Collette’s 102nd Season: Ana Rooney, Director of Product Design

Creating experiences for travelers that they will come back home and talk to friends about. When I find something that’s unique or culturally significant, or something that I just know will make a traveler happy while traveling in a destination, that gets me excited.

I am a complete nerd in that I believe that that travel has the power to change people. I think that’s a good thing to be nerdy about, though!

One of my favorite recent travel memories was on my trip to Israel and Jordan. I spent one night in Wadi Rum in the desert, and it was a magical experience. Waking up in the morning to complete silence and sand dunes as far as the eye could see was surreal. Then, going into Israel was also eye-opening. I had candid conversations with locals who took great pride in their heritage and what it truly means to them to be Israeli.

I think the Middle East in general is an exciting destination that more people need to explore. On the Jordan and Israel tour, we visit Petra – and let me tell you, I’ve never been in more awe than when I walked through this site. I grew up with Indiana Jones, so getting to see this spot in real life made my childhood dream come true.

It means innovation, new products, and exciting changes that place a larger focus on making travelers’ vacation experiences even better.

There is a lot of new, exciting product coming. Travelers should also know that while we are growing, we are continuing to focus on the core travel design of Collette and what our travelers want out of their getaway.