Signature Travel Network is an organization that includes more than 11,000 travel professionals who share one objective: to serve the unique needs of discerning travelers. As a group, these are some of the best travel advisors in the country. Individually, these advisors each have their unique specialties. Within this network, there are a few advisors who have such extensive knowledge and experience in specific areas that they have earned the title of Travel Expert Select.

At Plaza Travel we are proud to have a number of these very special advisors. Continue reading to learn about a few of them and their areas of expertise.

Denise can create the best experience possible for you based on your interests, and you can feel confident in those decisions since she has experienced them herself. She has suggestions for wine tasting, private car and driver tours, art, sports, nature, food – you name it! Reach out to Denise when you're ready to plan your New Zealand vacation.

Denise's top three New Zealand experiences:
• Cruising the Milford Sound from Queenstown with jet boat and zip lining experiences.

• Exploring the Abel Tasman Sea, seeing dolphins, and kayaking.

• Wine tasting in Marlborough, then boating through Marlborough Sounds with a BBQ of fresh caught mussels and salmon on board.

In addition to Alaska, Uly has also earned the title of Travel Expert Select for Sustainable Travel, a title that was actually created for her! She is passionate about caring for the world and hopes that she can make a difference so that many generations to come can enjoy the beautiful destinations we all love. Uly loves talking to her clients about how they can make their travels a little more eco-friendly. Since she has connections with travel partners who are like-minded, she can suggest tours and resources that help care for our planet and support local communities.

Whether you want to explore the Great Land of Alaska or choose a path that can make a sustainable difference in our world, let Uly help you plan the perfect trip.

Uly's top three Alaska experiences:
• See the Northern Lights.

• Go Mushing and play with the heroes of Iditarod.

• Walk a reindeer, or even better, do yoga with one.

Uly's top three sustainable travel experiences:
• Stay at a property that is part of the Design Hotel Group – one of the most eco-friendly hotel partners that Uly loves working with.

• Visit Rwanda, the first African country to ban single-use plastic. They lead Africa's sustainable tourism development, conserve biodiversity, and safeguard mountain gorillas.

• Check out small ship cruise lines. Many are aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Heather has traveled to all 47 prefectures of Japan, is an expert of Japanese cruise ports, and has such strong connections that she is often given insider info before the traveling public is aware. Personal relationships with hoteliers, tourist associations, local guides, local restaurant owners, and port authorities give her a huge step ahead of other Japan specialists. And being able to communicate in Japanese allows her to address any situations that may arise quickly and efficiently.

"I, and many others like the famous travel writer Pico Iyer, find the way Japan embraces modernity while simultaneously remaining rooted in tradition to be truly fascinating," said Heather.

Heather can help you decide where, when, and how to go to Japan. She will make sure that you have a truly immersive experience and she'll provide you the context needed to really understand and appreciate your time there.

Heather's top three Japan experiences:
• In the southern island of Kyushu, immerse yourself in a quintessential Japanese experience by touring various onsen--Japanese natural hot springs--making sure to include Ibusuki to be "buried" in the warm, black thermal sand before soaking in a scenic private outdoor bath.

• Learn about their secrets to longevity while enjoying Okinawa's unique and healthy cuisine or traditional Okinawan dance.

• Visit the scenic Kiso valley in Central Japan to walk along the historic Nakasendo and stay in a traditional Japanese inn in Tsumago or Magome where you can watch the sun set over a rice paddy while enjoying traditional Japanese cuisine.

Also, check out the Facebook page that Heather created: Japanese Ports