Hi all – Happy Friday! Phew. What a week. It’s been very busy. But in this industry, busy is a very good thing. Let’s see what travel agent life has been looking like lately:
Clients’ Bookings That Have Been Traveled:
Recently Returned:
I recently had 2 couples return from their double date/couples getaway trip to Aruba. They had a BLAST. And how could they not on the beautiful Caribbean island of Aruba, affectionately known as One Happy Island. Welcome back to the states. Travel Agent Life doesn’t just end when your client departs on their trip. I also send a follow up/welcome back email to my clients asking how their trip was. Feedback greatly helps me as I plan for upcoming trips for other clients. If my client hated the property, I need to know why. If they loved it, I need to know why. A large part of my job is qualifying the client and seeing what’s the best “fit” for them based on their expectations and budget. And every now and then… I’ll get great feedback AND some pictures of their trip. Thank you, Jana!
Currently Away:
- I have a couple celebrating a 40th birthday in Greece. They actually depart today. Hopefully I can snag some pictures from them. Could you even think of a more picturesque place than Santorini?
- I have a couple who are currently in Rome after spending a fantastic week in Tuscany. They are staying at the Porta del Chianti – Vin Santo property. It’s one of the Parker Villas properties, which I highly recommend. You can set up time for a wine tasting or olive oil tasting. Porta del Chianti, as the name implies, is a stylish and inviting doorway into the fabled Chianti region amid old-world charm, modern comforts and unforgettable views. Majestically situated on a lush outcrop, the estate dates back to 1602 and has been refashioned into vacation apartments with a winery and olive oil mill next door. The grounds encompass 250 acres laden with walking paths among the vines and over 5000 olive trees yielding the highest quality oil. All of this beauty is enhanced by Porta del Chianti’s highly desirable location. It lies in sight of San Gimignano’s ancient towers and is midway between Florence and Siena with many medieval hill towns in close proximity. How cute is this property?
Upcoming Clients’ Bookings
Travel agent life this month is filled with TONS of travel for my clients and I couldn’t be more excited. Here’s what some of my clients are looking forward to later this month.
- In a few days, have a wonderful honeymoon couple heading to the UNICO 20°N 87°W property in the beautiful Riviera Maya, Mexico. If you don’t know about their ice cream sundaes, you have to check out my previous blog post on them. #Heavenly
- I have a destination wedding taking place later this month at Dreams Punta Cana. It’s my VERY FIRST destination wedding so I feel this little 50/50 mix of excitement and nervousness. I just want everything to go smoothly for the bride and groom. The bride just so happens to be someone I went to high school with.
- I have a group celebrating a Dirty 30 bash in Cancun, Mexico! They are going to have a blast. Especially since they purchased VIP tickets to Coco Bongo as well. Unlimited drinks… say wha?!
- I have a couple heading to Bolivia and Peru on the Inca Empire tour with G Adventures. I’m excited for them as they’re really going to see a lot – La Paz, Bolivia, they’ll get to see the famous Lake Titicaca village in Peru, they’ll get to explore the Cusco and Ollantaytambo area where they will stop at the G Adventures-supported women’s weaving co-op before visiting a local pottery making community. They’ll get to hike on the Lares Trek to see one of the new 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu with optional day trips to Rainbow Mountain. For those of you not familiar… please see this magicness below:
G Adventures Brand Ambassador Trip
In just SIX days, I will be heading to Lima, Peru where I will embark on an exciting 8 day Machu Picchu Adventure. So pumped for this! And what’s more? I’ll get to stop by the G Adventures-supported women’s weaving co-op before visiting a local pottery making community. One of the days will consist of breaking for lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa community restaurant in Huchuy Qosco.
One of my New Years goals for 2018 was to participate in more community-focused activities. I’m so proud of the accomplishments G Adventures has set forth and hope other tour operators follow suit.
Sandals FAM Trips
Another year… another FAM trip. But it never gets old! A free vacation… who on Earth could complain?? So past FAM trips are as follows:
- Summer 2016 – Palace Resorts and Secrets Resorts – Mexico (Cancun)
- Summer 2017 – Sandals Resorts – Bahamas (Nassau and Exuma)
- December 2017 – Sandals and Beaches Resorts – Jamaica (Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril)
Well… I am very excited to share where I will be heading THIS year for my FAM (Familiarization) Trip… *Drumroll*:
- August 2018 – Sandals Resorts – St. Lucia
- September 2018 – Beaches Resorts – Turks and Caicos
It will be my first time visiting the Eastern part of the Caribbean so I’m having all the feels. This will be a great way for me to see not only the resorts but also the destinations. I’ve booked quite a few St. Lucia and Turks and Caicos trips for my clients but what better way to be able to articulate about the place than seeing it in the flesh?
Group Bookings
Nothing gets that adrenaline in me flowing more than having a large group booking to work on! Now that my destination wedding is leaving at the end of this month and they’re all set I’m looking for my next challenge. If you are planning a large group trip and need my help planning, please feel free to email me: cassandra@accent-on-travel.net
I’m experienced in:
- Destination Weddings
- Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties
- Sorority/Fraternity Spring break trips
- Family reunions
- More…
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next weekly update and my experience in Machu Picchu!
