a news release or is otherwise written in a promotional tone . please help by either rewriting this article from a neutral point of view or by moving this article to wikinews . when appropriate blatant advertising may be marked for speedy deletion with db spam . november 2009 artisans of leisure type private industry travel tour operator tourism hospitality founded 2003 headquarters new york city united states products private luxury tours website www.artisansofleisure.com artisans of leisure is a luxury travel company offering private cultural tours in international destinations . 1 2 the company offers tours in 60 countries on six continents . contents 1 history 2 products and services 3 notes 4 references 5 external links history edit artisans of leisure was founded in 2003 by ashley isaacs ganz . food & wine magazine has named ganz a luxury travel tastemaker 3 and departures magazine featured ganz in their explorers issue . 4 many of the company s staff members have graduate degrees and backgrounds in academia journalism or the arts . 5 the company has been recognized as a luxury travel specialist for many destinations worldwide 6 7 8 9 as an upscale family travel planner 10 11 and as a company offering one of a kind and special interest activities and tours . 12 13 artisans of leisure was ranked as one of the best tour operators in the world 3 best tour operator overall and 1 general tour operator in travel leisure magazine s world s best awards . 14 in their annual survey that rates travel companies according to client satisfaction quality of service sustainability education and other criteria national geographic adventure magazine named artisans of leisure one of the best luxury travel outfitters in the world . 15 national geographic traveler has named the company s tours to their 50 tours of a lifetime in multiple years . 16 17 trade publication recommend said travel industry insiders go as far as saying that artisans of leisure hasn t merely raised the bar when it comes to private touring they claim artisans of leisure is the bar . 18 the company s tours have been listed in the cond nast traveler magazine dream list repeatedly . 19 20 21 artisans of leisure tours have been recommended by the new york times cond nast traveler travel leisure forbes nbc s today show cnn frommer s fodor s and other major newspapers magazines guidebooks affluent market studies 22 and trade publications . products and services edit artisans of leisure specializes in luxury foreign independent travel fit and arranges tours with a cultural focus in 55 countries . 5 the company also offers special interest tours focusing on various themes 23 such as culinary tours 24 25 26 family tours 10 art and architecture tours active travel garden tours tours for travelers with food allergies and dietary restrictions and religious heritage tours . the company also designs one of a kind international honeymoons 27 28 and offers a honeymoon registry . 29 30 artisans of leisure is noted for incorporating specialized experiences into their tours such as philanthropic activities 31 specialized shopping excursions 32 33 34 special lessons and classes such as japanese tea ceremony and italian cooking 25 and innovative activities for families couples and groups of friends . 35 36 notes edit maier kathryn & wilkinson brook december 2006 . the fabulous 50 50 experiences that only insiders can deliver . cond nast traveler pp. 180 182 186 thrasher paula crouch july 25 2004 . premium travel more are willing to pay for service . the atlanta journal constitution pp . k1 k6 abdelnour salma december 2004 . luxury travel s road scholar . food & wine p. 144 khanna nandita july august 2008 . artfully asian . departures p. 62 a b artisansofleisure.com official site reiber beth 2006 . escorted tours . frommer s japan 8th ed . . p. 49 . isbn 0 471 76391 8 kelly margaret ed . 2007 . guided tours and culinary tours . fodor s china 5th ed . . p. 732 . isbn 978 1 4000 1731 7 vietnamese cuisine 2007 . in dupont ellen ed . national geographic journeys of a lifetime 500 of the world s greatest trips . p. 247 . washington d.c. national geographic society . isbn 978 1 4262 0125 7 barberich christene luxury travel experts four seasons magazine summer 2005 p. 74 a b edwards yolanda july august 2007 . best of family travel . cookie p. 73 glusac elaine fall 2007 . the new face of family travel . celebrated living p. 92 maier kathryn & wilkinson brook december 2007 . the dream list 40 one of a kind experiences and how to get them . cond nast traveler pp. 207 216 218 nagie kelsey july 2006 . artisans of leisure the posh lifestyle goes global . tangodiva.com wu stephanie august 2016 . world s best awards . travel leisure christ costas & martin claire february 2009 . best adventure travel companies on earth . national geographic adventure p. 81 loftus margaret may june 2010 . 50 tours of a lifetime the year of adventure . national geographic traveler pp. 91 92 loftus margaret may june 2011 . 50 tours of a lifetime going deep getting personal . national geographic traveler p. 90 ortiz sergio february 2009 . tour talk artisans of leisure . recommend p. 14 maier kathryn & wilkinson brook december 2006 . the fabulous 50 50 experiences that only insiders can deliver . cond nast traveler pp. 180 182 186 maier kathryn & wilkinson brook december 2007 . the dream list 40 one of a kind experiences and how to get them . cond nast traveler pp. 207 216 218 maier kathryn & wilkinson brook december 2008 . the dream list 32 one of a kind experience and how to get them . cond nast traveler p. 153 hnwis pursuit of passion investments is not deterred by economic volatility luxury experiential travel june 24 2008 . merrill lynch cap gemini world wealth report 2008 p. 25 chessher melissa december 2006 . customized culture . hemispheres p. 32 traveling with taste . march 2005 . bon appetit p. 30 a b gordon alice september 2006 . become an expert . travel leisure p. 136 holliday taylor april 10 2005 . savoring the bounty of vietnam . the new york times section 5 p. 1 custom made escapes . august september 2007 . modern bride p. 172 a year of honeymoons . winter 2006 . instyle weddings p. 99 q & a travel is it possible to register for our honeymoon spring summer 2008 . the knot . p. 430 10 surprising registry ideas . spring 2007 . instyle weddings p. 235 alsever jennifer december 9 2007 . when a luxury vacation cultivates philanthropy . the new york times p. bu 6 dean josh july aug 2007 . special agents . blueprint p. 72 lee denny june 11 2006 . turning souvenir shopping into an art . the new york times p. tr2 sealover denise jobin spring 2007 . sophisticated shopping . wachovia renaissance magazine p. 6 morales natalie & orwoll mark august 21 2006 . five life transforming trips . nbc today slon steve june 13 2007 . first class passage to india . forbestraveler.com references edit aarons felice & kelly shannon 2007 . guided tours and culinary tours . fodor s shanghai 1st ed . p. 257 . isbn 978 1 4000 1745 4 the art of exploration . september 2006 . luxury travel advisor p. 64 ask t l ask an expert september 2011 . travel leisure p. 28 bennett andrea & bunting chris march 15 2005 . the a team . new york post bobb brooke november 19 2015 . 5 exotic culinary vacations where it s all about the food . vogue.com budapest bottoms up . june 2007 . fodors.com carmichael karen may june 2011 . 50 tours of a lifetime . national geographic traveler clemence sara november 30 2013 . the off duty 50 holiday gift guide . the wall street journal connelly marjorie august 21 2005 . leaf peeping in japan and luggage service along hadrian s wall trail . the new york times travel section cormier ray march 7 2004 . design and gardens in japan . the new york times travel section culinary travel award 2014 all winners best culinary tours july 2014 . saveur dizik alina august 12 2015 . more parents vacation with one child at a time and leave the siblings home . the wall street journal doherty mike october 2012 . the story behind the stuff consumers growing interest in real products . fast company donelson sophie spring 2007 . travel intell . 100 thousand club pp. 94 95 dumenco simon summer 2009 . vision quest why culture is travel s latest holy grail . the new york times t magazine p. 12 flint sunshine june july 2012 . top 10 family trips . worth p. 133 ford elise hartman february 3 2008 . tour operators what they do how to find them and why you want one . the washington post p. 10 gold sarah january february 2013 . exotic culinary tours . departures good trips dance september october 2011 . afar p. 66 guilmet april january 12 2015 . cruelty free luxury is not an oxymoron . fortune.com johansen heidi leigh ed . 2007 . guided tours . fodor s beijing 1st ed . p. 241 . isbn 978 1 4000 1739 3 johanson mark november 13 2015 . once in a lifetime trips . cnn.com jordan michele anna & brady susan 2006 . the world is a kitchen cooking your way through culture stories recipes and resources . pp. 268 277 279 . palo alto ca travelers tales . isbn 1 932361 40 5 kaplan michael fall 2006 . savoring the world . celebrated living pp. 96 98 kelly margaret ed . 2012 . special interest tours . fodor s australia 21st ed . p. 738 . isbn 978 0 307 92844 3 kelly margaret ed . 2011 . guided tours . fodor s china 7th ed . p. 780 . isbn 978 0 307 48053 8 loftus margaret may june 2010 . 50 tours of a lifetime the year of adventure . national geographic traveler pp. 91 92 loftus margaret may june 2011 . 50 tours of a lifetime going deep getting personal . national geographic traveler p. 90 mclaren sally & zatko martin 2014 . agents and operators . the rough guide to japan 6th ed . p. 32 . isbn 1409342832 minarcek andrea july 30 2013 . adventure travel 2013 top new trips to emerging places . usatoday.com murphy jen may 2013 . cooking & culinary tour 4 hands on food experiences . afar p. 80 pounder sibeal december 15 2013 . little league philanthropic tourism . financial times how to spend it richmond simon & dodd jan 2011 . agents and operators . the rough guide to japan 5th ed . p. 28 . isbn 1848366159 roberts chuck & motamed nilou august 31 2006 . trips that will change your life . cnn headline news roberts sophy & story richard david october 2012 . a guide to the mediterranean insiders to consult villas to rent and advice on getting there . departures reiber beth 2006 . escorted tours . frommer s tokyo 9th ed . . p. 35 . isbn 0 471 76392 6 sardone susan breslow november 2007 . honeymoons romantic travel top 5 tour operators . about.com sherman lauren february 21 2008 . asia s sumptuous resort spots . forbes.com smith sarah march april 2010 . what 500 buys in departures p. 40 spectacular spain . january 2006 . luxury travel advisor p. 52 the insider s guide the fixers asia . october 2011 . departures p. 112 thursfield celia may 2014 . asia section intro to seoul