2012 - As I look back

As I look back on 2012 I realize that I have a lot to be thankful for. I have grown as a person, a travel advisor and my business has grown!   I have to thank my clients for this as you have made me expand my abilities as a travel advisor by trusting me with your travel visions.  I have learned so much about new destinations, new ways to travel and what motivates people travel.  Here is a list of some things I’d like to share with you that has transpired over my year.

Most interesting flight itinerary I booked – Calgary to Norfolk Island, then to Chennai India and then return from Bangladesh. This all for a client that who went to Norfolk Island to visit his family home, then onto to India to visit his daughter who was teaching there and next to visit his sponsored child in Bangladesh.

Most luxurious booking:  A Private yacht chartered for a client’s 40^th birthday and 4 of his friends in the Whitsunday Islands, Australia.

Most generous gifts:  A camper van hire for Germany with return flights as a gift for a retiring employee who always wanted to go back to Germany for a visit. Another company gave their long time employee as a retirement gift a private tour of Paris for her and her granddaughter. It was complete with chauffeur and private guide. These gifts will create lifetime memories for these dedicated employees, so much more than a gold watch. I felt privileged to be instrumental in making it happen for them!  

Most popular destination:  I sold a lot of trips to South America this year as well. Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos are hot spots for tourism right now.  I had opportunity to customize some trips to South America for some new clients and some repeat clients. I also have put together a writer’s retreat group to Peru with writer/comedian Deborah Kimmett.  To learn more about this trip click here.  

Most educational - I went on a Seminar at Sea on Royal Caribbean’s’ Oasis of the Seas, one of the world’s largest cruise ships. The Oasis is a beautiful ship with tons of activities, wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces, and wonderful dining options. This is a great ship for families and multi – generational groups as there is really something for everyone!

Fantail Falls, Haast Pass, NZ

Most loved destination - I had the opportunity to go on a familiarization trip to New Zealand which was fabulous! This had been my fourth time visiting New Zealand and I am still in love with it! I never tire of the place and can never wait to go back to visit! I got to see Milford Sound for the first time and it was well worth the drive from Queenstown into Fiordland National Park. The drive itself is just as spectacular as the cruise on Milford Sound.  We drove along the west coast of the South Island and through the Haast Pass, which is so lush and green with vegetation. Along the way we got to see the ever stunning Fantail falls and stunning seascapes along the coast.  

Nothing pleases me more than getting the chance to visit New Zealand and because of that I love planning and arranging trips to this beautiful destination for my clients! 

Most “proud moment” - I also was very happy to just have my name mentioned in Virtuoso Life magazine, a luxury travel magazine. Virtuoso is a consortium of luxury travel agencies and travel suppliers, such as hotels and tour companies, so I’m very proud to be a member. You can find my mention on page 87 under the Ecuador section of the January/February edition, here is the link to the virtual edition.  Virtuoso Life

Overall it has been a great year and I have my clients to thank for that! Here’s to looking forward to 2013, may it serve up new challenges, motivations, destinations familiar and not so familiar and of course success!

Family Travel Time

As a parent of a 5 and 8 year old I know it can be difficult spending quality time together as a family.
Everybody seems to have busy schedules and we all struggle to keep up. With this fast past life of commuting to work , dropping and picking up kids at daycare, appointments, grocery shopping and getting your kids to any after school activities - it doesn’t leave much time to bond as a family. We all manage to squeeze some sort of quality time in there but it is never enough.
As a travel agent, but also as a mom and wife, I recommend making the time to vacation together as a family. It is an invaluable way to re-connect. As we leave the computers and cell phones behind, we start to focus on each other.

Travelling is also a wonderful educational tool – not just for the kids, but also for you! While away you experience different cultures, languages, food, flora and fauna. You often try different activities while holidaying that take you out of your comfort zone. For instance, zip lining, horseback riding or snorkeling.
Last March my family and I took a trip to Costa Rica and as I planned everything, the kids and husband were full of excitement. As I was reading over our rather full itinerary one night, my 8 year old got a glimpse of it, horseback riding, canopy tours, river cruises and volcano viewing, and said, “do we have to do all that?”

For just a moment, I wondered if I had packed too much into our trip, but once we got to beautiful and picturesque Costa Rica, the worry subsided. My kids were fearless! The trip not only gave us quality time together, it also enriched our lives and made us grow as individuals and as a family. I saw strength in my son and curiousness in my daughter and most importantly, we were experiencing all these fantastic things together! The experience was unforgettable and as the Ticos say, it was “pura vida,” which roughly translates to pure life.

Some other great family vacation ideas that allow for quality time together are a Disney Cruise (consider the Mediterranean or Alaska), a New Zealand self drive and if you want to stick closer to home, why not Newfoundland, with whale and iceberg watching.

A good way to make it happen is to plan ahead. Start a vacation fund where you put some money away every month towards the trip. Often kids will be willing to sacrifice having less at Christmas if they know they are going to get that vacation. Book it in advance; often there are early booking bonuses that can lower the costs and booking it early ensures you get the trip you want, especially if you are planning it over busy travel times such as Christmas or March break. Even Newfoundland in the summer needs to be planned ahead, flights are limited and so are car rentals during the summer months. Most of all just do it!

As said by St. Augustine “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”, so read that book together as a family. Explore the world and grow as a family!

Denise Gushue is a travel agent who works from her home in the Ottawa region and may be reached at denise.gushue@gmail.com.