About Us
I have worked in the travel business for the past 40 years. I have tremendous changes in the industry. I work on my own under the umbrella of a huge travel group. Therefore, I can give my clients individual attention while having the best resources to utilize. I tell people that I am a little "fisch" in a big pond!
Recommendations Received (7)
"Susan is the best travel agent "
"Susan brings to the table knowledge, experience, and acustomer-oriented approach to service. I..."
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"Susan brings to the table knowledge, experience, and acustomer-oriented approach to service. I highly recommend Susan to help you plan your next vacation."
Products & Services
Corporate Accounts are welcome to help their companies speed their bookings for air, hotel and car bookings. I am also able to take care of busines...
Recommendations Given (31)
"Jolene has a special gift as she is able to understand and know you in a very short period of..."
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"Jolene has a special gift as she is able to understand and know you in a very short period of time. Her manner is kind and her personality is loving. It is joyous to be in her company. "
"Toby works very hard and she is deligent when it comes to finding customers who may advertise in..."
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"Toby works very hard and she is deligent when it comes to finding customers who may advertise in the B-Tank magazine."
Recent Activity
India or Australia and New Zealand
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India or Australia and New Zealand
I have not advertised in a publication. Yet, now I am considering placing an add which will cost money. I would hope that I would cover my cost with any new business which I receive from the magazine. In the past 40 years, my clients have all come to me regarding their travel have been referrals.
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I have not advertised in a publication. Yet, now I am considering placing an add which will cost money. I would hope that I would cover my cost with any new business which I receive from the magazine. In the past 40 years, my clients have all come to me regarding their travel have been referrals.
I always ask people for their business card and then I offer mine and continuing to be pro-active, I may get some new clients. I am now also considering placing an ad in a magazine and see what comes of it.
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I always ask people for their business card and then I offer mine and continuing to be pro-active, I may get some new clients. I am now also considering placing an ad in a magazine and see what comes of it.
I just disembarked. I took a 14 night cruise on the Celebrity Serenity. I cannot rave enough about the entire trip. The ship is lovely even if the statrooms are a bit on the tight side for a party of two. The ports are terrific and the excursions were very interesting and informative. The dining...
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I just disembarked. I took a 14 night cruise on the Celebrity Serenity. I cannot rave enough about the entire trip. The ship is lovely even if the statrooms are a bit on the tight side for a party of two. The ports are terrific and the excursions were very interesting and informative. The dining is beyond description as each and every meal is delicious and the service is impeccable. When at sea, you have so many activities. You can walk on the promenade deck and get in excellent exercise. They also have a wonderful work-out room. The spa and the salon are top-notch. Each and every employee were outgoing, friendly and kind and it was a pleasure interacting with them.
Dear Kathy, I left the world of education and decided to learn how to be a travel agent as geophrapy was my favorite subject and I always wanted to see our planet. When I began, I went to an established agency and I worked on getting clients. In 1978, I was hand-writing letters. I also took a...
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Dear Kathy, I left the world of education and decided to learn how to be a travel agent as geophrapy was my favorite subject and I always wanted to see our planet. When I began, I went to an established agency and I worked on getting clients. In 1978, I was hand-writing letters. I also took a travel agent course, but that is also when there were only 3 fares of first class, economy class and an excursion fare for a vacation. You called the airline and they would tell you the base fare, the tax and the total. In those days, it only included a fare basis of F, Y or EX. You wrote the tickets by hand and you typed the itinerary. You put it in an envelope and addressed it and most were able to be delivered since they were all people who lived in the vicinity. Our services were free for the clients as the airlines paid us a commission. It all changed in 1995 when the airlines decided to no longer pay the travel agent to sell their merchandise. That was when the travel agent had to charge service fees to do the work which the client wanted. When the service was "free", most everyone who I knew would call me. Once the booking fees came into being, the entire clientele changed. I did find corporate clients who were willing to pay the fees to get the arrangements done correctly. When the internet offered travel services, the younger generation went right for it and they never became my clients. I have been in the business for over 40 years and I certainly have seen huge changes. I would suggest that you become an independent contractor in an established travel agency. After you put together a clientele, I would then consider venturing out on your own. Yet, if and when you do, you also become a business owner and you are a manager, an accountant, an IT department and you will find yourself doing very little travel work. Of course, once you can afford to hire these people as they will work for you for a salary, you will oversee the agent or two that you have hired. After 4 decades, I would never want to open my own travel office. I prefer to be a travel agent as I like this work and I have a host agency to supply all of the other departments so that you have access to their expertise. When you leave work, you do not have to stay and do all of the other type of work required to own an agency. I would rather be under the umbrella of a large concern and make commission which I must share, but I never have to worry just how I will afford to pay the people who I have hired. You may not make payroll and then you would have to take your service fees and turn it into salaries. I think he best way to go is to email everyone who you know and ask them to tell everyone who they know and so on until the phone rings or the emails start to come in. If you can locate an agency that has a great reputation, ask them if you put together a clientele, do they wish to have outside sales agents. They probably will as the more the merrier in terms of the money in the bank! Before you try to open you own and if you succeed, that is fabulous, but if you do not, you have just spent so much money and it did not work out. Go for the commissioned agent at a well known agency who has clout. If you say "this is Kathy from XYZ agency, they will help yuou in a jiffy as the owners make certain that the airlines, the hotels, the tour companies, etc. stop and listen as you are bringing them business which is what they need and want. Then, if you book a tour or a cruise or any other travel arena, the agency will get the commission from the tour company or the cruise company and you will have it to split. It has a sense that it is rent, but in actuality, you get a lot for putting your clients through a top-notch agency. Also, since all is electronic today, you can hook up with anyone with a fantastic reputaion, you can work from home unless you prefer to be in a large working environment. You do not have to associate with a local agency if you are willing to work from home under the agencies umbrella. It is the best route especially when you are starting out to have your friends call you for travel. Of course, from the very start, you must tell them your 2018 booking fees. You can choose what you want to make issuing a ticket and what the market will bear. You can tell them that the fare is $150 and your booking fee is $50. And then you need to book a lot to share all of your commissions, but it is worth it as they have everything which you will need to open your own agency. Or, you could do a percentage of the ticket such as 10% that must be added on so the fare is $150 and you can tell them you charge $50 to issue a ticket or you could tell them the fare and make $15 so they client would pay $165.00, but you must tell them and explain. when they twll you that they will do their own reservation online, remember to tell them that you wish to know whom they will call if there is an issue, a problem! That is a good one sentence line when they will save very little and you can get room upgrades, rates wit breakfast included, a car rental or they may rent it at the airport. You know that people who put their faith in you should be paying you for your expertise. Do not undersell your worth. It will be like anything that people do as the pay for a manicure, they pay to have their hair colored, they pay to play golf or tennis and you say, in no uncertain terms that these are my fees as I cannot afford to do volunteer work. I hope that this is a help for how to make your way into the travel industry. Sending best regards, Susie
Usually, I would let the person know that I am in the travel business and if they ever need my services, I would be happy to hear from them. Of course, I would give them my business card. In most cases, I receive referrals as my clients have recommended me.
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Usually, I would let the person know that I am in the travel business and if they ever need my services, I would be happy to hear from them. Of course, I would give them my business card. In most cases, I receive referrals as my clients have recommended me.
Actually, everywhere as I adore travel and each and every destination has something wonderful to see and to do and I make marvelous memories. Yet, if you twist my arm, I am a tried and true Francophile and everything in this country makes me swoon as I am in love with France!
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Actually, everywhere as I adore travel and each and every destination has something wonderful to see and to do and I make marvelous memories. Yet, if you twist my arm, I am a tried and true Francophile and everything in this country makes me swoon as I am in love with France!
I am an outside agent under the umbrella of a large travel company who is part of Travel Leaders and Signature network. I still have to find my own leisure clients and corporate accounts. Now that fees are part of the picture, most people will not want to pay and they think that they can be their...
(more)
I am an outside agent under the umbrella of a large travel company who is part of Travel Leaders and Signature network. I still have to find my own leisure clients and corporate accounts. Now that fees are part of the picture, most people will not want to pay and they think that they can be their own travel agent and book directly on the computer.
