Globus family of brands celebrates 95 years!

The Globus family of brands began as a small family company with one man and a rowboat in 1928. Antonio Mantegazza, the company’s founder, used his rowboat to transport commercial goods across
Lake Lugano in Switzerland. While taking frequent trips across the scenic lake, Antonio began dreaming of a different opportunity … tourism. He dreamt of showing the world to travelers.

And in 1928, when he launched Globus, he did that – and so much more. From creating the world’s first European touring vacations and unveiling value tours for cost-conscious travelers to designing Suite Ships that changed the tide in river cruising, the Globus family of brands has a 95-year history of creating life-enhancing journeys across the globe.

1950s – Grand European Touring

By 1950, Globus Viaggi had grown significantly, featuring 33 coaches with overnight excursions to Rome, Venice, the Dolomites and French Riviera. Thanks to their popularity, gradually, the overnight excursions became regularly scheduled tours. These grew longer to cover more ground. Later that decade, under the leadership of Werner Albek, Antonio’s business partner, Globus pioneered the concept of Grand European Touring by offering first-class European tours to North Americans.

1960s – Launch of Cosmos

By 1961, the company launched the Cosmos brand under the Globus family of brands umbrella, featuring value-priced European touring for the cost-conscious British. These coach tours were so successful that Cosmos soon introduced another form of travel for the British market – air holiday packages to the sunny destinations of southern Europe. By 1968, just 40 years after the company’s launch, Cosmos air holidays became so popular the company formed its own airline, Monarch Airlines.

1970s – Expansion to other destinations

Beginning In 1974, under the flagship of Sergio Mantegazza, son of Antonio and current president of
Globus, we began expanding our markets beyond Great Britain. The 70s was a big decade for the company, introducing wayfarers to more countries than any other tour operator. We introduced packages to Africa, Australia, North and South America, Southeast Asia, Europe and the South Pacific.

2000s – Launch of Avalon Waterways

The entrepreneurial spirit that launched Globus is very much alive today. In 2004, the Globus family of
brands launched a cruise company, Avalon Waterways, setting a new standard in small-ship cruising.
Also in 2004, the Globus family extended its offerings by creating Monograms, which provides
consumers independent travel opportunities with behind-the-scenes experts taking care of the getaway details, pre-trip and an on-site Local Host® dedicated to enhancing the experience and journey. Attributing its success to the ideals of founder Antonio Mantegazza, the Globus family of brands has witnessed three generations of his vision, hard work, love for travel and commitment, culminating in unparalleled vacations for millions of globetrotters.

And Now!

Today, the group of companies consists of more than 30 tourism and aviation businesses, serviced by
more than 5,000 professionals. And Globus family of brands offers over 500 vacations with nearly 10,000 departures and almost 300 different itineraries, covering more than 70 countries on six continents!

For 95 years, the Globus family of brands has been providing a variety of vacations that address the needs of today’s diverse traveler with unparalleled vacation experiences, full of discovery and insight. We offer hundreds of unique itineraries all over Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Africa.

Whether it’s a fully escorted tour, independent vacation package, or river cruise vacation, with Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways, you will get unmatched value, insider knowledge, and world-class customer service with every journey.