In the opening session of Virtuoso Travel Week, Simon Sinek said something that immediately stuck.

Is using the services of a travel agent for everyone? No. Absolutely not.

It’s International Women’s Day Today, and I felt like it would be an awesome time to honor and highlight some of the beautiful women I met in the Dominican Republic a few weeks ago.

Some of the very best memories of my time in the Dominican Republic was the opportunity to spend time with these ladies. This is the group from RePapel that we spent the day making paper with. They are so full of life and love, and it shined through like you wouldn’t believe.

At the beginning of our time together, they each shared their story. Every one of them started with “I have this many kids, and this many grandkids." It was not lost on me how dedicated these women were to their families, and how each and every decision and sacrifice they made was for them.

Florence has it all. There is something for everyone in the historic city where churches brush up against modern malls and restaurants. The beauty is not only encased within the walls of the city; By spreading out just a few hours in many directions, you can be led to lush, culturally vibrant experiences that will enhance your understanding of the beautiful culture. These top five Florence day-trips will add the perfect extra excitement to your Italian vacation.

I don’t call myself a Travel Agent. But for all intents and purposes I am, in the sense that I have the proper setup and credentials in order to book and sell travel. But looking at it from that frame of mind would not encompass all that I do, nor highlight what I believe to be the valuable service I bring to my clients.

Working with a Travel Professional such as myself has it’s advantages because my business is set up to not just provide travel agency services, but also act as your advisor, consultant, and concierge. In that regard, you end up with a service that makes the planning and booking of travel through a Travel Agent a better, faster, and certainly more valuable way to go.

Could you imagine anything worse than a two week trip in Italy without being able to eat pizza and pasta?! I have a hard time wrapping my brain around such a concept, and an even harder time knowing why someone would consider a trip to the land of “BEST. FOOD. EVER.”, if they couldn’t eat most of it.  

Such was almost the case of a recent trip to Italy that I planned. I believe that food is an integral part of any vacation, and I knew that some research and planning needed to be done so that this trip to Cinque Terre, Florence, and Rome could be vegetarian and sans gluten— yet still amazing in the foodie department.

I started my business with the belief  that there absolutely is a need in this day and age for a travel professional-- an expert who is adept at navigating the endless amount of information and options when it comes to travel, and is able to provide travelers with amazing authentic experiences, all while making the process easy.

I have come to find that the type of service I offer is most helpful to travelers who fall into one of the following categories.