Monday Minute: Angela Jeffreys & Marc Geuzinge of Gin & Tonic Travel

The Monday Minute is a weekly feature in PAX that highlights the movers, shakers, leaders and rule breakers in Canada's travel advisor community. Wanna be profiled? Wanna nominate someone? Email newsroom@paxglobalmedia.com!

Names: Marc Geuzinge & Angela Jeffreys

Business: Gin & Tonic Travel

Where do you live? Dartmouth, N.S.

How long have you been travel advisors? We started selling in Feb. 2022, so a bit over one year.

What is your specialty? So far cruises and all-inclusive, with a rising trend in FIT bookings

What is your current state of mind?             

Great! We’re excited about the new opportunities in front of us!  We are meeting great people, making new connections and travelling to incredible destinations.

What inspired you to become travel advisors? 

We both have travelled extensively since we were children. We both lived in different countries, so we grew up with suitcases.  Not being able to travel due to COVID was killing our souls.  The moment we could book a trip, we booked three!  At the same time, we each had our own businesses, but our work-life balance was severely off-kilter. We needed to make a change. Starting a travel business was not something we set out to do – the opportunity showed itself. We grabbed it and named it Gin & Tonic Travel. We haven’t looked back since.

What’s the first trip you ever took? 

We’ll talk about our first trip as a couple. Our first trip together was to Paris.  Angela had been to the U.K. several times previously, this was her first visit to the continent.  Marc was living in the Netherlands at the time, so this was a revisit for him. We walked all over Paris, drinking French wine.  It was a whirlwind weekend, but one that will be in the memory banks forever.

What travel trends are you seeing these days?

Traveller’s revenge. People want to travel and want to travel now. Most of our bookings are for travel less than a year out. We aren’t seeing any destination trends. It seems people want to experience new countries, so we are sending people everywhere!

How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way you do business?

Even though travel picked up with a vengeance, most people that initially travelled used their FCCs, so being a new business, we weren’t able to capture any of that.  Thankfully, there was a huge market of new travellers we were able to work with, and that is how we launched our business.

Of all the bookings you’ve made, which itinerary are you most proud of? 

Marc: Assembling a full FIT package for a group of four to Norway and Iceland. This trip had so many moving parts it needed a flowchart! They will be travelling in August.

Angela - My first river cruise!  Ocean cruise bookings were the most sought-after, and river cruises seemed to be the dragon I could not capture. We finally got a request for a river cruise, and that was immediately followed by another one!  I finally captured that elusive creature!

What’s the most memorable trip you ever took?

Easy. Our latest trip, an expedition cruise with Hurtigruten to Antarctica. The experience was transformational in so many ways. Hurtigruten’s marketing states that passengers come back as ambassadors for change; we certainly did. The trip was an eye opener. That’s on a personal level. On a product level, we were impressed with the professionalism, care and meticulous attention to detail in the expedition planning.

Where do you see your business one year from now?

We have lofty goals and are on our path to achieving them. We were recently told by an industry expert that we are two years ahead of the curve. That was a huge compliment to receive. Onward and upward.

What’s one thing you would change about the travel industry? 

Marc: There could be a lot less use of single-use plastics. Many suppliers have taken steps, such as removing straws and stir sticks. Single use creamer and butter cups could be replaced with ceramic or metal containers. Plastic cups can be replaced with cups made of corn starch.

Angela: I would like to see airplane seats have more space. The amount of people being crammed in is borderline inhumane. I think every CEO of every airline should have to travel in an economy seat on an eight-plus hour flight at least twice a year. 

What’s the secret to being successful in this business?  

Marc: Perseverance and patience. Getting your product mix and workflow right takes time. You cannot cut corners because you will hit a snag if you do. Be open to new ideas.

Angela: Clients need to see you travel. They need to know you have tested the product, that you understand the many processes of travel, that you have experienced the frustration of flight delays and hotel room issues, have experienced the joy and wonder of seeing a loved one for the first time in years, have watched a geyser in Iceland, have walked under the Eiffel Tower, have sipped Glühwein at the Cologne Christmas Markets, and have watched penguins waddle by.

What is your motto? 

Simplify to amplify.

What is your number one piece of advice to other travel advisors?

Marc: Travel is a discretionary purchase. You need to give clients time to decide while at the same time make sure they do not miss out on the deal. That’s a hard balance to find. Patience is key, and simplify to amplify.

Angela: This is for all the new travel advisors out there.  Don’t be afraid to jump in! Pressing that “Pay Now” button is frightening the first few times, but it does become less scary over time.  It does get easier with every booking you make, and you can only do that by selling travel!

Where are you travelling next?

The world is our oyster. Our next trip is to Alaska. In the coming year, we have the Netherlands, England, Iceland, Norway, Mexico and the Bahamas on the menu. We’re just praying for good Wi-Fi so we can keep up with the office!

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