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Discussing the importance of getting to know your family better.
A collaboration between Kensington Tours and Ancestry offers a unique opportunity for individuals to connect with their heritage on a deeper level by visiting the places where their ancestors lived.
Elizabeth Dobson from London, Ontario, took a “personal heritage journey” with Kensington Tours to learn more about her great-great-grandfather after retiring in 2015 and becoming interested in genealogy.
She signed up for a heritage tour where genealogists did research on her ancestor and created a customized trip for her to explore his life in England.
During the trip in May 2024, she visited significant places related to her ancestor, including the Spyglass Inn where he passed away and viewed his paintings in museum storage.
She also visited his gravesite, along with her niece, to pay their respects.
Jason Susinski, a director at Kensington Tours, mentioned that the collaboration with Ancestry in 2020 has allowed travelers to embark on personal heritage journeys to countries like Ireland, France, Japan, and New York City.
These journeys provide a unique experience by focusing on the small towns where travelers’ ancestors originated, rather than major tourist destinations.
Through the collaboration with Ancestry, travelers can uncover their family’s story and have trips tailored according to their preferences.
These trips offer a blend of heritage exploration and general sightseeing in the country of origin.
Genealogists from Ancestry, located in various European countries, assist travelers in uncovering their family history by accessing local archives and records that are not typically available to the public.
Popular destinations for these tours include Ireland, France, Japan, and New York City, providing travelers with the opportunity to connect with their roots and possibly meet long-lost relatives in remote villages and small towns.
Los visitantes, como los que están en el tour, a menudo “destacan” y “atraen la atención local”. “Hemos escuchado historias donde un guía, con los clientes, estará caminando por una calle y un local se les acercó y les preguntó por qué están en este pueblo”, dijo. Destinos populares para este tipo de tours incluyen Irlanda, Francia, Japón y la ciudad de Nueva York, dijo Susinski. “Y eso lleva a un intercambio de opiniones, y descubren que la persona con la que han hablado está conectada con la familia por múltiples generaciones”, dijo Susinski.
Elizabeth Dobson y su sobrina viajaron recientemente a Inglaterra con la esperanza de encontrar más sobre su familia. En lugar de llevar a la gente a destinos turísticos importantes, el viaje personal de herencia permite a los viajeros, a través de tours privados, visitar los pequeños pueblos de donde originaban sus parientes. (Cortesía de Elizabeth Dobson/Getty Images)
“Es una forma realmente interesante de cerrar el círculo de estas historias”. Añadió: “Ver las paredes o pisar los terrenos donde sus familiares habían pisado es profundamente significativo”.