Page 52 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2015

IN BUSINESS
What would you like our readers to know about your business? Viagio Travel is a full-service Travel agency with one objective; to make travel dreams come
true. We are located right here on the coast. We are accredited by Virtuoso; only one percent of travel agencies in the world have this designation. This means,
not only do we provide the best value for our clients; they often receive additional amenities, and are on the top of the list for any upgrades.
The staff at Viagio Travel has over 50 years of cumulative experience. Orchestrating dream vacations seamlessly are what we do best. Our clients wishes and ideas are so important to us that we pair these wishes with our own world knowledge and contacts to make a perfect plan.
What do you like best about what you do? Putting together a fabulous trip is just the beginning for us. We are also problem solvers. Our clients are not alone. The reality is that there are sometimes cancelled flights, a lost passport, an illness, or other things that can thwart travel plans. Giving our clients the peace of mind that they have someone they can call who cares is what I get the most satisfaction from. We don’t just want to set expectations; we want to exceed expectations!
What sets your business apart from others in the same field? Extraordinary customer service! Easy to say, harder to achieve, and we have lots of client testimonials that confirm that we do this well. You can’t get our type of personal service from the internet or a toll free number, and
you can’t VIP yourself... this is where we come in.
As a child, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up? My dream was to be a writer. My mom instilled a love of reading and learning in me. I wanted to travel the world and write stories for National Geographic and storybooks for children about faraway places. It has been wonderful to be able to balance some great travel adventures
with my family and work life. I
do feel like I am a writer of sorts. Right now, I am scripting a 50th wedding anniversary trip to Italy where all of the generations will come together and be forever changed. I am also planning
a Disney Cruise for a couple whom I once sent to Maui for
a honeymoon, and now they
are bringing their children and their parents on their first Disney
Cruise. Being a part of a client’s story...it is a blessing that brings me great joy.
Tell us about one valuable lesson you learned along the way: To service a client in the way that we ourselves want to be treated. Give them choices, explain the options, and don’t assume that we know what they want. Listening is the most important tool that we have. Is there anything you would change to make the Coast better? I feel so fortunate to have been born and raised here! As a local Mississippi Gulf Coast business owner, I think a way to make
life better here is to support our locally owned businesses. We have great restaurants, gift shops, clothing shops and art galleries. Supporting these in your local Coast community ultimately helps all of us.
Sandi Favre
Owner
sandi@viagiotravel.com
52 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • September 2015 t