Connoisseurs Tours
Connoisseurs Tours is a family-owned, invitation-only luxury travel company founded in 1972 that curates expert-led small-group journeys for affluent travelers and member organizations including colleges, historical societies, and religious institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersSavannah, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Connoisseurs Tours does
Connoisseurs Tours is a privately held, family-owned luxury travel company founded in 1972 as Harcourtours by Rev. Harcourt E. Waller, Jr. and headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. The company operates an invitation-only membership travel program that serves affluent individual travelers and member organizations including colleges, universities, historical societies, and religious institutions. Its core product, Exclusive Member Journeys, consists of small-group, expert-led itineraries offering private access to estates, royal properties, and historic sites not available to the general public, with scholars-in-residence accompanying each departure. The company is now led by Kathryn Waller (President & CEO, second generation) and Laura Zulliger (Vice President, third generation), with a small professional staff of approximately 12 people.
The business model centers on high-touch, per-person package pricing on curated journeys, with journey prices ranging from approximately $4,995 to $24,995 per person depending on destination, duration, and suite category. All journeys are sold through direct sales channels (phone and email) with no self-service online booking aside from a third-party TourCube platform. Distribution is deliberately limited through an invitation-only membership model, with partnerships providing referral pipelines from Episcopal Parish Network, NSCDA, and other member organizations. The company supplements core journey revenue with Airline Concierge Service, Cruise Concierge Service (covering Silversea, Sea Cloud, and Uniworld), and a Travel Protection Plan offering Cancel for Any Reason protection up to 75% refund.
The product portfolio has expanded to include Exclusive Member Pilgrimages for Episcopal and Anglican groups, exclusive charter cruises with Riverside Luxury Cruises and Lord of the Highlands, and the Evenings with Experts virtual programming series launched in 2020. Geographic coverage spans Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, France, Switzerland, Greece, Egypt, the Holy Land, Iceland, the Caribbean, and Central Europe. The company reports over 90% guest return rate and has received industry recognition including Condé Nast Johansens Award for Excellence, Forbes Travel/Cruise Critic Best in Cruise Award, and Highlands & Islands Business Excellence Award in 2024.
Connoisseurs Tours firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Connoisseurs Tours
- Legal name
- Connoisseurs Tours
- Website
- https://ctjourneys.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Connoisseurs Tours is a family-owned, invitation-only luxury travel company founded in 1972 that curates expert-led small-group journeys for affluent travelers and member organizations including colleges, historical societies, and religious institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Connoisseurs Tours industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Luxury Group Travel Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE)
Keywords
Where Connoisseurs Tours is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Savannah
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Connoisseurs Tours business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Exclusive Member Journeys: Curated group travel packages with exclusive access to private estates, historic sites, and luxury accommodations. Revenue generated through package pricing per person based on cabin type and occupancy. Includes expert guides, scholars-in-residence, and all-inclusive experiences.
- Cruise Concierge Services: Family and Individual (FIT) Cruise Concierge Service to assist with cruise reservations. Helps secure cabins, suites, and prices along with shipboard amenities and upgrades for Silversea, Sea Cloud, and Uniworld Cruises. Leverages superior buying power.
- Airline Concierge Services: Manages airline reservations from flight selection through return, securing best schedules and fares. Associated fee for service.
- Pilgrimage Journeys: Exclusive pilgrimages for Episcopal and Anglican parishes, seminaries, and study groups to destinations including England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Popes, Protestants, and Palaces - Melody Suite double occupancy |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Popes, Protestants, and Palaces - Symphony Suite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Popes, Protestants, and Palaces - Sonata Suite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Popes, Protestants, and Palaces - Ravel Suite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Celtic Christianity Scotland - Category 2 Deluxe Balcony |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Celtic Christianity Scotland - Category 3 Suite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Celtic Christianity Scotland - Category 1 Deluxe single |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Christmas Passage - Harmony Suite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Christmas Passage - Penthouse Suite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Taste of Ireland |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Connoisseurs Tours product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Connoisseurs Tours designs and operates invitation-only, small-group luxury travel journeys for members and partner organizations, including cultural and historical journeys, religious pilgrimages, and exclusive river and sea cruise charters. Each journey bundles accommodations, expert scholars-in-residence, private access to estates and historic sites, and dedicated Guest Services support, with optional add-on Airline Concierge and Cruise Concierge booking services.
Product overview
Connoisseurs Tours is a luxury, invitation-only travel company operating since 1972, serving colleges, universities, historical societies, and religious organizations. Its core product is the Exclusive Member Journeys program — small-group, expert-led travel experiences offering private access to otherwise inaccessible venues, scholarly guides, and concierge-level service. The portfolio is structured around the Exclusive Member Journeys (covering general luxury travel for 2026–2027) and the Exclusive Member Pilgrimages (spiritually-focused journeys for Episcopal and Anglican groups). These are supplemented by add-on services: an Airline Concierge Service for flight management, a Cruise Concierge Service for luxury cruise bookings (partnering with Silversea, Sea Cloud, and Uniworld), an Evenings with Experts virtual presentation series accessible to members, and an optional Travel Protection Plan. A public-facing content layer, Reports from Abroad, publishes guest travel journals from past journeys. The company uses third-party booking technology (TourCube) for online reservations but offers no public API.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Exclusive Member Journeys Invitation-only luxury small-group travel experiences for members and their guests, featuring private access to exclusive venues, expert scholarly guides, and seamless service from booking through return. Journeys cover destinations worldwide including Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, and the Mediterranean.
- Exclusive Member Pilgrimages Spiritually-themed travel experiences designed for Episcopal and Anglican parishes, seminaries, and study groups. Journeys include visits to the Holy Land, Scotland, Switzerland, France, England, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Egypt, led by clergy scholars and focused on deepening faith through travel to significant religious and historical sites.
- Airline Concierge Service Personalized airline reservation management service led by a dedicated Airline Concierge Specialist who secures optimal flight schedules and fares, manages schedule changes and cancellations, and handles all air arrangements from initial flight selection through return travel.
- Cruise Concierge Service Family and Individual (FIT) Cruise Concierge Service to assist with cruise reservations, including help selecting accommodations, securing cabins, suites, and prices, and obtaining shipboard amenities and upgrades. Partners with Silversea, Sea Cloud, and Uniworld Cruises.
- Travel Protection Plan Optional travel protection combining flexible cancellation options with international medical insurance, emergency air ambulance, trip interruption, and travel delay coverage. Includes a Cancel for Any Reason option providing up to a 75% refund.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% of guests return to travel with Connoisseurs Tours again
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Connoisseurs Tours
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Connoisseurs Tours technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Connoisseurs Tours partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.
- Episcopal Parish NetworkcoreFormal partnership with Episcopal Parish Network supporting their continued work. Designs exclusive pilgrimage programs for Episcopal and Anglican parishes, seminaries, and study groups to religious and historical destinations worldwide.
- Riverside Luxury CruisescoreExclusive charter relationships for river cruise journeys aboard Riverside Ravel (Rhône River, Danube) and Riverside Mozart (Danube). Premium all-suite accommodations with butler service.
- Lord of the Highlands (Majestic Tours)coreExclusive charter of 19-cabin, 38-passenger luxury cruise ship for Scottish Highlands and Islands journeys. Award-winning vessel with British country house ambiance.
- Uniworld CruisesmajorPartner cruise line for river journeys. Connoisseurs Cruise Concierge service assists guests with SS Catherine and other Uniworld vessels.
- Silversea CruisesmajorPartner luxury cruise line. Cruise Concierge assists guests with booking and securing premium accommodations.
- Sea Cloud CruisesmajorPartner for exclusive sailing vessel experiences including Sea Cloud II charters.
- Royal Collection (Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse)flagshipPrivate evening access to Royal Yacht Britannia (dinner in State Dining Room with behind-the-scenes tour via Royal Brow) and Palace of Holyroodhouse (after-hours State Apartments tour) for exclusive Scotland journeys.
- Caledonian Hotel (Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh)majorPreferred hotel partner for Scotland journeys. Historic 1903 landmark property with commanding views of Edinburgh Castle, used for pre and post-cruise accommodations.
- Cawdor Castle & Attadale Estate GardensmajorPrivate curated tours of Cawdor Castle and Gardens and award-winning Attadale Estate Gardens for exclusive Scotland journeys.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Connoisseurs Tours competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tauck: Family-owned luxury tour operator (founded 1925) offering all-inclusive small-group escorted tours with exclusive access, comparable to Connoisseurs Tours in scale, model, and target demographic.
- Road Scholar: Not-for-profit educational travel organization offering expert-led programs for mature learners—comparable in scholarly-led group travel model and organizational sponsorship structure.
- Abercrombie & Kent: Long-established luxury tour operator offering high-end small-group journeys and private access experiences worldwide, comparable in customer profile and premium positioning to Connoisseurs Tours.
- Smithsonian Journeys: Cultural and educational travel program affiliated with the Smithsonian, offering expert-led tours to similar audiences (museum members, cultural organizations) as Connoisseurs Tours' organization-focused journeys.
- Kensington Tours: Luxury private tour operator offering custom and small-group itineraries with high-touch service—comparable in premium pricing and personalized access to exclusive experiences.
- Academic Travel Abroad: Provider of educational and cultural travel programs for alumni associations, museums, and cultural organizations—highly comparable in organizational client base and scholarly-led itinerary design.
- Odysseys Unlimited: Small-group cultural and educational tour operator focused on affluent travelers seeking in-depth itineraries with expert guides—closely comparable business model and audience to Connoisseurs Tours.
Broad incumbents
- Collette: Larger established guided tour operator offering a wide range of itineraries at varied price points; comparable category but at greater scale and with broader (less exclusive) positioning than Connoisseurs Tours.
- Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: All-inclusive luxury river cruise line and partner of Connoisseurs Tours; competes with the company's river cruise charters via its own branded, all-suite European itineraries.
- Silversea Cruises: Luxury expedition and ocean cruise line that is both a partner (via Connoisseurs Cruise Concierge) and a comparable provider of high-end small-ship voyages with butler service—overlapping in customer demographic and product category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Connoisseurs Tours financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Connoisseurs Tours leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Connoisseurs Tours funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Connoisseurs Tours M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Connoisseurs Tours
What does Connoisseurs Tours do?
Connoisseurs Tours designs and operates invitation-only, small-group luxury travel journeys for members and partner organizations, including cultural and historical journeys, religious pilgrimages, and exclusive river and sea cruise charters. Each journey bundles accommodations, expert scholars-in-residence, private access to estates and historic sites, and dedicated Guest Services support, with optional add-on Airline Concierge and Cruise Concierge booking services.
Is Connoisseurs Tours a public or private company?
Connoisseurs Tours is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Connoisseurs Tours founded?
Connoisseurs Tours was founded in 1972.
Where is Connoisseurs Tours based?
Connoisseurs Tours is headquartered in Savannah, United States, in the North America region.
How does Connoisseurs Tours make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Exclusive Member Journeys are the primary driver. The others are cruise Concierge Services, airline Concierge Services and pilgrimage Journeys.
Who are Connoisseurs Tours's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tauck, Road Scholar, Abercrombie & Kent, Smithsonian Journeys, Kensington Tours, Academic Travel Abroad and Odysseys Unlimited. Broad incumbents are Collette, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Silversea Cruises.
Does Connoisseurs Tours have an API?
No public API is recorded for Connoisseurs Tours.
What industry is Connoisseurs Tours in?
Connoisseurs Tours's product category is Luxury Group Travel Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKADAE, Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7990.