Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Gallo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Christina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I got my first job in travel as a teenager – I’d never even been on a plane yet! After making my rounds through the big travel companies in Boston I decided it was time to take my knowledge and love of travel directly to the consumer. Through networking I knew an agent that had branched out on her own, and she helped set me up.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s hard to get the word out without a marketing budget to start with, so I’ve relied on referrals from friends and family, and the loyalty of customers I’ve worked with in the past. I still had to keep my 9-5 job as well as a part time/contract gig doing corporate travel for the Department of Defense to pay the bills while I cement a following for my own brand; couple that with being a single mom to a 4 year old and an autistic teenager and my schedule is pretty full! Fortunately I work from home, so not having a commute helps balance some of that out.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Christina’s Travel Renaissance story. Tell us more about the business.
I am an independent travel agent, and my main focus is to find the right trip for the individual. That’s a big part of the reason I wanted to break out on my own – no company agenda to push, no talking passengers into a trip that isn’t the right fit for them just to hit a quota, I can focus on each individual and finding the right trip for them. Vacations are important, especially for Americans who tend to be overworked and don’t put enough time into decompressing. You work hard and save your money, you want to make sure you’re getting the right trip for your unique needs. A trip highlighting history and culture can be very different from a relaxing beach vacation, so I ask a lot of questions and try to have an honest dialogue around priorities and what someone is truly hoping to experience.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
It’s interesting, over the last decade travel agents were being pushed to the background now that we had so many online booking engines. What we’re seeing recently though is the renewal of the travel agent; inexperienced travelers looking for guidance from an expert, seasoned travelers looking for someone to trust and lean on if any issues arise after having their own bad experiences with discount travel websites. I think there was a misconception for a while that booking through an agent costs you more, that they’re charging you for your time. But generally speaking that is not true. We make our commissions from the company we book you through, and with our insider knowledge can often find you a better rate than you’d find yourself. Most of us have been to the destinations we’re discussing with you, or at the minimum have extensive training in that region, so our knowledge can really be an asset.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 617-686-5290
- Email: travelwithchristina@hotmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristinasTravelRenaissance/
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