on Egypt which, given her many travels, family ties and trips, had to have been a slamdunk. You'll see her mentioned in the Travel + Lesiure September issue on the magazine's “A-List” of “super agents.”

It seems smart to ask this seasoned traveler and business owner what trends in travel are hot right now. For families in particular, “Barging...river trips in France...people love them,” she readily notes. Italy is also “very hot” and is the place where everyone is going. Croatia is a “best kept secret” in Europe offering smaller crowds and better value, dollar-wise. New Zealand is also showing up on more people's radar as well for fly fishing, the food and wine experience whereas India is rising in popularity, too. And yes, when asked, she admits getting asked these questions all the time at parties.

Where is/are her favorite spot(s) to vacation? “Anywhere tropical,” she says with no hesitation, reciting Bora Bora, Tahiti and she admits to always enjoying South Africa and Egypt—two places where, she's “never bored.” And yes, this mom of two finds Egypt very safe. “You can feel safe at 2 a.m. in Cairo, I've brought my children.” Plus, she adds, “Egyptians love Americans.”

So, if you're an adventurous explorer, better get booked with this company soon. Their trips are mapped out through 2008 and include South Africa, Venice, Tanzania and, of course, Egypt.

Story: Louise Bruderle
Photos: Evelyn England

 Click here to view the full cover story.

When you travel with Malaka Hilton you are guaranteed to meet with me, to see Egypt at a depth second to none and finally, to have the trip of a life time.  This women is an Egyptian, Americanized!

A seat on a sold-out flight. A beachfront room at a hot new resort. That elusive cabin upgrade (at no extra charge). These are a few of the things that a great travel agent can secure for a client. In this easy-to-use guide, you'll find T+L's 2006 A-List: 125 travel super-agents, the best of the best—specialists who always deliver. In the past year, we've interviewed hundreds of agents to find out which ones provide unparalleled service and essential advice. Each is listed by area of specialization, with his or her dream holiday included to inspire a trip that may even change your life. We also added five young agents we have our eye on, and surveyed all the A-List agents on their picks for up-and-coming destinations, exciting hotel openings, and new cruise ports, for insights into where you'll be heading in the months ahead. So get ready to book your next trip.

Reported by Andrea Bennett. Edited by Heidi Mitchell

Agent	Malaka Hilton
Specialty	Egypt
Dream Trip	Traveling by yacht in royal fashion from Athens to Cairo. Meeting former first lady Jehan Sadat at her house overlooking the Nile, and sifting through ancient sands on a private dig with famous Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass.
Years as Agent	13
Other Specialties	Southern Africa
Consulting Fee	From $250, included in trip cost
Contact Info	Admiral Travel International Sarasota, Fla. 888/722-3401 malaka@admiraltravel.com

THE PERRIN ROLODEX

With a blend of expertise, connections, customer service and good value, these select travel consultants are the pros to turn to for your next big trip.

Seventeen years of interviewing travel agents and tour operators for "the Perrin Report" and other Condé Nast Traveler  consumer news articles have provided me with a well-thumbed Rolodex of the most trusted consultants - people who offer the best combination for specialized knowledge, insider connections, user-friendliness, and value for the money.

Each year, my team and I evaluate hundreds of new applicants, and only a handful make the cut.  Our recommended specialists undergo a rigorous screening process that includes a 27-question application, sample itineraries, extensive phone interviews, and client references.  Those who have inadequate firsthand experience of the destination they claim to specialize in or who send an insufficient number of clients there annually are disqualified.  So are those who do business with only the famous or the superrich or who normally design trips for clients who are not as savvy, independent, and authenticity-seeking as the readers of Condé Nast Traveler.  Other red flags:  agents who unnecessarily book every trip through a tour operator (as opposed to directly with local hotels and suppliers) or who use on-site contacts that charge exorbitant rates.

The travel specialists who make the list do so by meeting our expectations and those of our readers.  How do we get your feedback?  I regularly receive e-mail and phone calls from readers about their experiences using the listed consultants. Any specialist who merits few raves or is the object of a valid complaint is removed from the list.  To share your impressions of a listed specialist or to nominate someone new for consideration, please email me at perrinfedback@cntraveler.com.

If you prefer not to hop from specialist to specialist but to develop a relationship with one generalist, the consultants marked with an arrow are your best bet.  Highly respected in the travel business, these generalists have a track record for making many Condé Nast Traveler  readers happy in a range of destinations. Even if you settle into a long-term relationship with one of them, it's still advisable to contact the listed specialists to find out what they offer that the generalist doesn't, particularly when it involves a major journey where the right guides and other local connections are critical.  -W.P.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Ryan Hilton, Admiral Travel, Sarasota, FL

This native Zimbabwean's trips incorporate artistic touches such as sunrise poetry readings and painting sessions at water holes.  He reports that wildlife sightings, accommodations, and services in Botswana's Okavango Delta and Linyati regions rival those around South Africa's Kruger National Park, where he used to guide (941-951-1801; africa@admiraltravel.com; www.admiraltravel.com)

Michelle, thank you again for going up, over and above the call of duty.  Is there anything like 'best travel agent of the year' award that I can nominate you for? 

Caroline B.
New York Traveler
December 2005

The Art of  Travel Planning

By Claudette Covey

Whatever you do, don't call Admiral Travel Gallery a travel agency, becasue as far as its owners are concerned, it isn't - certainly not in the traditional sense.

Malaka Hilton, who co-owns the agency with her husband, Ryan Hilton, has worked tirelessly to make Sarasota, Fla. based Admiral distinct.

"In the past, people have viewed travel agents as order takers," Hilton said.  "We decided years ago that we didn't want to be classifiec that way because we do so much more."

One way Admiral differentiates itself is in the ambience of its new offices, which are located in the heart of the city's arts district.  In effect, said Hilton, Admiral wants to showcase the art of travel.

"We moved into this gorgeous new office with leather walls and sliding glass doors," said Hilton.

Custom photography and original artwork and handcrafts are on display.  IN December, Admiral will feature its first of an ongoing series of gallery opening and wine tastings.

Admiral employees are never referred to as travel agents but as travel professionals and travel specialists.

"Our vision is to employ a person who specializes in every destination in the world," said Hilton.

One of the Hilton's areas of expertise is Etypg, a destination that is like a second home to her, in large part because she has traveled there at least once a year since the age of four with her Egyptian-born father and Yugoslav mother.

"I can do things for my customers that nobody else can," she said, adding that she hosts barbecues at family members' homes in teh Pyramid district and offers other events adn activities that would be extremely difficult for  anyone but an insider to arrange.

Her husband, whom she met as a South Africa game reserve where he worked as a guide, serves as the agenty's Africa and safari specialist.  While she oversees the personnel side of the business, he handles Admiral's sophisticated technology.

Both are group experts who take travelers on unique itineraries.  Admiral partners with a host of cultural institutions that provide its customers with insider access to regional and international events, such as the Cannes Film Festival and Chinese New Year.

"My husband and I have made a conscious effort to get our name out locally through charity events and such cultural institutions as the Sarasota Film Festival and the Asolo Theatre Company.  Cultural institutions have figured out that they can raise a lot of money through travel," said Hilton.  "And I've stepped in and said,'I'd like to be your travel company of choice."

Admiral also partners with high-profile individuals, having formed working partnerships with such luminaries as Salvatore Ferragamo and chef Roy Yamaguchi, founder of over 30 Roy's restaurants in the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and on Guam.

"Exclusive product is our niche, and it's very important to us," said Hilton.  "We cater to those travelers who want the wow factor."

Ferragamo will escort and Admiral group next year on a tour exploring Italy's Tuscany region.  The itinerary will include a private tour of Florence and the Ferragamo Store and Museum.  It will also feature a visit to his family's winery in Tuscany as well as the exclusive Palio horse race in Sienna.

Yamaguchi will join an Admiral group next year on a South African Winelands and Safari tour, which includes a private dinner with the chef at the Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town.

"When I meet people I like to envision how we can do business together, and then I just start brainstorming," said Hilton.  "Sometimes it works and appeals to the peopel I talk to and meet, and sometimes it doesn't.  I make sure it's not only appealing to me and the future of my business, but to theirs as well."

HIlton said that creative thinking, impeccable service and 24/7 accessibility are what draws new customers and marketing partnerships. 

"My cell phone is printed on my business card, and I keep my cell phone on all the time," said Hilton.  "My customers know that no matter where they are or what time it is, they can call me."

Hilton said success will come to travel counselors who couple creativity with flexibility.  "The ones whil will succeed have to be dynamic and willing to adapt to change," she said.  "This is a dynamic industry, and it's always changing."