TRAVEL SPECIALISTS

I haven’t always been in the travel industry but I have always loved to travel.  My mom was a British war bride and she made sure I would visit her homeland for 6 weeks during the summer of 1972.  Then I was hooked on travel.  I couldn’t wait to give up my corporate job in the high tech industry to pursue my love of travel and help others create their travel memories.

I would consider myself an adventure traveler.  I love vacations devoted to a specific theme or to places “off the beaten track.” Since it can be more difficult to visit these places on my own, I partner with the destination expertise of top tour operators like Tauck, A&K, and Travcoa who have the best professional guides!  I enjoy traveling with small groups of people who share similar interests. As someone who prefers stimulating activities, I loved my East African and Tanzania safari with Micato Tours, my hike to Machu Picchu with A&K, explored the Canadian Rockies after experiencing Gold Leaf service on the Rocky Mountaineer train, and the rainforests of Costa Rica around the Peace Lodge (just to name a few). I often engage in more intellectual pursuits like studying Asian culture and was fascinated by my visit to Cambodia and Vietnam. I am planning a trip to Northern India to stay at the Taj Palaces in May.  My favorite honeymoon destination is Bali.  Favorite books, Out of Africa and Eat, Pray, Love.

I have been on the Virtuoso leadership development team with Tourism Australia for many years. I personally visit different parts of Australia at least once a year and have a great affinity for Australia and New Zealand and love sharing this destination with clients. Last spring I was invited to experience the luxury lodges of Australia with Swain Tours and Virgin Airlines.  I got to experience snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef from Lizard Island, Qualia (where Oprah stayed) and cuddled a Koala, Spicer’s Clovelly Estate and took a cooking lesson, Spicer’s Peak Lodge and hiked for hours, Southern Ocean Lodge for total R&R and BBQ, and Wolgan Valley, Emirates first 6 star hotel in the Blue Mountains just outside of Sydney . A few years ago, I had the privilege of spending a week in Tasmania with a representative from Tourism Tasmania. We spent 7 glorious days visiting the sites from Hobart to Launceston by way of Strahan and Cradle Mountain and even a walk around Dove Lake. We dined at vineyard restaurants, saw sheep herding and shearing, walked through temperate rainforests, had lunch on the beach in Burnie, sped along the rugged coastline on an eco-cruise and saw penguins, seals and albatross. We drank wonderful pinots at every fabulous seafood dinner with such fresh produce… and even saw the famed Tasmanian devil in a conservation park. This is a diamond in the rough destination and if you love wilderness, wine and the outdoors do NOT miss Tasmania. Very drivable!

I know my LUST for travel is contagious and I take the planning of my clients vacations very seriously.  Because I have so many contacts in the travel industry, I can often get my clients upgrades and complimentary breakfast at select 5 star hotels.  If privileged access is your dream, I have introduced clients through my sources to Prince Charles of England and the Count and Countess de Vanssay of France!  Let me help you make your travel dreams come true!  

Caribbean

Mexico, Particularly the Riviera Maya

Disney

Cruises

Escorted Tours, particularly Europe

Hawaii

England, France , Italy

After working at multiple locations for a busy leisure agency for 25 years, I decided to work independently and joined Travel Experts in Dec 2011.  I have always been interested and fascinated with travel since a very young age. I learned to read maps by age 8. Our family vacationed each summer on the Coast of Maine. I loved the quaint charm and history of the New england Coast and exploring the Narrow, Jagged peninsulas.  It was at this time i became interested in outdoor photography, particularly Lighthouse photography.

This love of travel carried over into adulthood.  My first big overseas trip was in 1980 on Freddy Laker's "Skytrain to Europe"- a 3 week whirlwind independent tour encompassing England, Holland, France and  Germany!

Since then I have travelled extensively in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Western US., Florida, Europe and also Peru.  Macchu Picchi in Peru was an absolutely breathtaking highlight of that country.  The remoteness, seclusion and jawdropping beauty of the location was stunning. The train trip and the precarious drive to the top are memories that will last a lifetime. 

I also love the history, culture and cuisine of Europe and have travelled there independently as well as on Escorted tours.  I have been to England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, italy, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.  Florence was my favorite city with Paris being a close second.

I would love to help you plan that special and memorable trip. My goal is to focus on a long lasting relationship with you , the client, and getting to know your preferences and whims in order for me to provide you with the best travel experiences possible. I can  offer unsurpassed service and expertise that could not be obtained through the internet. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sue has been in the travel industry for 11 years. She has achieved the prestigious Certified Travel Counselor designation, the pinnacle certification for sales professionals in the industry, awarded by The Travel Institute. She is also a cruise industry certified Accredited Cruise Counsellor. She has earned numerous destination specialist designations from The Travel Institute and tourism boards worldwide. She is a very active participant in the luxury travel network, Virtuoso, and is recognized by them as an Accredited Virtuoso Sales Consultant. As such she is qualified to participate in educationals worldwide, has access to the top training opportunities that the industry has to offer and has connections to travel suppliers worldwide that can assist her in creating travel experiences for her customers that will fulfill their travel dreams.

Sue has been traveling all her life. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), the Caribbean and Western Europe. She is a veteran cruiser having sailed on over 25 cruises on a number of different cruise lines. Adventure travel has been a new interest of hers. She has experienced an African safari and a biking trip through the California wine country. Her husband has recently visited the Peruvian Amazon region staying in rustic lodges. She looks forward to learning and experiencing much more of the world from an Adventure Travel perspective in the years to come.

Travel is much more than a job to Sue, it is her passion. She prides herself in working with her customers in creating special experiences that will fulfill their travel dreams. She doesn’t just book trips…she plans life experiences. Put Sue’s passion and expertise to work for you in planning your next travel life experience.

I have been a travel agent for 23 years.  During and before that time I was a High School math teacher in Baltimore County, Maryland.

I have been a Tahiti specilaist for 10 years, and it is my all time favorite destination, for its beautiful azure waters, its serenity, and those wonderful over the water bungalows one finds no place else.  The Tahitian people are warm and friendly, and the food is exquisite.  There is something in the Tahitian Islands for everyone.  I have visited all of the Society Islands as well as all of the Tuamoto Islands.  One must try a mix.  However, the favorites of first timers seem to be Bora Bora and Moorea.

My dedication to providing discerning travelers with the ultimate in luxury travel experiences has also led to my being selected as one of Travel + Leisure magazines “A-List  Agents – The Top 125 Agents in the US” for the past five years.

I have been working in the travel industry for over 25 years – starting with the airlines and moving to the agency side. My college degree is in business and I knew early on that I loved sales and travel. So now, I can combine both of those “loves” and spend my days doing what I really enjoy. Working in the travel industry affords me an opportunity to travel the world every day as I am always planning wonderful adventures for my clients.

Realizing the value of experiencing places and things, I spend as much time as possible traveling the globe. I also realize the value of education and have continued to study earning my CTA and CTC and am currently working on several destination specialties. I am also a Virtuoso Specialist and enjoy the many educational trips I have experienced. The Caribbean is one of my favorite areas and since I live so close, I usually make at least 4 trips annually to the region. It is always such fun for me to plan destination weddings in the Caribbean so this has become one of the biggest areas of business.

My association with Virtuoso allows me to continue as one of only 75 agents nationwide to work with the Neiman Marcus InCircle and CouTour Travel clientele. I enjoy arranging exclusive, innovative travel products which offer the special amenities and value that my clients have come to expect and appreciate. I have had the privilege of arranging trips that span from Concord and Private Jet Around-the-World, private motor yachts and sailing vessels in the Caribbean and Mediterranean to a weekend stay at a luxury resort stateside.

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Customer Service: That is why you work with a travel agent. Having been an instructor in customer service at a college, and a consumer, I know that customer service is a dying art and I do my best to be sure I keep it alive. My goal is to always exceed your expectations.

Alaska: I am a "sour dough" at heart. Having traveled to Alaska for the past 10 years, I can craft your Alaska experience to meet your personal needs. I specialize in intimate customized small group adventures, away from the large group excursions available from the cruise lines. Whether cruising the Inside Passage, or exploring the Alaskan interior, I will help you plan an experience of a lifetime.

Cruising: Cruising is my passion. I have done clipper ships, river barges, small luxury lines, paddleboats, and large mainstream cruises.

Rail: My husband and I have traveled extensively by rail in the US, Europe and the Far East and would love to help you have a great train adventure.

Groups: I have planned and escorted groups within the Southeast US, and to Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, the Mayan Riviera, and to Europe. If you want it trouble free, I am the person to contact.

Irene has been a premier agent for over 32 years. Not only was she the office manager for NFT Travel in East Aurora, NY until the closing in 2003 due to the acquisition by The Travel Team, but also was the agent of choice for her many corporate clients. Irene’s travels, experience, thirst for knowledge and continuing education allows her to find not only the best pricing, but also the best in traveler-experience/satisfaction. Once a traveler has worked with Irene, they are “hooked” on her service. Irene is also eager to push the limits on traveler offerings by associating with a group of expert agents whose common goal is to “make every trip special”.  Email Irene

Sharon Andrade is an expert in luxury travel.  She has over twenty years of experience in assisting her clients with individual, family, group and business incentive travel.  One of 75 exclusive agents in United States for luxury travel for the clientele of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.  A Virtuoso Agent, providing clients with exclusive upgrades, complimentary pre or post night accommodations.  Based on my personal travel and industry expertise, I have been published in Virtuoso’s ‘Best of the Best’ Publication.  Accredited cruise counselor for small, medium and large cruise ships.  Specializing in exotic cruise destinations, luxury cruise lines, and private yacht sailings.  Destination Specialist for the Caribbean, Vail Resorts, Western Europe, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Walt Disney Vacations, Sandals, Snow Skiing, Greece and Turkey.  Email or Call 1-800-274-2544 ext 323

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Luxury Travel

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Sports Teams & Germany
Alaska Expert

Little did I know that the first trip for twenty-three seniors would become not only an avocation and but also my ultimate profession. In 2003 after teaching for thirty-four years at West Chester Henderson High School, I retired to pursue my "avocation" fulltime. As an at-home agent, I combine my years of teaching experience, my graduate degrees in literature and writing, and the penchant to see and to experience the myriad cultures of the world.

As I became more involved with the travel industry, I began to cull multi-generational groups who traveled under the auspices of the West Chester Wanderers. In the eighties, I found myself immersed in travel for elite youth sports teams. Having founded the USA/USSR Baseball Exchange in 1980, I sent high school teams to Moscow and St. Petersburg every other year until 1990; in the odd numbered years, teams from Moscow and St. Petersburg would home stay for two weeks with the US teams who had traveled the preceding year. A ‘graduate” of Henderson and the USA/USSR Baseball Exchange Program enlisted me to assist Coach Robert Babb of Johns Hopkins University to begin the Bluejays participation in international baseball competitions. The first trip took us to Cuba and set in motion a series of international, intercultural sports ventures.

NCAA rules allow teams to partake of one international trip every three years; to date, the Bluejays have played in Moscow and St. Petersburg [the first university team to do so], in the Czech Open [held in Prague], the German Baseball Open [held in Regensburg, Germany, as the preliminary to the Olympic Games], in the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Open, and in the Italy Cup. The team, accompanied by at least sixty family members and alumni, enjoys the camaraderie of the competitions as well as the cultural and historic elements of each host country. In 1996 Nike selected me to coordinate its first Memorial Day Youth Soccer Tournament; the Nike Cup attracted 240 elite soccer teams [boys and girls, 14-18] to Philadelphia from twenty-seven states.

In the thirty-four years I have arranged travel for family, friends, alumni groups, and corporate clients, I have had the privilege and the pleasure of taking one-hundred and thirty two cruises. My seaworthy adventures have assisted my clients in choosing the most suitable ship and itinerary.

Some of my fondest memories of the classroom directly relate to the myriad times I incorporated the sights and sounds of my travels—many times with the students—to the places about which I taught. Because I taught literature and writing, I stress to my clients of all ages that travel serves as man’s best learning experience.

Robert Frost's words echo within, for I never tire of traversing the road less traveled.

Over the past 14 years I have planned incredible and memorable vacations for my clients.  I have enjoyed traveling extensively through out the years which affords me the ability to offer my clients exciting reviews of some of the most unique destinations in Europe and beyond.  I have created a Travel Journal of my most recent excursions to share my first hand knowledge and personal experiences to many of these wonderful destinations which is posted on my website. Please visit  www.tvlcorner.com and click on Travel Journal to view my travels.

My company motto is “Excursions to any corner of the world” and Italy is by far my favorite. Throughout the past eight years, I have developed a passion for this country not only because of my heritage but simply for the diversity and old world charm that it offers.  Clients choosing to visit this ancient country will be quite pleased to follow in my foot steps through out the hilltop towns, canals, countryside, islands and so much more! 

I pride myself in planning my client’s vacations with the utmost attention to detail and a client can be assured that they will be treated as a Virtuoso VIP by booking with “The Travel Corner”.

Specialty Destinations  (Islands) 
Caribbean Islands 
Beaches of Mexico 
Hawaiian Islands 
Tahiti 
Fiji 
Maldives 
Seychelles 
Beaches of Thailand
Private Islands 
Private Jet Service 
Private Yachts 
Selected Luxury Cruises       

Becky has been named by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine as one of the "Top 128 Agents" in the country for FIVE consecutive years. Condé Nast Traveler magazine is the number one national travel publication and receiving this award is quite an achievement!  

She has been selected for her extensive knowledge and expertise in arranging Caribbean Vacations from small intimate island hideaways to luxury all-inclusive resorts as well as all types of Cruises.  Her love of the islands is obvious. She travels to the Caribbean several times a year and makes it a point to experience many resorts first hand.   Becky’s journeys have taken her to Mexico as well as all the major Caribbean islands and remote Cays.   In June she was off to St.Vincent and the Grenadines.  She has planned numerous weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, family reunions and corporate incentive travel for individuals from all across the country,.  Her expertise is not limited to the Caribbean.  She has planned hundreds of trips all over the world!

Much of her travel knowledge comes from her extensive personal travel to a wide range of destinations including hot air ballooning over the Swiss Alps and cruising on a canal barge through the French Wine Country.

Becky has acquired many certifications and the following are just a few examples of her dedication.  CTA-Certified Travel Associate, DS- Destination Specialist Caribbean, Virtuoso Accreditation, CSS-Certified Sandals and Beaches Specialist, ACE- Aruba Certified Specialist, US Airways Vacation Specialist, and a Disney Specialist.  She has been quoted in national publications such as the New York Times, and Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel.  www.beckyveithtravel.com

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Luxury Travel, specializing in Europe

Dick has been recognized for his expertise in SWITZERLAND six years in a row by Wendy Perrin, travel writer for Conde Nast Magazine in her articles on the top travel agents in the country.  In Wendy's words  "Shiels has hiked, trained and driven all over the country during his 30 trips there, uncovering hidden-gem Alpine villages and country inns."  Dick is also our resident expert on the European rail system and can print your rail passes in our office.