Today we’d like to introduce you to Taunya Altamirano.
Hi Taunya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey into the travel industry grew out of a deep, personal passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures, especially through food, wine, and shared connections. Over time, I realized that my favorite part of traveling wasn’t just taking the trip, but the detailed art of planning it: uncovering hidden gems, finding the perfect boutique stay, and designing experiences that leave a lasting impact.
Wanting to turn that passion into a dedicated profession, I established my own boutique travel agency, *Live Love Drink Travel*, operating as a Dream Vacations franchise, and earned my credential as a Certified Travel Advisor.
Getting to where I am today required a total commitment to mastering the craft. I focused on building deep expertise in my core passions, epicurean and wine tourism, luxury cruises, and small-ship expedition voyages. I also built strong relationships with top-tier global suppliers to ensure my clients receive extraordinary care. Today, my husband Derek and I run the business as a team; he handles networking and outward-facing presentations, which allows me to focus fully on my true strength: handcrafting seamless, highly custom itineraries. Whether it’s organizing an intimate wine country tour, hosting a recurring group cruise for families and friends, or planning an Arctic expedition, getting here has been about turning a love for authentic travel into a trusted service for others.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was definitely not a smooth road starting out. In fact, I launched my travel agency just six weeks before the pandemic shut the entire world down.
When global travel came to a sudden halt, I knew I had a choice to make. Instead of stepping back, I completely shifted my focus. I used that unexpected downtime to lay a rock-solid foundation for the future: I dove headfirst into intensive industry education, studied destinations around the globe I hadn’t visited yet, and earned my CTA (Certified Travel Advisor) credential.
Navigating that time taught me incredible resilience and gave me a deep, technical understanding of the travel industry inside and out. Coming out of the pandemic, I wasn’t just ready to reopen, I was equipped with expert-level knowledge and a sharpened focus on delivering exceptional service, which has driven our growth ever since.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Live Love Drink Travel is a boutique travel agency (operating as a Dream Vacations franchise) dedicated to turning travel from a simple trip into an unforgettable experience.
We specialize in upscale, epicurean, and wine-focused tourism, luxury cruises, and intimate, small-ship expeditions—like host-led Northern Lights voyages. Beyond individual luxury getaways, we are heavily known for curating and hosting recurring group travel experiences (such as our biennial “Brady’s Bunch” group cruises), bringing communities of friends and families together to explore the world seamlessly.
What truly sets us apart is our highly focused niche, our hands-on service model, and how we operate as a team. My husband Derek handles our networking and outward-facing presentations, which allows me to devote my full focus and technical expertise as a Certified Travel Advisor to what I do best: meticulous planning, destination research, custom itinerary design, and supplier negotiations. We don’t do cookie-cutter vacations. When clients work with us, they receive deeply personalized advocacy from initial brainstorming until they return home.
Brand-wise, we are most proud of our resilience and our commitment to authentic expertise. Having launched just six weeks before the global shutdown, we built this brand on continuous learning, industry certification, and unwavering dedication to our clients. We want your readers to know that *Live Love Drink Travel* isn’t just about booking a ticket, it’s about celebrating life, food, wine, and culture with total peace of mind.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Given that Live Love Drink Travel focuses so heavily on luxury cruises, epicurean events, and curated wine tours, people are often surprised to learn how much I love the freedom of a rugged, independent road trip, even internationally!
While many travelers find the idea of navigating foreign roads intimidating, I’ve driven through places like Italy, Tahiti and other countries, taking on narrow streets and winding countryside roads with complete confidence.
It surprises people because my client-facing brand is all about relaxed, seamless luxury where every detail is managed for you. But behind the scenes, that adventurous, hands-on spirit is actually what makes me a better planner. Navigating foreign routes firsthand gives me a grounded, real-world perspective on ground logistics, regional pacing, and hidden off-the-beaten-path stops that you simply can’t learn from a brochure. It reminds me that whether you’re cruising on a small ship or driving through European wine country, the best travel experiences come from embracing the journey as much as the destination.
Pricing:
- Cruise Planning Starting at $50
- Land Package Planning Starting at $250
- Consultation Fees – No Planning $250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://livelovedrinktravel.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/livelovedrinktravel
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/livelovedrinktravel
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/livelovedrinktravel
- Twitter: https://x.com/lldt_blog
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@livelovedrinktravel
- Other: https://g.page/livelovedrinktravel?gm
