Name: Ellen Cavalier
Company: MAGNOLIA VACATIONS
What is the primary focus of your business?: Magnolia Vacations is known for planning customized vacations to Europe with emphasis on the Mediterrean countries such as France, Spain, and Italy. Also, to the European countries of Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain and Scotland.
When did you start the certification program?: 06/14/2004
When did you finish?: 10/10/2004
Where and when did you participate in the required Fam trip?:
September 2005, Aquitaine - Midi Pyrenees. It was a wonderful trip and I learned so much about the regions. I've sent several clients to St Jean de Luz near the Spanish border after visiting there, and also to the city of Toulouse! The cathedral was fascinating with all of the hidden "gargoyle" type motifs in the carvings, and the town of Albie was delightful.
What are some of your comments in regards to the program itself?:
Completing the French Destination Specialist program has made my job much easier, and has been invaluable in increased revenue now that I can better promote France. Understanding each region and the tools we were given to plan customized vacations for clients has awarded me with many bookings and referrals. The contacts I have made by attending French Affairs as well as working with my tourist office has helped me obtain insider information about tours, cultural and historical sites, hotels, restaurants and other information that I would not have known of in each region. It is a very serious course and well worth the effort and time commitment one must make to graduate with a passing grade. Anyone completing the course should be proud! I wasn't sure after taking the exam if I had passed, and neither were some of my colleagues, but luckily we passed! I'm proud to say I am a graduate of the France Destination Specialist course!
How have you applied the new information and skills youve learned from getting certified?:
I've applied my new knowledge by planning several FIT trips for clients, and not just the usual Paris, Rheims, Giverny, Normandie, Versailles! I've sent them to the far corners of France in areas such as Biarritz, Corsica, WWI battlefields of Verdun. I've planned driving trips from Toulouse, Marseilles and along the coast to Italy. For myself I rented a car and went to Camembert to visit with Mr. Durand, a traditional cheesemaker. That was AWESOME! And my contact in the tourist office in Normandie helped me make arrangements for my visit. I am very comfortable now working with clients who want to go to France and not be on a motorcoach tour. I've even had a family rent a barge and take a river trip.
What other training would you like to see available for those that sell France as a destination? :
I think that teaching travel agents how to travel around on public transportation is important. MOST agents don't understand how to use the guides in the rail stations, know where to stand on the platform, how to read the metro lines, and other modes of transportation. Today's traveler wants to be out there and live like the French. After learning all of these things from our RailEurope escort I was better able to assist my clients in preparing for their dream vacation to France. If we can assure our clients that they can travel safely and easily in France they will go there, language barrier or not.
How has this training affected your business?:
My business has grown along with my confidence level after completing the course work. In 2008 I took my family to France and rented a car and drove to Normandie. We also took the train to Rheims for the day. Before taking this class I would have hesitated to leave Paris. Now I can confidently encourage my clients to do the same on their vacations.
Share some of your thoughts on the Travel Industry and how your business to France is evolving.:
Popular belief of many is that travel to Europe is down, or that people only look at price. That has not been my experience. My clients are traveling and willing to pay for "experiences." They want to take a train and go to a less traveled spot. Visit a village on market day and see how the French shop. Go to the seashore and be on the pier when the fishermen arrive. It's not just about the museums and historical sites anymore. They want to live in the culture as much as possible. By taking the coursework I am better equiped to arrange these experiences for them.
Do you have any anecdotes from France to Share?:
We traveled to Camembert by GPS to visit a cheese farm, afterwards lunching in the beautiful countryside cafe on the 4 types of cheeses from the region. We will never forget that beautiful village and the ringing of the church bells. |