Raymond & Whitcomb's Tours: Seven Tours to the Paris Exposition of 1900. By the Atlantic Transport Line, Sailing from New York. 50 pages. Includes fold out map. Measures 5 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches.

Ephemeral booklet served as an all-inclusive marketing blueprint designed to entice wealthy Gilded Age Americans to cross the Atlantic and experience the historic Exposition Universelle (1900) in style.

The Atlantic Transport Line (ATL) was an American-owned, British-flagged steamship company operating out of New York. Known as the absolute favorite of the East Coast upper class, ATL ships deliberately carried only First Class passengers, sacrificing steerage/immigrant transport to guarantee an exclusive, elite social environment on board.

Very good condition.

The primary focus of the text is a line-by-line itinerary matrix mapping out seven distinct tour packages tailored to different budgets and time constraints. The standard tour formula highlighted in the book included:

• The Ocean Crossing: Passengers boarded favorite ATL vessels in New York for an uncrowded, luxury crossing.
• The Paris Base: The hallmark of the Raymond & Whitcomb package was their accommodations. The booklet highlights that guests would spend their time in Paris staying at the Trocadero Hotels, which sat directly facing the Exposition Grounds for premium access.
• The Grand Exhibits: Itineraries were timed to maximize viewings of the expo's biggest spectacles, including the debut of the Paris Metro underground railway, the massive Palace of Electricity, and the global Street of Nations along the banks of the Seine.
• The British Extension: Nearly all seven tours featured a built-in cross-channel extension, guaranteeing "a week in London" or extended transit through Great Britain before catching a return steamer back to New York.