Jetsetting with ... Insight Vacations tour director Todd Geist

SINGAPORE — He has stayed in the poshest hotels and dined at the best restaurants around the world.

That is all part of Todd Geist’s job as a tour director with luxury tour group Insight Vacations, which provides premium escorted journeys and memorable experiences to travellers. Geist — who manages trips to the United States and Canada — loves luxury. But he is not afraid to slum it.

“I do a lot of budget travel depending on what country I’m going to,” Geist, who lives in San Francisco, said. Last year, he chose to backpack through India, spending two weeks “sleeping at very budget hotels and eating street food and roughing it”, he told TODAY in an interview.

“I’m comfortable in fancy places and I’m comfortable with very budget spots, too. It just depends on where I am and what I want to do,” he added.

Geist was in town to spread the word about Insight’s latest packages. Those include tours to the East Coast of the US, where visitors will get to meet with a former espionage agent who will provide insights on living in the Cold War era. If you are heading to the south, you could choose to explore Kentucky through the eyes of a retired Kentucky Derby jockey. And in Memphis, private after-hours tour of Graceland will be conducted by Elvis Presley’s close friend and confidante TV host and DJ George Klein.

Q: Insight Vacations is known for luxury tours. Is this what you look for in your own travels, or do you just go for low-key and comfortable?

A: Luxury and comfort often tie together. For instance, the coaches that we use on Insight Vacations have more leg room. That’s more important to me as I’m a tall person — to be able to spread out and have that business-class comfort. And, at the end of the day, I’m personally happy in a hotel room that’s clean and has the (proper) amenities. Luxury is very nice and I appreciate it, but comfort comes first.

Q: You have travelled a lot for your job. What is one destination that you would recommend to travellers and why?

A: The one that stands out is New Orleans. It has something for everyone. There’s great musical heritage, and it’s also one of the best dining cities in the US — it has influences from Europe and Africa and the Caribbean all mixed in together to create a very unique cuisine. New Orleans has fantastic restaurants, good bars and (great) cocktails. When you’re there, you’re just happy, laid back, ready for a party. But it also has such rich history that I really get into the colonial history of the Spanish and the French and how they all interacted.

Q: Your favourite places, along with New Orleans, is Quebec City in Canada. Tell us what some of your favourite restaurants are in these destinations?

A: One restaurant that offers a stand-out experience in New Orleans is the famous Arnaud’s in the heart of the French Quarter, near Bourbon Street. The restaurant offers classic Creole cuisine and service is impressive. Dining in the beautifully restored dining room of this century-old restaurant will leave guests with a deep impression and great memories to take home. In Quebec, consider visiting Restaurant Legende, where Chef Emile Tremblay prepares dishes using local ingredients. He often uses wild mushrooms from Quebec.

Q: What have you learnt from all of your travels?

A: Having travelled all over the world, I’ve recognised that there are lots of different ways of doing things and it’s interesting to meet people with different perspectives and different approaches to life. It’s (a constant realisation for me) that we have a lot more in common than not.