Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Mathies.
Hi Melissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Becoming a travel advisor as a chosen profession has allowed me to help people connect with one another and the world around them. After finding my own passion for travel, in 2013, I decided to make a career out of helping other people plan their adventures, and my business was born.
Travel is considered a luxury, but it’s also survival for so many around the world. We must ask ourselves why we want to travel. As human beings, we’re the only animals who explore simply for the sake of adventure. We travel not to escape our current life, but rather to experience new and beloved destinations.
We explore because we are curious and we want to see new things. We crave the taste, smell, and sounds of different places that transport us and remind us what a rich world we live in.
Ultimately, travel is a gift for all who connect and broaden their perspective through personal experiences & relationships. My own personal experience, professional training, and selective partnerships help me keep up to date on the newest travel trends.
I am certified by (CLIA) the worldwide cruise industry trade association as a Master Cruise Counsellor (MCC) and have earned a hospitality tourism & management certificate from Florida Atlantic University.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are always hiccups in life and COVID has certainly thrown a few obstacles at the hospitality & travel industry. Theme parks, hotels & cruise lines closed at the height of the COVID pandemic leaving so many without jobs. It’s wonderful to see how resilient this industry is and the way everyone is working together to slowly begin to recover.
In my current business model, I rarely charge planning fees. How am I paid you ask? I am paid a commission from the travel suppliers I work with to plan your vacation. During times when so many trips were canceled, I not only lost countless paychecks but also had to pay back commission to the cruise lines who had already paid me for canceled sailings.
It has been a tough road, but I am passionate about helping people create lifelong memories through their adventures and I refuse to give up on what I love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a travel advisor, I help my clients book & plan their dream vacations. My specialties are family vacations, multi-generational travel & reunions, business & personal group travel, theme park vacations, ocean cruises, river cruises, all-inclusive resorts & guided tours around the world. I work closely with amazing colleagues who assist with every destination imaginable.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The two most important things that can be learned from COVID are patience & grace. We never know what a person might be going through in life & ultimately we are all here to help one another.
Contact Info:
- Email: Melissa@PixieDustAdventures.com
- Website: https://PixieDustAdventures.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pixiedustadventures/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixieDustAdventures
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Pixiedustadventures
