(Courtesy of Bespoke Kosher Travel) Finding the ideal holiday destination can sometimes be difficult and add to that the need to have access to kosher food, and this can make options quite limited, but Ben Robbins, the owner of Bespoke Kosher Travel, wants to change this. Through his company, Robbins aims to take the stress out of holiday planning and change not only the way that Jewish people travel, but also where they can travel to.
“I realised that there was definitely a gap in the market for Jews who wanted to travel. For those that keep kosher, often the only option is going somewhere like Israel or New York, or resorting to eating tuna and crackers for their whole trip. Although there were many companies that offered kosher organized tours, there was nothing that was available for individual travelers, couples or families, and this is how Bespoke Kosher Travel fitted in.”
Bespoke Kosher Travel is not a travel agency, but rather a bespoke kosher tour operator which works closely with clients to create tailor-made packages which offer a wide range of services, from just simple meal deliveries for business trips through to all-inclusive romantic honeymoons, family trips and even larger organized tours.
Bespoke Kosher Travel are able to offer a wide range of destinations including Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa and many others as well, such as Gorilla trekking in Rwanda, the giant tortoises in Galapagos and the glaciers of Iceland. As Robbins explained, “We can do as much or as little as the client needs from supplying meals, to suggesting activities and tours to sorting out drivers for them when they are there.”
Since starting the company 15 years ago, Robbins has grown his team and now has two people working with him. As a small business, he feels that they are able to offer the personal touch to their clients, and it is their attention to detail which sets them apart. He recognizes the importance of listening to the needs of their clients to ensure that they get every detail right.
“Sometimes it is the little things that they may not have thought of, like telling them the type of plugs they need, to giving them the timing for minyans at the nearest shul, which really helps. We like to go above and beyond to ensure that people have a great time while they are away so that they don’t have to worry about anything,” he said.
Throughout the planning process, each client has their own personal travel assistant on hand who offer guidance with every aspect of the trip. They coordinate all areas of the planning and booking, such as being available to contact during the trip itself to advise with any issues that may arise, such as delayed flights, or making changes to their itinerary.
Robbins’ Europe and Africa knowledge makes him one of the most sought-after agents for that part of the world. He recently assisted a client who was in London with his daughter. “He told me that he wanted to have the best 48 hours in London he could, so I tried to make sure that he got it. He was really impressed by the service that we offered, from delicious food to sorting theater tickets and other activities. We even supplied travel cards, with details of how to get around the Underground, which they found really useful. At the end of the trip, he said that he would tell all his friends about the amazing experience he had, which is great for us, as word of mouth is really important within the Jewish community.”
According to Robbins, the secret to organizing the perfect holiday package is empathizing with his clients. “I try to put myself in their shoes and imagine what I would want to know if I was going to a new place, and the kind of things I might like to see, and use this to give them the best experience possible.”
For Robbins, being able to give people great memories is the best part of his job. “Every traveler is different so no two holidays are the same, and it is great to be able to give people such memorable experiences. It is always nice when we get good feedback from satisfied customers, which makes all the hard work worthwhile. Knowing that we have been able to enable people to have the holiday that they wanted, and possibly the holiday they didn’t even know that they could have, is really rewarding.”
To learn how Bespoke Kosher Travel can help organize your next holiday, email Robbins at [email protected] or call (917) 336-1182. Check out their website for more information at www.bespokekoshertravel.com.
