Meet the Owner
Ciao, and welcome to Master Class Italy! I’m Patty Van Wyck. My journey with Italy began in 1983, before college, and has grown into a lifelong passion and love affair. After multiple visits and a few years living in Sardinia in the 1990s, I decided to reshape my career and life to center around Europe and Italy.
I started my career in travel while living in Sardinia, hosting tours and working in a travel office. Upon returning to the US, I joined a travel agency and eventually launched my own home-based business, Going Places! Custom Travel, in 2008. In 2013, leveraging my extensive experience in Italy, I joined JDB Fine Hotels and Resorts as their Southeast Regional Sales Manager. Representing over 100 exceptional Italian properties, this role marked my expansion from travel advisor to include sales and marketing specialist. Following JDB’s closure, I continued to deepen my connections with Italian hotels and DMCs through various sales and marketing positions.
In 2023, I ventured out on my own to focus on providing FAM trips to Italy exclusively for luxury travel advisors. With my dual perspective as an advisor and a sales and marketing professional, I identified a niche where sharing industry insights and relationships could benefit both hotels and advisors. After three successful FAM seasons under Going Places! Custom Travel, it was time to establish a dedicated company to continue sharing my passion for Italy and provide unparalleled educational experiences.
About Master Class Italy
Our Mission
At Master Class Italy, we are committed to delivering premier FAM experiences for travel advisors seeking to deepen their expertise in Italy to help confidently book their clients' dream getaways. We facilitate valuable connections with top-tier hotel and tour operator partners throughout the country, ensuring an enriching and enjoyable experience.
Our FAM Trips
We offer a range of FAM trips that provide travel agents with comprehensive experiences across Italy. Whether you’re interested in large cities or smaller countryside destinations, we will have a FAM that will interest you. Our hotel partners and itineraries change from season to season so there will always be a FAM that will help you build your Italian portfolio of industry connections, first-hand experiences and professional knowledge.
Our Partners
We are committed to connecting you with esteemed hotel properties and DMCs throughout Italy. Connections and relationships are crucial in our industry and each hotel’s owner, general manager or director of sales accompany us during our time with them. These relationships help cement your clients are specially recognized when you book their accommodations or travel plans.