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If the idea of traveling to Europe with a toddler in tow sends shivers up your spine, fear not,
help is on the way. Mother and traveler Amie O’Shaughnessy has walked a mile (and pushed a stroller and carried a diaper bag) in your shoes.
As a result of her own experiences and what she says was a lack of quality options, O’Shaughnessy launched Ciao Bambino, a travel consulting company that helps families from around the globe travel abroad successfully.
“Wherever you are from in the world, traveling with kids presents the same universal needs,” said O’Shaughnessy.
For a one-time consulting fee , O’Shaughenessy goes above and beyond just finding clients a nice place to stay. She has personally visited each of her recommended properties, and accommodations range from self-catering villas or apartments, to hotels with suites or adjoining rooms. All establishments must meet a stringent checklist to get the Ciao Bambino stamp of approval. Separate living space, kitchens, proximity to a medical facility, a grocery store and a play area are just a few of her criteria.
Ciao Bambino’s ‘been there-done that’ advice was just what Janet Miller of Philadelphia needed. Miller and her husband traveled in June with their three children (all under the age of five) to Italy, and visited Tuscany, Rome and Pompeii.
“Both my husband and I love to travel so we decided to continue our travels, and introduce our kids to different cultures.”
Initially Miller tried to plan the trip on her own, but wading through the volumes of information on the internet left her with more questions than answers. She turned to Ciao Bambino who was able to advise her on appropriate accommodations, tours and transportation, restaurants and babysitters. Ciao Bambino even created an itinerary that Miller said was “doable and realistic, even with three little children”.
O’Shaugnessy seems to have found her niche. After a career in software sales with giants Oracle and Netscape in San Francisco, and a small startup company in London, she and her husband took a year off to travel through Europe and Asia, hoping to quench their thirst for travel once and for all, before starting a family.
“It only made it worse,” laughed O’Shaughnessy, who attributes her wanderlust to her parents, who have always traveled extensively.
When her son was four months old, O’Shaughnessy tried to plan a trip to Italy and quickly recognized a need for dedicated support for traveling families and woman traveling alone, and the idea for Ciao Bambino was born. After a couple years of research the company launched in June of 2004.
“I wanted to do something entrepreneurial and around my passion for travel, and I quickly realized I could add significant value to the market.”
O’Shaughnessy has taken her now 3-year-old son Devon on several European trips, and has tapped into what she says is a growing trend towards family oriented vacations. She chose Italy as the first country in Ciao Bambino’s portfolio because of what she says is an omnipresent family-friendly environment. From restaurants, to hotels, she says children were welcomed with open arms. Italy is also a top destination for international travelers.
O’Shaughnessy has developed a vast network of contacts enabling her to create enriching agendas for families of all ages and interests. She listens to every request, but admits meeting them all is one of her biggest challenges. “Everyone has different priorities,” said O’Shaughnessy. “For some it’s a kitchen, for others its location or activity. I provide choices.”
New York City mom Salish Donald was clear on her demands. She needed an easy place to stay with the kids. She and her husband took their two children, ages three and one, to Tuscany last summer, and joined family members with another three year old, and an infant.
“The villa was not so fancy that we felt like we had to worry about whether the kids were going to tear the place up,” said Donald. “Amie even had age appropriate toys delivered to the house. It was probably one of the most relaxing vacations we have ever had...even with the kids.”
Ciao Bambino’s reach goes beyond just young families. Matthew Irmas of Los Angeles presented O’Shaugnessy with a different challenge when he traveled to Venice with his wife and two teenage sons. He says he was impressed that Ciao Bambino managed to arrange a fulfilling itinerary that accommodated their vastly different interests that ranged from art and architecture, to cooking and sports.
“Ciao Bambino’s ability to adapt and find activities to meet my family’s needs really made our trip.”
This, says O’Shaughnessy, is a key element in successful family vacation planning.
“It is important to remember that when you travel as a family, it is not just an ‘adults only’ or ‘kids only’ vacation,” she explained.
Always a one-woman office, Ciao Bambino recently added another employee and a few consutants worldwide to help satisfy heavy demand for expansion to other countries. Last fall O’Shaughnessy checked out over 40 properties in Paris and Provence, France, and now offers these new locations to clients. She hopes to add the United Kingdom and Spain to her portfolio next.
Traveling has been life-long love for this 37-year-old voyager and mother, and she has proven that you need not sacrifice your passion for travel for your passion for family.
“My priorities obviously changed when I had my son, but I didn’t want to give up international travel,” said O’Shaughnessy.
With the help of Ciao Bambino, you too can have the best of both worlds.
www.ciaobambino.com
About the author: Kimberley Lovato is a freelance writer who now lives in Brussels, Belgium. www.abroadinbelgium.com
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