Perillo's Learning Journeys is leaving Perillo Tours to become a separate company.
As the company launches independently as Learning Journeys, it will no longer be an active member of the USTOA, the company and USTOA announced Friday. That means it will no longer participate in the USTOA's $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.
Learning Journeys CEO Carol Dimopoulos, however, said one of the company's "major goals" in the new year is to join the USTOA as quickly as possible. "The value of membership and support of [USTOA CEO Terry Dale] and his team are incalculable benefits for any tour company," she said.
Dale said travel advisors and consumers should be aware that any purchases of Learning Journeys products made after Nov. 1 won't be protected under the USTOA program covering deposits and payments of up to $1 million made to companies that go out of business.
Dale said Perillo Tours continues to be a USTOA tour operator member in good standing, participating in the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program.
Steve Perillo, president and owner of Perillo Tours, called the spinoff "an exciting opportunity for Learning Journeys, under the expert eye of Carol Dimopoulos, to forge its own distinctive brand, which has always been the goal since we launched it in 2012."