MAGELLAN’S CATALOG OFFERS NEW MULTIMEDIA TRAVEL GUIDES FROM VISUAL TRAVEL TOURS

Santa Barbara, California–December 15, 2009 –Visual Travel Tours (VTT) and Magellan's Catalog, The World's Most Trusted Source of Travel Supplies™, are pleased to announce their partnership, making Magellan’s the largest retail outlet to provide multimedia tours for viewing on cell phones and other mobile devices.

"Many of our travelers like to get a feel for where they are headed before they leave home and, when they are on location, they want the freedom to explore at their own pace," says Gloria McManus, Magellan's co-founder. “Most people travel with a cell phone or a mobile device these days. VTT’s guided tours offer professional content and local stories that enhance the enjoyment of any location.”  

VTT is reinventing the way travelers explore destinations, with the first and only multimedia tours that are simple to play on BlackBerrys, iPhones, cell phones, iPods, PDAs, and mini DVD players. This means that an entire family can take a tour at the same time, for one fee, using all their assorted mobile devices.

VTT tours are created by travel writers and local guides, and professionally produced for mobile viewing. “They are fun to watch before a trip, easy to use while on the go, with great tips and “turn-the-corner-here” directions, and provide fade-proof memories when the adventure is over,”  explains VTT Executive Editor Gordon Burgett.

“VTT’s audio/video tours will entertain any traveler. You can have your own personal tour guides, right in your hand, sharing their personal anecdotes and photos with you. This is a great way to learn as you wile away the airport hours!” said Marie Profant, CEO, Visual Travel Tours. “The simple Play or Pause features make our tours easy for everyone to operate. We are very proud that Magellan’s has elected to offer our unique tours to travelers all over the world.”   

Magellan’s VTT tour inventory

Currently sixteen VTT tours are being offered through Magellan’s, with destinations in Africa, Brazil, China, Egypt, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the US. The titles are:

America's Largest Chinatown: San Francisco
Santa Barbara: From the Mission to the Wharf
The Art Deco Historical District of Florida’s South Beach
Egypt's Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx
A Champagne Tour on a Beer Budget: Reims, France
Medieval Dublin
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Copacabana and Ipanema
Safaris in Botswana: Okavango and Chobe
Los Angeles: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, & Venice
Wine and More: San Simeon to Morro Bay, California
China's Great Wall: Walking on History
Imperial Beijing: Tian'anmen, Forbidden City, Jingshan
Venice: Incomparable Canals and Calli
Take a Tasty Trip to New York's Little Italy
Barcelona's Gothic Quarter
From London to Oxford, on the Thames (by boat)

Many additional tours will be available through Magellan’s in the near future. 

Availability and cost

In January 2010, VTT’s full-length tours will be available for $19.95 through the Magellan’s catalog and website. They will also be stocked in their Los Angeles-area retail store at 1006 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, and in their Santa Barbara flagship store at 110 West Sola Street. Each adventure comes on a CD, which includes formats for all mobile devices and computers as well as printable PDFs and maps. 

About Visual Travel Tours

The VTT mission is to enrich a traveler’s experience by utilizing evolving technology, providing a fascinating alternative to traditional audio tours, and offering local experts the opportunity to share their expertise and collect royalties. VTT’s parent company, URaTrip® LLC, is based in Santa Barbara, California. 

About Magellan’s Travel Supplies

Since 1989, Magellan’s has been the world’s most trusted source of travel supplies. Their current catalog is available for FREE: just call (800) 962-4943, or visit them online at www.magellans.com. Their staff are trained Gear Specialists who are ready to answer all travel-related questions, and every product is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.