At a time when older adults are experiencing unprecedented isolation, Wowzitude offers a powerful antidote. This award-winning subscription-based virtual travel club reconnects seniors with the world through highly engaging, real-time tours livestreamed to groups and individuals in senior living communities, libraries, museums, churches and synagogues, and other organizations. Each 60-minute interactive live-streamed guided walking tour features both an expert moderator to facilitate discussion and a hand-picked, local tour guide eager to introduce armchair travelers to their favorite spots. Live tours are tailored, unscripted and unedited, so every experience is unique.

Wowzitude subscribers currently explore more than 100 cities and national parks across the globe via full-screen video stream. Popular live tours include Rome, Paris, Yellowstone National Park, Berlin, Lima, Istanbul and Hollywood. Wowzitude’s weekly “Two for Tuesday” travel subscriptions – morning and afternoon live tours – is the perfect “gift of travel” for parents or grandparents. Tours may be streamed into community rooms or private homes using the Zoom platform. They require no special equipment or downloads, aside from an internet-connected computer and screen.

Wowzitude is the brainchild of Susan Black, a seasoned travel industry executive. Inspired by her own experience engaging her 96-year-old mother during the pandemic, Black saw an opportunity to help communities and individuals connect through virtual enrichment and entertainment. “As I reached out to senior living communities, it became clear that engaging armchair travel was the number-one area of interest for residents across the board,” said Black. “By bringing travel experiences to them, in real time and with real interaction, Wowzitude helps older adults stay social and engaged both within their own circles and with the outside world.”

What motivated you to start your virtual tour business for senior living communities?

Susan Black: I’m a travel industry veteran, heading up marketing for world-class travel brands such as American Express Vacations, Liberty Travel (Flight Centre), CIE Tours International, and others. Inspired by my own experience engaging my 96-year-old mother during the pandemic, I saw an opportunity to help communities and individuals connect through live-streaming virtual guided walking tours. “As I reached out to senior living communities, it became clear that engaging armchair travel was the number-one area of interest for residents,” said Black. “By bringing travel experiences to them, in real time and with real interaction, Wowzitude helps older adults stay social and engaged both within their own circles and with the outside world.”

Your optional cooking activity offers a more immersive experience, can you elaborate?

Susan Black: Each tour program incorporates a recipe and custom-made alcohol drink mixes from the featured location, which is provided to the group in advance. Participants might enjoy ordering or baking New York cheesecake during a virtual stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge or snacking on scones with clotted cream and drinking Pims during a tour of London’s Soho.

You also provide affordable and flexible subscription packages for those who like to travel around the world on a weekly basis. How does this work?

Susan Black: Wowzitude’s virtual community travel club is a monthly subscription, which includes content curation and production, visual presentations, and live, interactive facilitated discussions with both a moderator and local tour guide. All virtual guided walking tours are live-streamed.

Here’s a quick overview:

  • The cost for your entire community averages $11 per tour, for 8-10 live-streamed guided tours each month.
  • $99 billed each month, gives each community full, unlimited access to two weekly, live guided virtual tours to London, Paris, NYC, Istanbul, Rome and more!
  • All tours are 1-hour – Tuesday mornings and afternoons, local time.
  • Ask our guides questions – they love interacting with groups! And we love to give “shout outs” for birthdays, anniversaries, or other red-letter days!
  • All tours include live captions.
  • All tours are moderated, along with vetted, professional local guides.
  • All tours include travel documents, including local recipes, maps, books, and movie tie-ins with each destination and more.
  • You only need WiFi and a screen. Live tours are conducted via a Zoom link. You do not need to be a Zoom subscriber.
Does Wowzitude offer Jewish heritage tours?

Susan Black: Yes! For the past year and a half, award-winning Our Travel Circle - Jewish Heritage Tours – has conducted weekly live-streamed, interactive, guided virtual Jewish-themed walking city-tours, with licensed, local guides, designed specifically for Jewish communities with the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (MJH) in NYC, as well as many other JCCs, Sisterhoods, and Jewish Federation groups. Virtual live walking tours have included Jewish Budapest, Porto, Berlin, Odessa, Amsterdam, Prague, Seville, Paris, Krakow, Istanbul, Venice, Rome, Buenos Aires, and Marrakesh, among many others.

Beginning in January 2023, Our Travel Circle will conduct weekly live-streamed Jewish heritage virtual walking tours in 50+ global cities. Live and unscripted, armchair travelers may ask questions!

Here’s a quick overview:

  • Live-streamed guided Jewish heritage walking tours are 1-hour.
  • Monthly subscriptions gives each community live, interactive access to 52 different Jewish heritage cities and guides.
  • Tours are professionally moderated, in addition to walks by local guides.
  • Tours include downloadable travel documents, including itinerary, local kosher food and drink recipes, music, book, and film recommendations.
  • Ask our guides questions – they love interacting!
  • Tours are closed-captioned for hearing impaired.
  • You only need WiFi and a screen. Live tours are conducted via a Zoom link. You do not need to be a Zoom subscriber.