Category: Uncategorized

Updated June 2, 2021

Our team is monitoring the travel guidelines closely and doing everything possible to ensure that our travelers make smart, informed decisions. 

Europe: The E.U. is now opening to vaccinated visitors from select countries, including the U.S. For more information on the E.U. opening, read this article in the NY Times.

Iceland is also open for travel, with several requirements including a negative PCR test or proof of vaccination or recovery; an online pre-registration form; a PCR test upon arrival; protocols for returning to the U.S. and protocols for children. Read the full list of protocols for travel to Iceland.

Ireland: American visitors will be accepted in Ireland starting July 19 under the terms of the Digital E.U. Certification. Read more about Ireland opening to visitors in this article on RTE.

Scotland and the UK: Travel from some countries to Scotland is now possible, but the US and Canada are currently placed on the AMBER list.

Amber – you must self-isolate on arrival for 10 days, and take two PCR tests.

On arrival in Scotland visitors must: provide their journey and contact details. This applies to those who land in another part of the UK, and travel on by other means to Scotland.Must take a COVID-19 test before travelling and isolate in the place they are staying for 10 days. 

Must book and pay £170 for day 2 and day 8 COVID-19 travel tests – they must book their testing kit using the CTM booking portal – any other type of testing kit, such as free NHS kits or those sold by private businesses, cannot be used for these tests.

Blank Canvas Tours is operating with increased flexibility and allows rebooking of trip dates at any time up to 30 days before the trip with no penalty. The trip can be moved to any available dates prior to the end of 2022. We want you to feel comfortable knowing that you can move your trip without penalty.

While we are often asked to help make the decision on whether or not you should travel, that decision is ultimately yours. We can provide you with as much information as possible, and will do our absolute best to accommodate whatever decision you choose to make.

Our cancellation policy

In the event you choose to cancel a trip, our terms and conditions continue to state that deposits are non-refundable. Our team puts in many hours to plan these trips and many of our supplier agreements are non-refundable. We appreciate your understanding on this matter. For trips that have been canceled after they are paid in full, refunds for the trip balance (not including the deposit) will be made within 4 weeks.

Please note there are rare exceptions where non-refundable booked activities exceed the amount of the deposit — our team will work with you on a case-by-case basis in that situation to refund as much of the trip as possible.

 

 

April 22, 2019 – Williamstown, MA – Old Sod Travel and Scandinavian American World Tours, two established luxury tour operators, are joining the Blank Canvas Tours family to now include unique and beautiful travel experiences in destinations such as Ireland, Scotland, England, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and beyond.

Old Sod Travel is one of the fastest-growing custom tour operators for trips to Ireland and the British Isles. Over the past five years, it has taken guests on unforgettable trips including golfing at legendary courses, hiking amidst beautiful landscapes, seating at famous cultural and sporting events, and, of course, classic local food and drink in historic small towns.

Also focused on custom tours, Scandinavian American World Tours has provided personalized tours across the remarkable, unspoiled countries of Scandinavia for 38 years. Trips range from cruises to chauffeured driving tours to hiking tours of Norway’s magical fjords, the Northern Lights phenomenon throughout several countries, or Iceland’s unmatched Blue Lagoon.

Each of the three companies will continue to operate under its own brand identity and retain its specialized trip planners.

“We are really excited about the opportunity to join together with Blank Canvas Tours and Scandinavian American World Tours,” said Old Sod Travel Founder & President, Tom Casey. “Our goal since the day we started is to make people happy through unique and memorable travel experiences. Now we can do it across a larger group of guests than was ever possible before.”

Old Sod Travel also continues to grow its corporate incentive travel program, helping large corporate groups experience the best of Ireland and the British Isles.

“Old Sod Travel and Scandinavian American World Tours share our goal of providing unforgettable experiences in the world’s most unique destinations,” said Gil Haylon, Founder & CEO, Blank Canvas Tours. “This deal also allows us to focus more on growing our affinity travel business, with small group luxury tours for alumni travel programs, corporate travel getaways, philanthropy groups and more.”

Blank Canvas Tours will continue to offer small luxury group tours with a focus on art, music, theatre and culture in unique destinations such as the Berkshires, New Mexico, and Vermont.

Casey and Katheriona Dowling, VP of Operations for Old Sod Travel, will join the Blank Canvas leadership team and will manage custom trips across all companies, while Haylon will focus on scheduled departure trips and affinity travel. Mikael and Linda Rasmussen, who so ably built Scandinavian American World Tours, will take a well-deserved break from their long, hectic work days and serve as consultants to Blank Canvas Tours.

About Blank Canvas Tours

Founded in 2018, Blank Canvas Tours delivers high-service, high-touch vacations in the most culturally-rich destinations in the world. Each trip is focused on art, music and theatre and allows travelers to experience and connect with unique areas of the world. Based in Williamstown, MA, Blank Canvas Tours currently offers trips in New Mexico, the Berkshires and Vermont, with new destinations added every year.

About Old Sod Travel

Old Sod Travel is dedicated to connecting groups, families, companies, couples and golfers from around the world with extraordinary experiences on the Old Sod and the British Isles. Old Sod Travel focuses on highly customized travel with unmatched expertise of hotels, inns, pubs, restaurants, golf courses, entertainment venues and personalized touches for an unforgettable experience. Based in Maryland, Old Sod is one of the fastest-growing tour operators offering trips to Ireland, Scotland and England.

About Scandinavian-American World Tours

Scandinavian-American World Tours offers unmatched experiences in destinations including Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, as well as Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Russia and the nearby Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These scenic trips visit breathtaking fjords, amazing landscapes and much more. In business for more than 38 years, the company is based outside of Princeton, NJ and offers personalized custom tours for small groups, couples, families and more.

 

What’s next? That’s the question that we’ve been asked ever since we completed our wonderful Berkshire trips this past summer. Well, we’ve been hard at work researching, visiting and exploring new potential destinations for our trips. In the end, there was one obvious choice! With natural beauty, unparalleled art galleries and museums and a legendary performing arts scene, Santa Fe, Abiquiú, and Taos are natural fits for 2019 trips with Blank Canvas Tours. Our continued mission is to deliver first-class experiences designed for our guests to connect with world-class locations, and New Mexico is just that – world class!

Travel to New Mexico and take in the culture of the Southwest as a Blank Canvas guest. Your vacation begins in New Mexico’s Capital Santa Fe, and travels to the hidden gem village of Abiquiú, north to the quaint town of Taos and back again over five exciting days. You’ll explore each place’s history, art, food, music and theatre set against the Pueblo-Spanish architecture and adobe dotted landscapes. Discover the pulse of the region, from ancient times to contemporary, and the common threads between them.

It’s no coincidence why Georgia O’Keeffe made her home in New Mexico, as she was inspired by its vast beauty and its people who have made the pueblos and villages their home for thousands of years. Her instantly recognizable art is something we’re all familiar with, but did you know she lived with intention, a sense of adventure, and preferred to receive gifts of interesting looking rocks above anything else? Travelers will be inspired by the anecdotes, details, and stories awaiting you. We have arranged special docent-led visits of both the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and of her home and studio in Abiquiú which will bring you close to and give you an in-depth perspective of her vision and life.

Another highlight of the trip is an afternoon and evening at the Santa Fe Opera. Known worldwide for its contribution to a living art form and set amidst the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, this will be a special and memorable experience. You’ll step behind-the-scenes on a tour of the Opera and enjoy a delicious catered dinner with a special guest speaker. An evening of magic awaits with Orchestra seats to the production of “La Bohème”.

As the day turns to night, you’ll experience the sun casting purple hues on its mountains. The sky is clear and immense, and later on the trip you’ll enjoy top-notch star-gazing while in Taos. We’re also excited to bring you to the ancient Taos Pueblo, the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States and designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The details of this trip have been carefully woven together over months of research and were finalized with a weeklong site visit to the region. We met with Executive Directors, Marketing and Sales Managers, Chefs, and Small Business Owners. We talked with local Santa Feans, transplants to Taos and lived the experiences we are proud to bring our guests to. We can attest that each day is surprising, unique, and rings true to the authenticity of New Mexico. Inspiration awaits!

While you’re likely hearing about Blank Canvas Tours for the first time, we have been hard at work behind the scenes to bring to life our vision for luxury group cultural experiences. Blank Canvas is very different from any other vacation tour on the market, bringing luxury and choice to group travel. From art enthusiasts to people looking to enjoy great destinations, our trips are designed for a variety of options and experience.

We’re beyond excited to open this up, and we urge you to check out our upcoming Berkshire trips. We’d like to give you a sense of what we’ve been working on, what we have planned and what you can expect.

What have we been working on?

From Day Zero to now, we hit the ground running, so to speak. From the flicker of an idea, to putting dreams into action, we have spent the last months configuring all the details of a new business – from securing office space to building the Blank Canvas Tours itineraries around a singular idea, to building trips that engage your creative side.

What can you expect this summer?

Blank Canvas is not group tours in the traditional sense – no herding, buses, or annoying guides. We balance the benefits of intimate group travel with the freedom to explore on your own, build connections with other guests and travel at your own pace. We have mapped out truly awesome tours featuring great plays, expert-guided museum tours and premier seats at Tanglewood. You can expect to have a truly unforgettable vacation experience in the Berkshires, a place we are so passionate about that we want you to see it for yourself.

What is on the horizon?

A fresh perspective in the world of group tours. Live like a local when you visit the Berkshires with Blank Canvas Tours. At some point during each day, enjoy a path less travelled, exclusive moments, and elements of choice to craft your ideal Berkshires experience. A warm welcome is waiting for you as we visit museums, theatre productions, restaurants and travel together through the Berkshires landscape.

Live inspired when you travel with us at Blank Canvas Tours.  We would love to have you along on the journey.