Tourist Office For Flanders, 620 8th Ave, Rm 44L, New York, NY 10018, US

In 1977 Harriet F. Friedlander, an educator, joined Air France executive William P. Roan to bring student and alumni groups to France. Custom-designed itineraries for members of arts organizations soon followed. "There was a need for educational travel that was not being met, " recalls Harriet. "We offered an insiders' look at a country through the networks of the academic community, including museum curators, professors and diplomats." From these simple beginnings the company grew to offer educational travel programs in most areas of the world. Each itinerary is designed for the sponsoring institution, a list that includes some of the nation's preeminent museums, cultural organizations and alumni associations. A vanguard in the development of new travel opportunities, Academic Arrangements Abroad was one of the first to offer trips to China, Russia and more recently Cuba, under an educational travel license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Whether it was Egypt, Russia, Cuba or France, this "meet the people" approach, enhanced by scholarly experts who accompany each departure, transformed the experience of travel from the everyday to the compelling. Now under the leadership of James F. Friedlander, this family-run company continues to do what it has done so well for over thirty years with programs in more than fifty countries. The company's longstanding relationships with individuals around the world, combined with its reputation for quality, are key in attracting new institutional clients. "We offer the opportunity to take the mission of an organization beyond its institutional walls, showcasing talent and providing special access to extraordinary places, " explains Jim. "The real value is in cultivating new friends, while strengthening bonds with existing members and donors. That is something that simply cannot be duplicated."

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