Travel Consultant Tuesday: Meet Lauren

With a passion for continually learning about destinations and travel trends, Lauren is a beacon of knowledge for her clients.

What inspired you to become a Synergy International Travels consultant?
I've always loved experiencing different cultures while immersing myself in new destinations. But after completing a month-long cross-country trip with my family, I was truly bitten by the travel bug. After years of working in the hotel and hospitality industry, I was inspired to combine my love of travel with my passion for customer service into this new profession.

What do you specialize in?
While there are so many incredible international destinations to explore, I find myself doing a fair amount of domestic travel. Building customized National Park trips for customers is one of my areas of expertise. For instance, recently I went to Sequoia National Park. It is absolutely breathtaking to be amongst these massive trees that you’ve always seen in photos. Actually having them right in front of you is surreal.

How do you stay on top of travel trends?
As travel consultants, we sell the world and it's a big place to get to know! But because I’m passionate about what I do, I often spend time outside of work reading travel blogs and books. Educating myself about places that I haven't been to yet helps me stay on top of what travelers want to know.

What are the advantages to booking with you versus online?
I enjoy in-depth research on destinations, so if someone comes to me with an obscure request or question, I'm happy to track down the answer even if it takes some digging around! With my global network of colleagues, I’m able to connect with travel consultants all over the world to find vetted information. Not to mention, I am accessible to my clients from start to finish, even when they are actually in their destination.

At the end of the day, I truly believe in forming a relationship with my clients, I think it brings an aspect of intimacy to your travel experience. There is a personal touch you get with booking with an expert that you just don't have when you book online. I'm here to match you with the perfect vacation, not simply book you on a pre-packaged option that looks good in pictures.

What do you think people would be most surprised to learn about your role as a travel consultant?
I think people would be surprised to find out how much destination research I do on a continual basis. So while there’s a misconception that being a travel consultant is an antiquated desk job – rather than a thriving career – it couldn’t be less true. Synergy International Travels is always focused on helping its consultants learn first-hand about resorts, excursions and even the more high-touch aspects of travel, like restaurant recommendations.

Tell us your most interesting travel story.
During my last trip abroad to Ireland, I created some lifelong memories. While in Dublin, I met a woman in a pub who had gone to the same college as me! We thought it was funny coincidence and kept chatting, and later found out that she had studied in the same program, worked at the same restaurant, and lived in the same off-campus apartment as I did, all ten years before I had started at that school. The experience just goes to show that it really is a small world!

How can travelers get in touch with you to start planning their next adventure?
I'm available for in-person consultations in our Burlington (MA) location. Or you can always email me at AllardL@Synergy travel.com. I look forward to helping plan your next adventure.