Stephan Forget, owner & founder of Go West Tours.
Stephan, whose mother is American and father French, was raised in France. He has a French degree in Business Law and a US MBA although his initial background is in finance. Stephan started working young, for the French equivalent of the SEC then a stockbroker in France. He passed the series 7 exam and worked for Charles Schwab in 1991 on their development projects towards Europe.
Stephan has traveled extensively, namely with a backpack for a full year in 1990, and has visited over 70 countries in all. Consequently due to his passion for travel, Stephan founded the US receptive tour company, Go West Tours, late 1992. The San Francisco-based company has grown since and branch offices have been opened in New York, Montreal and Paris. Initially focused on French inbound programs to the Western United States (one of the largest if not the current largest receptive for French-speaking escorted tours to the USA), the company has evolved into a Receptive, working with clients from 32 countries and selling programs throughout the USA & Canada.
Stephan has been involved with the National Tour Association since 1997. In 2008, he will be Chair of the NTA’s Growth Committee. He is also past president of the Receptive Services Association of America.
Stephan co-owns Go West Tours with his wife Florence Solal. They are the happy parents a family of 3 young children.