Hi Bev,

We had a lovely time in Italy, even with the scorching heat. Thank you so much for your guidance in helping to make our trip possible and a memory of a lifetime. The pizza/gelato course was fun (even with 36 hours of no sleep--none of us slept on the plane), Cinque Terre was amazing (thanks for suggesting the tour), and the Chianti wine tasting was lots of fun for all of us. Oh, and though it was too hot for the older grown-ups, our four sons said the bike tour was a great way to see "hidden" Florence (another thanks for the suggestion). Rome was fabulous, and I thought the Vatican tour was especially good. The guide did a super job keeping the group together and imparting a lot of information despite the crowds. We also ventured out to the "non-Catholic cemetery," which I liked quite a bit. It was a cool, quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the Vatican city. Both the hotels were super, and the concierges were so helpful (and forgiving of our language deficits). You were right - experiencing the Hop on & Hop off buses was an incredible way to see each of the cities that we visited.

Attached are a few photos for you. Thanks so much, again, for everything. You went above and beyond with your plans, suggestions and 'hand holding. My kids are already planning our next trip (they'd like to go back to the Czech Republic and maybe to Croatia)!

 Enjoy the rest of the summer.

Sincerely,

Roberta Klix
Klix & Olson Family Reunion
2015 Florence, Tuscany, Venice & Rome Adventure

Bev,

Bruce and I are still on ''Cloud 9'' from our wonderful trip to Cuba. We have never gone on a cultural immersion trip, and were wondering what would happen to us during this nine day adventure to a part of the world we thought we would never personally see. Reflecting on the camaraderie of our group and interesting/interactive activities we participated in throughout the tour left us feeling no less than euphoric. We are just "settling down" from a very "up" adventure!

Bev, our meeting and subsequent conversations during the readiness period of the trip "tickled and teased " of what resulted in an once in a lifetime travel experience.

Platinum Tours International is the only way to GO! We are telling relatives and friends not to waste precious time trying to figure out which travel agency to choose for a special getaway or dream vacation. We've traveled with the best and look forward to our next" Platinum" experience.

Always,

Sandy & Bruce Dabney
2015 Cuba Face to Face Cultural Immersion Tour

Honestly, I am not sure where else on this earth I would go to get the help and support I need to get me to the places I dream to be.  I have a somewhat unusual bucket list when it comes to travel and Bev just “gets” what that is all about and “gets me” like no one else would.  She partners closely with me in such a way to truly create, uniquely my own, custom made trips of a life time.

I met Bev during a women’s retreat I led in Sedona several years ago. Like most of the women who attended, it was a new adventure for her.  It was an experience of seeing the world in a new way; being outdoors in the beautiful southwestern desert for a lot of the time and using earth-based and ancient wisdom traditions to facilitate personal growth and well-being.
Although Bev arrived still recovering from a recent knee surgery, she jumped right in with both feet.   She was determined not to let her physical limitations hinder her in taking advantage of
the outdoors and drinking up as much of Sedona as possible. I got to know Bev on that trip and realized that she is one of the few people I’ve met who really understands that each place we
are drawn to has a special quality and spirit of its own.  She understands that connecting to a place on a soul level can offer a person deep and sometimes life changing experiences.  As she
has become a good friend over the years, I have seen her approach a lot of her travels to exciting destinations with that same level of depth.

Bev brings her spirit of adventure, determination, connection and soulfulness to helping me to plan my travel. She understands that most of my trips are not vacations, but pilgrimages. Sometimes the logistics to some out of the way place for a unique experience is not easy. With every challenge I bring her and every unknown we encounter, Bev works with me as a partner to make even the planning process an adventure and part of the journey.  On a recent ten day trip to Peru, she helped to make the entire experience simply amazing.  She found an outstanding Peru based tour company to support us in every way possible the whole time we were there and who supported us on our exciting inspiring four day trek in the Peruvian Andes. Most important, Bev helped us locate an indigenous elder; an authentic Q’ero shaman, who worked with us our first day in Peru.  He helped us connect with the Apus (the mountain spirits of Peru) and with Pachamama (Mother Earth). We wanted to honor the land and ask for harmony and protection during our visit.  I can’t imagine anyone but Bev who would understand what a priority this was for me or who would be so relentless in making it her priority to ensure that it would happen for us.

I am pleased and excited that Bev has found a way to share her love and passion of travel and new experiences with others.  And I’m so looking forward to many more extraordinary adventures with her!

Jamie Conglose - Founder, Wisdom Councils
Sedona, Arizona

Dear Beverly,

I want to let you to know that I am very pleased with the quality of service you provide. I sincerely appreciate your responsiveness and the way you conduct business. Your knowledge and passion of the travel  industry is spectacular. I also have to commend you on your customer service, dedication and loyalty towards your clients. We dealt with a last minute booking , while you were managing a tour group in the middle of the ocean, but you still managed to get what you client requested and were able to deliver all related documentation for your clients to be able to have a great vacation. I have recommended your company to others because of our satisfaction with your service. We look forward to doing business with you for years to come.

Regards

Frank Perez

To The Owners of Platinum Tours International

A seasoned traveler, having served 42 years as a career U.S. diplomat; coordinated Presidential, Secretary of State and Congressional Delegations, U.S. performing artists, speakers and experts around the globe, I thought I was a flexible, patient and sound participant in travel experiences. Beverly Marshall Luney and M. Jean Butler took that experience to the next level of excellence during an extraordinary ten-day trip throughout Turkey. From late August through early September 2013, I observed the inter actions of two extraordinary women, the owners of Platinum Tours International. Beverly and Jean were ideal travelers. They never complained nor did they exhibit displeasure or frustration despite personal health challenges and a rigorous daily schedule. We covered 9 cities in 10 days. As I watched their comportment in unusually challenging circumstances, many times relying on interpreters, they were gracious, engaging. sensitive and humble. They listened intently to the host families, respected the culture and traditions. They provided valuable feedback to the coordinators and maintained a positive view of the experience despite pain, illness and fatigue. They reminded me of what is the best of America and I could not have been more proud to be with them on this memorable journey. They were consummate citizen diplomats. As they launch Platinum Tours International, I am excited about traveling as a private citizen without the diplomatic passport that I will admit provided special treatment throughout my career. Beverly and Jean offer that all important personal/human touch, that no official passport could provide. Platinum Tours International is already setting the stage for a world class travel experiences. They are committed to integrity, cultural sensitivity, respect and trust. Bon Voyage, Kalo Taxithi, Iyi yoculuklar!

Ambassador Harriet L. Elam-Thomas (ret.)

Dear Bev,

I am delighted to hear you’ve now begun your own business – Platinum Tours International – doing what you were so exceptional at while at the EDC. As you remember, Janet and I attended four different Leadership Retreats with you through the EDC – Los Angeles, San Diego, Montreal, and Nashville – ranging from 50 to 150 participants who had the luxury of simply following you around. Now, mind you, the individuals on those trips are not exactly accustomed to following anyone around; however, when it came to you, we knew we were in good hands from beginning to end. CEOs, political office holders, thought leaders, journalists, and active community members — we all knew that you would orchestrate an exceptional agenda and deliver on every portion of it with elegance and grace. The logistics, of course, were impeccable, as we all assumed they would be. But what was remarkable was your ability to get us all into private meetings with exceptional people that no one at a public level would be able to enjoy or benefit from. And you did all of that with aplomb and finess. Suffice it to say that you might have been peddling big time underwater, but nobody could tell on the surface. In any event, Bev, congratulations on your new business from a long-standing friend and admirer. Janet and I look forward to being on your charter trip with Platinum.

Warm regards,
Larry and Janet Pino

In all the years I have known Bev, she has loved to travel and find the ways and special places that create memories that never slip far below the surface.  She is a prudent shopper/buyer finding what she needs, styled as she wants it for prices that are comfortable and not a guilt ridden personal stretch.  That has always seemed to give us extra power and a sense that we are "so fortunate."

Bev is a creature of study and then when confident that she has the perfect solution, she executes.  I like that trait as it has always served me well on a trip that she has planned.

It seems all of Bev's leadership roles in executive America and foreign travel have simply been stepping stones to taking on concierge travel as her life's work.  She is brilliant, articulate, probing, thorough and fascinated with "that extra" opportunity.  Her clients will see the world in wonderful ways they will not forget.

Andrea Eliscu, President, Medical Marketing Inc.

2002 was a very good year!

FaceBook was launched . . . gasoline averaged $1.85 a gallon . . . and I began working with Beverly Marshall-Luney.

Beverly came to the Metro Orlando Economic Development (EDC) as vice president of investor relations and special events.  From day-one, it was obvious we had discovered a true gem.  The EDC's expectations were high; raise more private-sector money than ever before, and plan/execute high-quality events and missions.  Excitingly, Beverly and the team she evolved exceeded all expectations.

Fund-raising is certainly one of Beverly's many talents.  At the EDC, her strong performance was due to her passion for the organization's mission and her commitment to establishing strong partnerships.  

That said, it is her event- and mission-planning skills that help define Beverly's professional expertise.  During her 10-year stay at the EDC, Beverly consistently created the region's finest events.  Year after year, Beverly put on annual dinners, barbecues, luncheons, and receptions for the EDC's investors and friends.  All were high quality and flawless.

However, the piece de resistance within Beverly's program of work was the EDC's annual three-day Leadership Mission.  The EDC is responsible for the region's economic-development program, and organizational improvement is often discovered when benchmarking major cities within and outside the United States.  Travelling participants included EDC investors, government leaders, elected officials, leaders of allied organizations, and their spouses.  

Every aspect and detail of the missions were planned and executed by Beverly and her team:  selection of the city to visit; itinerary preparation; pre-mission communications; pre-mission receptions; flight reservations; ground transportation; hotel reservations; setting appointments with and preparation of leaders within the visited city; meals; mission receptions; and post-mission communications and receptions.  During her tenure with the EDC, Beverly led seven Leadership Missions and all were impeccable because of her relentless attention to detail and commitment to excellence.  Austin, Denver, Montreal, San Diego, Nashville, and Los Angeles were among the cities that were studied and visited by the delegation.

Now, in her role as travel adviser of her own travel agency, I am so very confident that Beverly will passionately provide the same fulfilling experiences as was the case at the EDC.  I wholeheartedly endorse the work and expertise of Beverly Marshall-Luney.

Mike Bobroff

Executive Vice President and COO, EDC (retired)

I participated in all the Leadership Missions planned and coordinated by Beverly Luney.  This included Los Angeles, Nashville, San Diego, Montreal, Denver and Austin.  Each location was chosen to benchmark that community's efforts in overcoming challenges and growing its talent base. We met with experts on Community Venues, Performing Arts Centers, Life Sciences and Bio Tech, Digital Media and Entertainment Technologies, and Transportation - rail systems, to name just a few.  These Missions helped establish the framework that Orlando's leaders have used to develop and refine the Metro Orlando community.

Bev's Leadership Missions were legendary.  We called them the 'death march.'  The moment we hit the ground in the targeted city, we were non-stop from morning until night.  Bev was meticulous in every detail of both the Business and Cultural itineraries.  Spouses were encouraged to attend, and followed a separate detailed itinerary too.  Vicki and I enjoyed these Missions and looked forward to participating every year.

When she told me that she was opening her own travel agency, I knew she had made the right decision.  Her considerable talents and knowledge of the world and how to move around and enjoy any destination compel one to look forward to traveling with her as she explores the world's exotic locations.

Fred Leonhardt

Past Chairman, Metro Orlando EDC

Whether going for pleasure or business, every traveler takes with them a set of goals and objectives for the trip.  While trying to achieve each and every purpose of the trip, schedules can invariable become grueling and stressful.  Removing the stress, strain and guesswork of travel is a fine balance between art and science and Beverly Marshall-Luney is a maestro at deciphering your desires and executing a schedule that mirrors them exactly.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Beverly on three different trips where she managed all the logistics for large and demanding groups.  From air and ground transportation to finding and securing the most interesting venues for meetings and meals, Beverly’s attention to detail and unlimited energy resulted in the highest possible client satisfaction.  The reputation she built through her successful itineraries made her ventures the hottest ticket in Orlando among the regions business elite.

If you are considering an adventure, you will not regret engaging Beverly and her team at Platinum Tours International.  If she has her own travel plans with slots available, an unforgettable experience awaits you.

Charlie Sloan

Boyette Strategic Advisors

Former EVP, Metro Orlando EDC