Meet Our Team

coda tours

Jim Smith

Owner/Founder

A veteran of 42 years in the travel industry, Jim was an international tour manager, leading Europeans and Americans around the globe.
His career includes 4 world cruises aboard the Queen Elizabeth II where he served as interpreter in French, Spanish & Portuguese for American Express Travel, 10 years as a cruise director and expedition leader aboard private expedition vessels, and another decade as an executive for an exclusive educational tour company where he designed and operated programs worldwide for the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic On Tour, the Harvard Alumni Association, the Association of Yale Alumni and many others.
Jim has traveled to more than 3/4 of the countries on the planet, guided by his superb education, courage and eagerness to share with his LGBTQ+ fellow travelers.

Duni Bauta

Director of Business Development

We are pleased to announce that Duni (Duniesqui) Bauta has found his home here at Coda. Some may remember him from leading Coda Tours in Portugal and Peru.
Duni is a consummate globetrotter who was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. Trained and educated in Live Entertainment and Hospitality Management, Duni became highly sought-after while working as an International Tours Manager and Tour Guide for Academic Institutions, Museums and Trend-Setting Companies. A logical transition from guiding was opening his own Boutique Tour Company which he ran until recently. He is now bringing that hard-won experience to Coda Tours. His passion for the outdoors and food will result in you enjoying the best restaurants on every destination. We can’t wait for you guys to meet him and experience the true joy of going on a trip with Duni at the helm.

Agron Zyberaj

Director of Operations

Born in Albania, Agron came to Coda in 2015, following the completion of his Masters in Finance in Tirana. Now a veteran of dozens of trips with Coda clients, he looks back most fondly on his trips to Egypt, Croatia, England & Ethiopia. As do we!
His passion for travel extends to planning private trips for Coda clientele, whether aboard a luxury cruise or an extended tour of Europe. Agron’s European background and financial acumen are an asset that Coda clients enjoy, and complements the knowledge of the rest of our team. You will find him tour managing many trips around the world, including our frequent tour of the Balkan countries with a stop in his hometown of Tirana.
Agron runs the daily operations at Coda and attends to customer service and financial needs of the company.

MEET OUR PAST & CURRENT TRAVELERS

Dominique B.

Dominique B.

10 Trips, Montréal, CA

I am a CODA customer since 2004. I have made over 10 trips with Jim and his team, visiting 4 continents with them and in excess of 25 countries and destinations. The service is very professional and dedicated, always with the best accommodations available, and an emphasis on the security and well-being of the customers; as in some places of the world, it is not always obvious for gay travelers. The choice of destinations always offers traditional and more unusual selections. My family has spent over 75 years in the tour operating business, and I know how to recognize quality when I see it. Coda is definitely a quality outfit.
Scott K. & Jim J.

Scott K. & Jim J.

14 Trips, Dallas, TX

Starting with a magnificent tour of China in 2008, we have traveled with CODA almost every year for the past twelve years. These tours may have been one of the well-managed group tours or private arrangements made by CODA. We love the first class, professional, and caring attention to detail we experience with CODA. CODA has exposed us to wonderful places and memorable experiences that we would have missed without their guidance. We eagerly await our next adventure with CODA.
Renton H.

Renton H.

9 Trips, Cherry Hill, NJ

I have traveled the world with Coda Tours and experienced many different cultures. Each local guide has offered a wealth of information on the best sites in the area. All the hotels and restaurants have been fabulous. A special treat was sitting down and eating with a local family. Of course, experiencing the trip with fellow travelers adds another dimension. I highly recommend Coda tours.
Jim W. & Ralph P.

Jim W. & Ralph P.

17 Trips, New York, NY

Our relationship with CODA and Jim Smith goes back to my trip on a CODA tour to India in 2005. Since then we have enjoyed multiple CODA group tours, the last of which was 2019 Arab Sheikdoms, as well as many [private] trips for just the two of us. Throughout this time, we have experienced the benefits of dealing with a well-informed and well-organized travel organization that knows our travel desires inside and out. [Our profile] photo [was] taken during an overnight houseboat trip through the Kerala Backwaters during our private 2009 India/Bhutan trip.
Lloyd P. & Hao Bac L.

Lloyd P. & Hao Bac L.

4 Trips, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Coda Tours has been our travel agent for over two years and has planned two private tours for my husband and me. The first was a crossing on The Queen Mary ll from New York to Southampton. From Southampton we flew to Paris for a wonderful week in the Most beautiful city we’ve experienced. It was a thrill to revisit Paris after so many years. Coda saw to it that all connections and accommodations were to our liking. Coda arranged a second trip to Vienna, Copenhagen and Paris in May of 2019. Again, the trip went smoothly thanks to Coda. We highly recommend Coda Tours in Wellington, Florida.

READY FOR A TRIP OF A LIFETIME?

Call, Email or use the Form below if you have any questions, we’re always here to help.

 

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CRUISES, PRIVATE TAILOR-MADE & CUSTOMIZED VACATIONS & TOURS

Experience the world like never before.
Our expertise will deliver the vacation of a lifetime.

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Contact Info

888-677-2632

+1 561-791-9890

info@coda-tours.com

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