A Conversation With ... Sara Krutsinger

The Travel Group is a merger of three locally owned companies. We merged in 2000. It was a merger of Consulting Travel … Ozark World Travel … and our third company was Thomas Travel. I was a principal with Consulting Travel. We are all together under one company … it was a merger and not a buyout. We worked on that merger for quite an extensive amount of time before it came to fruition, but … it definitely has been an asset for our business, especially for the years after the merger, when travel (had) so many drastic changes. The owner of Thomas Travel, Larry Ollis, has retired. (Other principals are) Linda Overend, Susie Cummings, my partner in Consulting Travel, and Dr. Don Overend. We have nine full-time employees, plus the owners. We have outside sales reps who work part-time and sell through The Travel Group at their homes or from another location. I do full-time custom vacation planning. I’ve done that for 29 years.

What trends do you see in terms of client travels?

It fluctuates some, but even though the value of the dollar is not too good, Europe is still one of our strongest destinations this summer. And Mediterranean cruises have been one of our biggest cruise sellers. It will change with the weather. Fall is a great time to visit a lot of destinations (because) you don’t have the heat (and) if you’re retired or not working around kids’ schedules … it’s a good time to go.

Have changes in passport requirements affected where your clients are going?

The passport issue has been a big issue this year, but the majority of our clients are fairly well traveled and have passports. But, the first thing we (ask) someone who calls in and is looking for a trip to Mexico or the Caribbean, that didn’t require passports before, (is) do they have a valid U.S. passport and find out when they’re taking their trip. We really have not seen international travel slow down. … We just recommend that people in general, whether they’re booking international or domestic, have a passport in hand.

How have increased security measures affected your business?

I think that the biggest complaint that we get from our clients is (about) the hassles at the airports. Air traveling has become much more difficult. It takes much more time to get to your destination, and … you’ve got to have a Plan B in mind if (the plane) doesn’t get there on time.

How has the Internet changed the travel industry?

It’s a great resource tool for not only us as travel consultants, but also for travelers. It really has created knowledgeable and savvy travelers. They’re able to keep up with a lot of trends … (and) do a lot of research on their own. … There are a lot of travel sites out there, but I think clients think of the Internet more for booking in terms of airline tickets, generally speaking … and maybe a hotel. People buying airline tickets recognize that travel agents charge a service fee. That wasn’t the trend before the late 1990s, because we had commission with the airline tickets. When the airlines quit paying commissions to travel agents, it increased ticket costs to the consumer. With travel planning, though, the personal touch is what we’re all about. What I’m planning for Mexico for one client … is likely not the same thing that I’m planning for (other) clients. It varies greatly on budget, what interests them and personal travel tastes.

Do you enjoy traveling?

Absolutely. I like to do different things. I enjoy traveling … in the United States to places that I haven’t been and to resorts that I sell to clients and want to experience. I enjoy Europe and the Mediterranean, too, and the South Pacific and Asia are great. Every trip I take is for research … to make recommendations for clients.

Tell us about your family and your spare-time interests.

My husband, Dave, is retired from the specialty advertising business. I have a stepson who lives in the Redondo Beach, Calif., area. I have a dog that requires a lot of attention, Scooter, and he’s a boxer. I enjoy working on my home, decorating. I enjoy gardening and working in the yard a lot. In the dog days of summer, I like to chill out and open up a good book. I spend time with my family and am active in my church, Christ Episcopal Church downtown. I’ve gone to that church my entire life, and I’m the third generation of my family there.

Interview by Features Editor Maria Hoover. You can e-mail her with suggestions for future installments of this feature at mhoover@sbj.net.[[In-content Ad]]