Live, Interactive, Expert Guides, and Special Tours on Easter Sunday   

New York, NY (April 9, 2020) - Walks, a small-group tour company in 15 destinations worldwide, released a new virtual and interactive tour series designed to bring the world home for its guests. While much of the global population shelters in place, Walks recognizes the value and the need to make travel experiences safely accessible. 

“'Tours from Home' is a new way for guests to see the world, accompanied by expert Walks guides. These are incredible storytellers in amazing destinations like Rome, London and New York City, and all experts in an ever-expanding selection of topics and themes,” said Stephen Oddo, CEO and Co-Founder. “I'm a father, and I know the strain families are under doing their best to give their kids quality educational experiences at home while still working full time. These tours are so educational, exciting, and fun - we made sure to include several the whole family can do together, like learning to make pasta with a professional chef in Rome. During this difficult and uncertain time, Tours From Home is a fantastic way for families to learn and connect with each other, for us in the travel industry to continue to support our wonderful guides, and for all of us to continue to explore our beautiful world.” 

The series features professional guides with live and interactive experiences, including:

• Specialized tours inspired by the Easter holiday

• • Live from the Vatican, bringing the Church to you; 2pm US Eastern Time, including Easter Sunday, then at least twice a week
  • From the Rome Colosseum special 4pm US Eastern Time, including Easter Sunday, then at least three times a week

• A Behind the Scenes experience of the Big Apple's feature attractions, including the scandals and secrets of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art 
• A Royal tour of London that brings you up close to witness the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Key Features of the Tours: 

• Professional guides, creatively adapting Walks in-person tours for virtual consumption
• Open Q&A time at the end of each tour; guests can even ask them what they're up to during lockdown in some of the hardest hit cities like Rome, New York City and London 
• Guides are screen sharing and using visual aids for their presentations
• Focus on storytelling and little-known facts 
• Walks adapted its booking platform to include a Zoom integration and will expand the program to include many more themes and destinations over coming weeks
• Each virtual tour costs $10 and guests receive a $25 credit for a future live Walks tour (valid for two years), to enable them to explore in person when travel resumes
• If you love your guide (which we know you will!), you can tip them directly; It's a powerful way to support these guides during this unprecedented disruption in the tourism industry 

Additionally, Walks has provided complimentary 360 degree video tours or virtual experiences for those that want flexibility of tuning in on YouTube viewable by mobile phone, YouTube app or VR device: https://www.youtube.com/walkstours

Need a social media fix? People can follow the guide spotlight program on Walks' Facebook and Instagram accounts, featuring their profiles and what they're up to during the travel restrictions and shelter in place orders. 

For hi-res images and assets, please visit this Dropbox and credit Walks. 

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About Walks

Walks offers over 150 unique tours and cultural experiences in 15 iconic cities across Europe and the United States. From its head offices in Dublin, Ireland and Austin, Texas, USA, Walks operates some of the most exclusive tours around the globe, partnering with prestigious attractions to offer special access to the world's leading landmarks, museums and galleries. A complete end-to-end tour operator, Walks curates unique experiences for small groups, while delivering hands-on customer support. Walks is proud to operate a portfolio of websites including takewalks.com, walksofitaly.com and walkonwalkoff.com.

About Stephen Oddo

Stephen is a serial travel industry entrepreneur and has co-founded multiple companies in the tours & activities sector since 2005. As CEO of Walks, he has spoken on behalf of the tours & activities industry on multiple occasions, including at renowned events such as: World Travel Market in London, NY Times Travel Show, TBEX, TravelCon, and the Arival Conference. He was recently on an online panel about the Coronavirus Crisis alongside ETOA's CEO Tom Jenkins. He is on the advisory board of the GFTA, an association of food tour operators. Stephen is an expert in technology and digital strategy, was featured in a Nat Geo/Netflix documentary about traveling smart in Rome and has traveled the globe to over 50 countries. When not on the road tracking down the next exciting destination for Walks, Stephen lives in Boston with his wife and daughter.