Crystal Travel & Tours is now Kelturas Vacations

December 13, 2025

Boston’s beloved family-owned travel agency Crystal Travel & Tours has introduced a new name, Kelturas Vacations, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary as one of New England’s most enduring travel agencies. The new name, announced on December 9, reflects both the company’s Irish origins and the services provided to valued clients.

Crystal Travel & Tours was founded in 1985 by Galway immigrants Jim and Teresa Kelly, who met and married in Boston in the early 1960s. In forming Crystal, they drew upon their deep roots in Ireland and firsthand experience in the airline industry at a time when transatlantic travel was far less accessible. What began as a small, family-run ethnic agency grew steadily through word of mouth, repeat clients and trust.

According to the company’s literature, Kelturas blends “Kel/Kelt” – a nod to the Kelly family name and Celtic origins – and “turas” – the Irish word for journey, symbolizing exploration, discovery and meaningful experiences. In its entirety, Kelturas represents a fusion of past and present, honoring the legacy and roots of their founders, while guiding modern travelers on personalized, authentic experiences.

Along with the new name, Kelturas Vacations introduces an updated logo and color palette designed to reflect Ireland’s landscapes and Celtic artistry, creating a bridge between tradition and modern exploration.

“In many ways, Kelturas represents who we’ve always been,” says Vice President of Business Development Kevin Kelly, who works alongside his siblings Sean and Maureen in the company their parents founded. “We’re a family-run company built on trust, service and a love of travel. As we enter this new chapter, our priority remains the same – helping clients create unforgettable adventures and lifelong memories.”

We spoke to Director of Leisure Travel Joe Donnellan about the company’s history and what lies ahead.

The travel industry has evolved dramatically in 40 years. How has the company stayed abreast of these changes?

Evolving technology always leads to change, and Crystal had to pivot in order to stay relevant. Leaning on our highly personal, one-on-one service ethos, we slowly morphed into more custom tours for individuals and smaller groups.

We’ve also leaned on our clients to dictate where we could expand beyond Ireland. This led us to Scotland and the rest of Britain, Iceland, much of mainland Europe and the Nordics. Throughout this expansion, we make sure we don’t bite off more than we can chew, in order to provide the same level of service and the same destination knowledge.

As travel experts, what tour would you recommend for a first time visitor to Ireland?

As a team, we all have our own favorite regions, cities and towns, attractions, hotels and activities. Finding out what the client wants, combining that with our own knowledge of what has worked in the past, and molding it all into the perfect itinerary is the fun part of the job.

One thing we all agree on is that a trip to Ireland should not be a box-ticking exercise. Slow down. Immerse yourself and let Ireland, her nature, her people, her culture, fill you up. You don’t need to change hotels every night and drive hundreds of miles every day. Everyone who goes to Ireland wants to go back anyway. You can’t eat it all in one bite. We always build in time for villages, pubs and unplanned encounters. That’s where Ireland truly reveals herself. The key is not trying to see everything, but seeing the right things well, with space to breathe and connect.

What is trending in tourism these days?

One of the strongest trends we’re seeing is private chauffeur-driven touring, particularly for multi-generational families traveling together, and skip-generation families, where grandparents and grandkids go together, and the parents stay home or take their own trip. This type of touring offers flexibility, comfort and a shared experience without the stress of logistics. It is that once in a lifetime trip for all the family that is so rewarding for us to plan.

Golf travel is also surging, especially with The Open returning this year and the Ryder Cup coming to Ireland in 2027. While many operators focus solely on golf, our niche is integrating iconic Irish courses into a broader cultural journey, which allow travelers to say they’ve golfed in Ireland without making the entire trip about golf.

Is there a specific tour Crystal has developed over the past four decades that remains perennially popular?

All of the self-drive and chauffeur tours on our site are suggested itineraries, as a way for travelers to build their own tour and make it truly custom. People always want to deviate to visit their ancestral home or a town with their last name in it or just wherever a friend had been that they loved. Maybe they like an itinerary but want to slow it down or condense it or upgrade it. Again, this is where the fun is for us.

That said, people do get drawn to the 10-day Unwind in Ireland as a starting point. The 3-nights stays in different cities mean that you get to make a place home. The three towns/cities we have chosen for this work because they are far enough away and varied enough. They are also very fun towns with a lot to do.

With World Cup Soccer coming to the US this summer, can Kelturas capitalize on national soccer mania to attract American traveler to explore Europe?

Absolutely. Major sporting moments often spark broader travel inspiration, and soccer has a unique emotional pull. We’re seeing growing interest in trips built around Premier League matches, historic stadium tours, and club-based experiences paired with cultural sightseeing in England and Scotland and Wrexham in Wales. Later this month, we will be unveiling new itineraries that can be built around games in Liverpool, Manchester, and London, to capitalize on this.

Many Americans want to see the game where it lives, not just stadiums. Kelturas is well positioned to design trips that combine sport, culture and place, turning soccer fandom into a meaningful European journey. If these tours go well, we will definitely look to do something similar for other European cities.

Thank you, Joe!