The Starling Collective
An idea from one mom. Made real by decades of travel expertise.
Meet the two women behind the Collective.
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Amber Betts
Co-Founder & Travel Director
- 25+ years in travel — sparked by a life-changing European student trip
- Hospitality degree (travel emphasis), Metropolitan State University of Denver
- 12 years with a major international tour operator & river cruise line: reservations, groups, and co-spearheaded Europe custom groups
- Founded Esteem Journeys in 2014; Virtuoso-affiliated luxury travel agent
- Expert in custom Europe, small ship/river cruising, & luxury travel worldwide
- Travel experience: Europe 12X+, Peru, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Mexico, Alaska & Canada
- Colorado native: she plans and leads every Starling journey
Meg Smit
Co-Founder & Visionary
- The mom whose idea started it all — Starling grew from her own wish to raise global citizens
- Believes the world is the best teacher a child can have
- Has watched travel change her own kids — curiosity, confidence, and a wider heart
- Dreamed up a way for more families to give their children that gift, together
- Champions the brand, the vision, and the belief that immersion beats a checklist
What we believe
- Fewer places, gone deeper — real immersion over a race to see it all
- Off the beaten path, in the quiet season — genuine welcomes, lighter footprint
- Families experience the world together — the trip is the classroom
- Travel is an investment in who a child becomes
See you in the sky.
© 2026 The Starling Collective · Raising global citizens, together