“She gave her time and support to everyone”: The travel industry remembers Amanda Strobl

The Canadian travel industry is mourning the loss of a beloved travel advisor whose passion, expertise, and dedication left a lasting impact on clients and colleagues alike.

Amanda Strobl, a travel advisor with The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND), sadly died on April 26 of natural causes. She was 46.

Strobl’s primary manager, Amanda Rauh, describes her long-time colleague as someone was who was “treasured by her clients, who often became her friends.”

“She always had time for everyone and loved to chat,” Rauh told PAX. “Her attention to detail was second to none and I am pretty sure she could have trained cruise line staff on their own booking systems. She was a smartie pants when it came to cruisingpower.com and onesource.com.”

Strobl was passionate about the group trips she organized each year. Sometimes it was a Celebrity cruise, but often a Holland America cruise, “which was her favourite,” said Rauh, who knew her colleague throughout her entire career – even training her 25 years ago.

“We joked that she had orange in her bloodstream,” Rauh said. “Her relationships with suppliers was equally as cherished and the shock across our industry community has definitely been felt…I am truly grateful she was part of my travel and personal life.”

Flemming Friisdahl, founder of TTAND, said his entire network is “very sad” over the passing of their respected colleague, who joined the host agency in 2022.

“Amanda had great success as a travel agent and her customers truly loved working with her,” Friisdahl said. “To have someone so young pass away is always something that causes us all to reflect on priorities. We send our condolences to her team in B.C. and to Amanda’s parents.”

“She gave her time & support to everyone”

Nicole Davey, a business development manager at TravelBrands, remembers Strobl as a “kind and generous soul.”

“She gave her time and support to everyone, no matter who you were,” Davey said. “She treated her clients like family, and in return, they were deeply loyal to her. She saw them through every stage of life, from family vacations to weddings to retirement parties to baby showers, and was often invited to their Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations. They included her in their lives, and she was proud of that.”

But her “true passion” was hosting cruise groups, said Davey, who first met Strobl in 2013 when she worked at Expedia Cruises.

“Her clients absolutely loved travelling with her,” Davey said.

Back when they both worked at Expedia Cruises, at separate locations in B.C, Davey, at the time, had just re-entered the travel industry after a long break.

“I felt like a total newbie and Amanda never hesitated to help me,” she said. “She guided me with patience and generosity, sharing her knowledge and showing me what it meant to be a great travel agent. We became close friends.”

Strobl was a Diamond Consultant – “always busy, always in demand, but she somehow always made time for others,” Davey added.

Last year, Davey’s son became a travel consultant and joined Amanda Rauh's team, where Amanda Strobl had been working in recent years.

“Amanda welcomed him with the same warmth and support she showed everyone else. I was so grateful,” Davey shared.

Davey likes to picture her late colleague in one of her happy places – “either at Riu Palace in Cabo, or on the Koningsdam or Celebrity Solstice on her way to Hawaii.”

“I still can’t believe she’s gone,” Davey said. “Imagining a world without the brilliant, beautiful, thoughtful, and kind Amanda Strobl is incredibly hard.”

Chad Kowalenko, a field sales manager for Western Canada at Celebrity Cruises, said the travel industry and Western Canada is “definitely feeling the loss of a very special friend and partner.”

“Amanda was exactly the kind of person that got into the travel industry because she loved travel and had a passion for life and helping her clients create their special vacations,” said Kowalenko, extending prayers to family and friends.

“She had an amazing smile, a very positive energy and her laugh was always contagious. It’s a deep loss to lose this beautiful soul, but I know she would want to remind us that when we hear this type of news, it’s a reminder for all of us to live our best life each and every day.”

“A laugh that could brighten any room”

Fiona Schonewille, a business development manager at Holland America Line, said she is “truly devastated and in utter shock” over the loss of her good friend.

“Lost far too soon and far too young, this feels unreal,” Schonewille wrote in a tribute she posted to her Facebook page. “You had a laugh that could brighten any room and a heart of gold. More than just an industry colleague, you were a friend I truly valued—someone I looked forward to catching up with over our lunches, phone catch-ups, and texts and over the love and passion we shared for Holland America is something I cherished. You worked so hard for your clients with such passion.”

Schonewille said she’ll “forever cherish” the incredible memories she made with Strobl.

Especially one unforgettable trip to Alaska they once took together. “The laughter, the stories, and the experiences we shared will stay with me always,” Schonewille said.

She said she’ll always think of her friend when she sees “sweet little sea otters” in the water when cruising up to Alaska.

“You told me the cutest story that I share in all my presentations about Alaska: to watch for the sea otters because they always hold hands and they never swim alone,” Schonewille said, sending love and strength to Strobl’s family.

“I am so thankful for our time together on that trip. It is something I will hold close to my heart forever…May you find peace in endless horizons cruising among the stars.”

While there is no official service planned by her family, Amanda Rauh is planning a Picnic In The Park on Tuesday, June 17, at 1 p.m. (PST) at Island View Beach in Saanichton, BC.

The event will be a potluck-style gathering, offering some time to speak about Amanda Strobl. If planning to attend, please RSVP to arauh@thetravelagentnextdoor.com.

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