October! Colors are changing, there’s a sharp crispness to the morning air, and the Destinations team is staring down a Oktoberfest-Brätwurst-Sized month with big events, big moves, and fun challenges ahead.
If you think this post is a simple “humble brag” about the Destinations Team, you’d be completely wrong. This is an all-out brag because this month is our World Series, and the team is stepping up to plate and knocking things out of the park.
Big Events
Our team is in their element! In October 2018, the Destinations team will execute 10 events and serve nearly 10,000 guests in Mexico, Ireland, and the US respectively. The team has been preparing by working with our client partners to plan every last detail—from airline seat assignments, menu selections, entertainment, audio-visual requirements, and everything in between. The team has fielded hundreds of phone calls and responded to thousands of emails with questions and requests from our guests like, “Is there a hairdryer in my room?” or “What’s the dress code for our gala dinner?” and “Help! My anniversary happens during the trip and I haven’t planned a thing! Save my marriage!” No worries. We’ve been fielding these inquiries like easy grounders to 2nd base.
But being on site…that’s when the real fun begins and sometimes the challenges never seem to end. Weather and mechanical delays or cancellations. Hotel and cruise issues. Unforeseen guest health emergencies. Changes, problems, difficulties. Luckily, we play our best ball with two outs, full count, and runners on base! That is what they’ve trained for and what the team thrives on. You look into the team’s eyes and they seem shout back to you…BRING IT ON!
Big Moves
While the kiddos are picking out Halloween costumes, we’re experiencing a transformation of a different kind. After nearly 19 years in the same building, Destinations is busting at the seams from some incredible growth and will find a new home in a new office. Like gluttons for punishment, the remodeling of our office space will take place this month, and the team is getting involved in the details. The paint, the fabric, the soft touches, and the office branding all hand-selected to reflect the culture our team loves, our travel adventures, with some special details that reflect our funny and weird personalities. Our move will take place near the first week of November 2018. More elbow room will be AMAZING!
Up and Coming All-Stars
Since the beginning of 2018, we’ve hired 8 new team members with 3 of those starting in just the last few weeks. We’ve sharpened our training programs and structure, and it’s better than ever with a weather-eye on making more improvements. Each team member is taking on multiple personal development and industry training courses, getting live reps on the planning of current client events, and traveling to new and exciting destinations.
Wedding Bells
As if all this wasn’t enough, two special team members will take the plunge and tie the knot with the men of their dreams this month. We are beyond excited for them! Where will they go for their honeymoons? Iceland & Lanai! Við elskum þig and ALOHA!
Babies, Babies & More Babies
We’re all about family at Destinations and there must be something in the water! In 2018 we’ve had 6 new babies join our team’s families…with 2 (and maybe) more on the way. We’re excited to continue to make Destinations an awesome place for talented working moms and dads to work flexible hours from home or in the office. Really, the most important thing is family. As the team is supported in this crucial area, everything else will always fall into place. Seriously and always: Family Comes First!!
28 Years of Providing WOW Experiences
28 years ago in October 1990, our founder Chris Lambert, a seasoned travel agent and salesman, struck out on his own and started our company from his living room with nothing more than a Macintosh Classic, his trusty Motorola DynaTAC 8000 brick of a cell phone, and the blessing and support of his devoted wife. Late nights, the constant grind of networking, selling travel, fulfilling promises. Rinse, wash, repeat…over and over again. We’re grateful for the man who laid the groundwork for our current success, who taught us how to work, and how to love travel and the daily grind. And for dressing us up in authentic lederhosen as kids and parading us around Oktoberfest at Snowbird, Utah. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Here’s to many more years to come!
Mmmm…Brätwurst!
It’s months like these that test your resolve. Can you win the World Series with so much on the line? Many teams would falter under such pressure. Yet when you have an amazing team to make it all happen, it just feels good. There’s just a special feeling that comes from overcoming challenges and producing WOW outcomes. To the Destinations Team, October is a delicious Oktoberfest brätwurst, and we just can’t wait to eat it for lunch!
