FAMOUS CULTURAL PROGRAMS FINALLY AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC AND TRAVEL TRADE

New York , NY ( February 15, 2005 ):- GROUP IST (IST = International Specialty Travel) is widening its coverage of niche travel products with the launching of a new website; www.eCulturalTours.com, the world’s leading internet portal for ccultural tours, themed travel programs and culturally enriched international city packages. 

 "For years, IST has been the preferred provider to the nation's leading non-profit organizations, universities and alumni associations. Now, through eCulturalTours.com, we're finally making these special cutlural travel programs available to the public and travel trade" says John T. Peters, CTC, Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development of GROUP IST.  "It is very easy to navigate and features online booking of thematic tour programs including detailed itineraries with themes like art, history, music, wine & food and more. No other site offers anything like it for cultural tours."

"All of us here at Group IST have been selling cultural tours for much of our professional careers, says Michael Goren, GROUP IST President and CEO,  “because this is a natural fit for our network of individual, group and non-profit clients.” In the coming months, GROUP IST plans to expand its portfolio of cultural programs on the South American continent.

GROUP IST is one of the nation’s leading providers of specialty travel, offering a myriad of unique travel experiences -- including religious tours, small ship and barge programs, and customized group travel - all commissionable to travel agents. For more information, visit www.GroupIST.com .

For information and reservations, call 1-800-833-2111. To know more about GROUP IST, visit www.GroupIST.com

To know more about this release, contact WEILL at 212-288-1144 , groupist@geoffreyweill.com

This press release is a service of WEILL, Geoffrey Weill Associates, 15 East 84 Street, New York NY 10028 , USA

www.geoffreyweill.com