Monday Minute: Elena Cortesi of Wired for 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!

Name: Elena Cortesi

Business: Elena Cortesi – Wired for Travel (branded branch of the Travel Agent Next Door. Judith Coates is the branch founder and primary travel advisor. She is our queen)

Where do you live? In a gem of a town called Schomberg, part of King Township in Ontario.

How long have you been a travel advisor?

I have officially been a travel advisor for 14 months. I worked at ALBATours and Sunquest Vacations in the 90s. I have always been connected to the industry but finally jumped back in as a travel advisor last June. The timing was perfect and the opportunity literally came knocking at my door. What a fabulous day that was (thank you, Judith Coates).

What is your specialty?

Italy is my specialty. To quote Buddy from Elf: “It’s my favourite.” Italy is magical and everyone should experience it authentically at least once in their lives. Several times is best. I book various types of travel though. It really depends on my clients’ needs and desires. River cruises, guided tours, all-inclusives, ocean cruises, Europe and groups. I love working with groups.

What inspired you to become a travel advisor?

First and foremost, I’m a traveller myself. I was privileged to travel often from a young age. I’m a native Italian and moved to Canada when I was almost three years old. I spent every summer in Italy with family until I was 18 and continued to travel there every year my whole life. Every Christmas I would travel with family down south – Cuba and Mexico mostly. My Dad believed that travelling was the best way to learn about other cultures and to learn more about ourselves and how we are all connected. He was so right and such a wonderful man.

The inspiration continues and two important people are top contributors. Judith Coates (founder of Wired for Travel), an incredible leader and human, and Aaron Baynton (business development manager for Collette) who introduced me to guided travel. He’s an exceptional person and a constant support for me.

What’s the first trip you ever took?

My first trip was from my home town of Torre del Greco, Naples to Toronto in 1973. I was two. As a young adult, my first trip on my own with friends was to Cancun. What an absolute blast! I was 18.

What travel trends are you seeing these days?

The trends in my world of booking travel are all about experiences. People are wanting more authenticity and meaning in their travel. They want to do things they’ve never done. They want to see how the locals live and experience their culture first hand. Most clients are reaching out eight to 12 months in advance to start planning. Some are more last minute, which can be a challenge, but I am always game to bring the trip together and make it special. Many multigenerational families are planning travel together. It’s a beautiful thing. Guided tours of Europe either with a tour operator as part of a group or a privately curated tour is what I’m seeing a ton of.

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

I’ve made some incredible bookings over the past 14 months, but the one I’m most proud of was a custom designed tour of Italy for a very special couple, Ian and Julie, with the help of Gateways International. Gateways was incredible to work with. Ian and Julie are dream clients and I look forward to working with them again and again to plan their next adventures.

What’s the most memorable trip you ever took?

The trip that stands out to me was back in August of 2002 where I went to Italy and Greece with my husband, David, on our honeymoon. We began in the Amalfi Coast beginning in my home town of Torre del Greco. At that point in my life, I had been to Italy many, many times, but never with my husband. David had not seen any of these places and seeing the beautiful spots we visited through his eyes was like being there for the first time all over again. I knew then that sharing travel in some way was my calling. Magical.

Where do you see your career one year from now?

I have monster goals for the next 12 months and beyond. I want to explode even more into the wonderful world of groups. In addition, I want to continue to grow and flourish with booking guided tours. These tours are the perfect product that allow travellers to really see the essential sights in the parts of the world that they choose to explore and couple them with truly immersive experiences. I’ve had the privilege of going on guided tours with Royal Irish Tours, G Adventures and Collette. These three experiences were excellent, from pace to inclusions to value to memorable, special moments. All these companies are exceptional at what they do.

What’s one new skill you’ve acquired recently?

I’ve gained a ton of confidence in recommending and collaborating on vacations that are nonconventional. Custom itineraries and experiences. This confidence is a direct result of this past year’s successes and the knowledge I’ve gained as the outcome.

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

In Europe, travel advisors are considered true professionals. As such, some countries, like Switzerland, actually mandate a professional fee for advisors and their services. I would love to see this type of concept adopted here in Canada as a rule or legislation. It would ultimately help ensure that clients are getting what they deserve and expect from booking travel and puts the responsibility and accountability on us, the travel advisors.

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

My definition of success is simple. It means that you have accomplished the important task of curating the perfect experience for your clients and given them a plethora of warm and wonderful memories as a result. The monetary compensation we receive to do this job is secondary.  To be truly successful in this business, you have to approach it with passion, conviction, integrity, imagination and love. You have to pour into your clients. Listen to their needs and desires and then collaborate with them and with our magnificent travel partners to develop the perfect experience.

What is your motto?

“Let’s travel the world together”. I love this phrase. It doesn’t literally mean that you will be travelling with your clients (although that does sometimes happen) but it implies a partnership. Because planning a vacation with your clients is a partnership.

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

It is paramount to immerse yourself in the travel community by participating in all the things. The FAMs, the trainings, the conferences, the events. Be a sponge. Listen and learn. Be a good person and be kind to everyone. Be inclusive and share your thoughts and ideas with fellow advisors and foster meaningful relationships with suppliers. The more you know and the more you understand, the better you will be at being an exceptional travel advisor. If you’re not striving for greatness as a travel advisor then you’re in the wrong profession.

Do your job with passion, emotion, integrity and love. Surround yourself with people that bring out greatness in you. We all have greatness within us. Allow it to flourish. Find your people and embrace them and allow them in.  Cut out the noise and the negativity. That will not serve you. Be fearless. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That is how we develop and can truly perfect our craft.

Get out there, speak to people and share your love for travel. It is infectious. Be driven by helping people make lasting memories, not by compensation. The monetary wealth and success will organically come when you do your job and do it well. Love what you do and shout it from the rooftops. What a blessing it is to be in this magical industry. Recognize that. Embrace it and cherish it. I am having the time of my life!

Where are you travelling next?

I literally just got back from a “ride-a-long” guided tour of Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria hosted by the incredible Collette. It was an absolutely life-changing experience. I leave in a few weeks for an incredible FAM with Exotik (TravelBrands) to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Very excited for this one!

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