It's November, and of course, our thoughts turn to Thanksgiving. Beyond the cultural celebration of parades and turkey dinners with friends and family, this holiday is a truly meaningful time to reflect and, well, give thanks. This year, we tapped the presidents of some of our tour operator members to ask them what they are thankful for on the travel front. So, in their words…

Jerre Fuqua, CTC, president, TRAVCOA and YMT Vacations: In a year when our industry has been presented with many challenges, both at home and abroad, I am truly thankful for the strength and optimism of our USTOA global member community. We have remained resilient, positive and proactive. Collaboration between our entire industry — tour operators, travel agents, airlines, hotels, rail companies, ground services, activity providers, attractions, tourism boards and travel media — has ensured that consumers are continuing to travel in growing numbers and are being introduced to new opportunities to experience the historical, cultural and natural wonders of our world. And, with our collective commitment of ensuring that the highest standards of safety and customer experience are attained, our industry’s future looks positive.

Elizabeth Crabill, president, Travel Bound: This has been an amazing year at Travel Bound, and while it may sound obvious, I’m thankful to the travel agents that have embraced us and provided continued and exquisite support. I’ve been on the road meeting agents from the owners to the frontline agents, and hearing the good and the bad of their business, the ups and the downs, reminding me how challenging it is to be a travel agent. While the media seems to default to the cliché of the demise of the traditional travel agent, I can see with my own eyes that it’s not true. The agents I meet are in no way diminishing, in fact they are getting better, more innovative and finding ways to make sure they are valuable for their clients. When they don’t know the answer, they find it out. The best hotel facing the Eiffel Tower? They hunt it down. How to buy a pass to an airport lounge in Istanbul in advance? They are all over it. I’m amazed every day at the hoops they jump through for their clients, and feel fortunate when they choose Travel Bound as the resource they trust.

Steve Perillo, CEO, Perillo Tours: I’m thankful for a “pretty good” economy. Considering our crazy world, I’m thankful that the cost of oil is still relatively low, and the value of the dollar has been getting stronger. I’m thankful for the recent tsunami of technological advances that make communicating with agents and consumers challenging, but tons of fun. I’m thankful that professional travel agents are flourishing again. They’ve won their battle against those cold-hearted, product-aggregating websites, with the personality of an XML connector. But best of all for Perillo Tours, I’m thankful that we finally wised-up and joined USTOA!

Richard Krieger, president, The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands: Speaking for the entire team at The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands, we are all thankful for the promise of peace in Israel. Personally, I am thankful to work with a team of professionals that inspires me. A company like ours, in the business for more than 45 years, can sometimes become staid. Our team is constantly challenging me to think bigger, move faster, be more creative — and the results speak for themselves: Relocating our office to a hip new office in New York’s Financial District, adding new destinations to our lineup like Cuba, the U.K. and Iceland, reimagining programs to those destinations we are most famous for like Israel, Egypt and Jordan, reintroducing Greece, rebranding our global identity to The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands, and renewing its focus on building strong niche brands like PrideWorld, The Elite Travel Collection and A Woman’s View — and we’re just getting started.

What am I thankful for this year? I’m most thankful for the thoroughly engaged, highly supportive members that we work with day in and day out. USTOA’s current “Travel Together” campaign, a curated collection of experiential videos and blog posts that bring travelers “live like a local” moments from cultures across the globe, has brought partners together in a very real way. Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.

For more information about tours and packaged vacations, visit www.ustoa.com. And, remember that when booking with USTOA Active Members, you also get the assurance of knowing that they are held to the highest standards in the industry with our $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program. Visit www.ustoa.com for complete details.