Cover of The Australian’s Entrepreneur featuring Julianne Gazal-Rizk

The Australian has recently drawn a parallel between the entrepreneurial model of the personal travel manager and the evolution of the travel industry. TravelManagers’ personal travel manager representative for Willoughby, Julianne Gazal-Rizk featured in an article. Formerly an owner/manager of a respected Crows Nest franchise, she saw how customers were changing the manner of their travel bookings and it highlighted for her the limitations of the existing model.

“Through the internet, I saw early on that people loved to have a go at booking their own travel.  They saw it as empowering and in their minds they were cutting out the middle man.   As an owner/manager paying exorbitant street-front rental and seeing margins shrinking, I knew this wasn’t the model for the future.”

Ms. Gazal-Rizk believed that while the internet would always play a role in the travel industry for consumers, people wanted the back-up and assurance of dealing with a person who is readily accessible and always contactable.

“When I heard about and investigated the TravelManagers’ model I knew it was the perfect solution. It’s highly cost-effective as I no longer incur the cost of outlet premises.  On top of this, it’s incredibly flexible for meeting the needs of my customer base and I have access to everything I had when operating my own travel agency.”

Gazal-Rizk agreesthat The Australian’s depiction of the personal travel manager model as an evolution of the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ travel agent, spawned by the internet, is a correct one.

“It’s entrepreneurial, as it’s a fresh look at what consumers are actually demanding, while allowing me as a business owner to meet those needs, while still being highly profitable.”

Gazal-Rizk says that while there are other models for mobile consulting, she chose to join with TravelManagers as they are, “the market leader in this evolution”.

“TravelManagers’ initiatives and business practices are incredibly effective.  Through their advanced systems and support network, I feel autonomous - but with the National Partnership Office, my own business partnership manager and access to the other 320 plus personal travel managers - never alone.   I did my homework and evaluated all the options - and TravelManagers stood out.   You only have to look at their expansion over the past 18 months to see how they’re driving this major growth segment of the travel industry.”

Gazal-Rizk says she particularly liked TravelManagers attitude and approach to dealing with clients.

“They recognize that having 24/7 access to all our client data is critical, if we are to maximize customer service and satisfaction.  This matters when it comes to minimizing inconvenience when handling the unexpected, as we have already experienced several times these last two years.  It also matters for our own productivity and earning potential.   The thought of someone else handling the ‘back office’ matters for my clients just doesn’t seem right to me.  It would make me feel as if I wasn’t truly in control.”

She says that not only have her overheads reduced significantly, but her stress levels also.

“I’ve eliminated a heap of unproductive distractions which are an unavoidable cost of business in the traditional environment and this enables me to focus on maximizing my income by doing what I love and what I’m good at.

“I’d much rather consult and design itineraries that deliver value for money while exceeding my clients’ needs.   Let’s face it - this is why I joined the travel industry – my passion for travel and for making people’s holiday dreams come true.   Joining TravelManagers allows me to do exactly this.  And being in control of my destiny - I’m earning more than I ever have before.”

To read the article ‘Changing nature of journeys TravelManagers are adapting to the era of internet bookings’ by Cameron Cooper, in the ‘Entrepreneur’ Business Section of The Australian, go to: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/small-business/changing-nature-of-travelling/story-e6frg9hf-1226148220622