New York, NY - Traveling to far-flung destinations with the kids may be daunting at first, but Absolute Travel General Manager, Leslie Overton, argues it’s much easier than you’d think, and far more rewarding than parking your family at the beach. For the sixth year in a row, Condé Nast Traveler has honored Overton in their annual Travel Specialists List, a high order of recognition that only a slight fraction of travel agents and tour operators can ever hope to receive.
Absolute Travel is a company of trusted, passionate, travel experts that create customized luxury journeys to inspiring destinations. Their team’s knowledge of the world’s most exotic destinations is unrivaled. Their travel experts are experienced, opinionated, and discerning, and believe that travel is one of life’s ultimate joys. The difference between Absolute Travel and other travel companies is their firsthand destination knowledge. For example, Overton has personally vetted—with her three kids, Ruby (13), Lola (8), and Fergus (3) in tow—all of their family vacation destinations, from climbing skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi to climbing on the necks of water buffalos in Thailand to climbing Machu Picchu before they could tie their own shoe laces.
Overton has firmly held her place in the Special Interests category for outstanding commitment to Family Travel, but what makes Overton’s longstanding streak so exceptional is the inherently egalitarian nature of the Condé Nast honor. As articulated by the list’s organizer, Wendy Perrin, the Travel Specialist List is, “based directly on reader feedback. We monitor your reviews of travel specialists year-round and make decisions about who to include or exclude based on your collective experience.”
That means real families agree that Overton’s passion for family adventure and exotic locations make for unforgettable experiences, and there is value in her expertise. For her, it is a personal devotion rooted in a childhood spent exploring Europe with her parents, and continued as a tradition passed down to her own children as she tours her family across the globe. Based on her years of experience, Overton crafts Absolute’s family vacations with convenient room configurations, entertaining family activities, and handpicked kid-friendly guides to make for stress-free getaways that everyone will enjoy.
“Travel is a powerful tool to educate my children. Exploring the world gives my kids, my husband and me the unrivaled gifts of perspective, knowledge and compassion; gifts that stay with us long after unpacking,” Overton remarks on the value of traveling with family. It is with this mindset that she encourages those traveling with children not to be hindered by the fear of stretching outside of their comfort zones, “It's a healthy outlet to remove my family from our way-too-familiar routine, stretch our comfort zones, and embrace those unplanned moments that inevitably become material for gut-laughing-filled dinner table conversations.”
If you’re curious to speak to Leslie about an upcoming family adventure, you can get in touch with her by calling 212 627 1950, [email protected], or visit her online.