Springing into Action
After holding a special 10th anniversary event to thank their loyal travellers, Divine by Design Travel Advisory Board members and some of their long-time partners for their support over the years, co-founders Deb Niven and Allison Frame announced the first trip of 2022 – Camp Divine – a three-day glamping retreat in beautiful Grafton, Ontario, just 90 minutes east of Toronto.
Glamping is the perfect combination of luxury and outdoor camping, and there is no better place to indulge in comfort and style while experiencing the great outdoors than the fabulous Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat.
From September 25 to 27, 2022 The Divine Destination Collection will be taking over the entire resort for a relaxing break to revive the soul and reconnect with the natural world.
It’s also a chance to meet up and have some fun!
After checking into a luxurious cabin or tent, guests will be treated to an “Up in Smoke” evening. Special BBQ dinner baskets will be delivered right to each tent. The fun continues into the evening around the bonfire for s’mores, nightcaps, and maybe a campfire ghost story or two.
Another gourmet meal basket awaits the next morning, then the day is free to take in a yoga class with Divine’s favourite yogini Allie Chisholm-Smith, who is also leading daily casual reflections and a guided forest bathing experience or shinrin-yoku, or to go hiking, paddle-boarding or kayaking, visit some of the celebrated Prince Edward County wineries, or indulge in a relaxing treatment at the Fieldstone or Ste. Anne’s spas, both located only a short distance away.
The day ends with an exclusive “We Ain’t Roughin’ It” party with a delectable sit-down dinner, wonderful vintages, and of course, a few Divine surprises thrown in to make this evening even more spectacular.
Spots are filling up fast, so register HERE to get away for a relaxing and fun glamping adventure.
And don’t forget – the temporary Ontario Staycation Tax Credit allows Ontario residents to claim 20% of their eligible accommodation expenses when filing their personal Income Tax and Benefit Return for 2022.
A Return to International Travel
While Allison and Deb decided to stay close to home in 2022 to ensure the safety of travellers regarding COVID, as well as to avoid the problems that labour shortages at hotels and airports have been causing, they are looking forward to resuming international travel in 2023.
That means the 2020 trip to the Sacred South of France…the Mystery of Mary Magdalene, which was postponed due to the pandemic – is now on for June 2023!
This adventure will take travellers to Carcassonne and Aix-en-Provence to uncover the 2,000 year-old legend of Mary Magdalene. Many believe Mary was forced out of the Holy Land with other devout followers of Christ after his crucifixion, and arrived by boat to the South of France where she spent the rest of her life as a teacher and healer.
Besides visiting sacred historical sites to delve into the legend of this famous icon, guests will travel the French countryside, stop at vineyards, and sample mouth-watering regional cuisine and superb vintages– all in the comfort and luxury that The Divine Destination Collection is famous for.
An African Experience
A once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa is also in the works for October 21 to 31, 2023.
From the beautiful city of Cape Town, where penguins frolic at the Cape of Good Hope and where you can take in a breath-taking view of the city from the famous Table Mountain – to a chance to see the Big Five at the Londolozi Game Reserve, and then meet up with mountain gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi National Park – this is a trip you will not want to miss!
More details will be announced soon!
A New Member of the Team
And on top of all that – Deb and Allison have welcomed a new member to their team.
Susan Minns first met Allison in 2005 when they worked together at a corporate events company. They kept in touch over the years, and as luck would have it, Susan was deciding to leave the corporate events world right when Allison and Deb were searching for a Partnership & Opportunities Creator to reach out to more travellers and forge new partnerships with the media, the hospitality industry, and local communities.
“It was a natural step for me,” says Susan. “I had the marketing, sales, and travel know-how, and I was interested in helping curate wonderful travel experiences for people to enjoy and embrace.
Besides bringing her marketing expertise to the team, Susan is also a seasoned traveller. Trip highlights include being surrounding by camels in the Moroccan desert, and boarding a Russian ice-breaker in Churchill, Manitoba to travel up the west coast of Hudson Bay. “I’m a huge fan of the Canadian Arctic, and I’m dying to get back there.”
Susan is also a fan of glamping and is eager to join in on the September glamping adventure.
“But most of all I’m looking forward to meeting more Divine Destination Collection travellers. It will be great to get to know this group of fun, like-minded travellers.”
