sounds like you are looking for a person traveling assistant. You want someone to pick a destination for you based on latest travel deals, make it interesting for you, step aside, let you enjoy the trip and step in when things go sideways. That’s a tall order. The plus is that you have a healthy budget.

Several of my friends use travel agents to put together custom packages for them. In larger cites they get less hand holding on difficult to get to places or less touristy places they get the proper amount of hand holding. Still they have to pick a destination. One couple has a travel agent in our home city, Houston. They talked about private concert in one of the Eastern European countries. The other couple pick an agent in each major region for example South America, Africa…. They talked about viewing chaotic festivals from a perfectly situated balcony. Unless a travel agent on FT PM you and offer the personalized service, my suggestion would be to start using agents in your home city, NYC and keep changing until you find one that understands your objectives. A good agent should have “friends” all over the world to customize trips for you.

In my opinion, picking a destination based on latest travel deals is the easiest part. Once you decide on an agent to put together custom packages just right for you, it’s easy to get that person to scan for travel deals.