03/08/2015
Home-Based Travel Agent of the Month
Tracy Dennis
Four Seasons Travel
Mechanicsville, Maryland
Tracy began her career in the travel industry in the 1980’s as a gate agent with Eastern Airlines. It was there that she worked, until one day in January of 1991, when Eastern ceased their operations due to bankruptcy!
Tracy majored in accounting in school and prior to becoming a travel agent she worked for both a CPA firm and a legal mediation firm in Washington, DC. Tracy left the legal mediation firm because she wasn’t happy working the traditional "9 to 5" job. She decided that she needed a career change. Her aunt worked for another airline and through her Tracy got to meet so many amazing people on a daily basis. The airline industry was very appealing to her! Not long afterwards, Tracy happened to see an ad in the Washington Post for several positions at Eastern Airlines. She interviewed with them and just a few days afterwards she was hired! Tracy worked for Eastern for almost 3 years! It was a great job and every day Tracy found it to be different and exciting!
Shortly after Eastern Airline’s closing, Tracy had her first child, a daughter and then a son a few years later. It was important to her to stay at home with them during their early years, so during time she was a full time mom. Once they were both in school full time, Tracy contemplated whether or not she wanted to re-enter the airline industry. It was post 9/11! It was then that Tracy happened to come upon an article online about becoming an outside travel agent for a national host agency. She decided that with her airline background it would be the perfect fit! That path would allow her to work from home and be there for my kids when they got off the school bus every day!
Starting a new home-based travel business was difficult. She literally spent her first year learning as much as possible. She took every training class available! Tracy attended workshops, industry events and took Fam trips whenever possible. Tracy’s a member of several online groups and forums and she loved learning! She tried to attend as many industry events as possible to keep up to date with the ever changing world of travel.
Initially, Tracy booked mostly family member’s travel on cruises, condo rentals and Disney. Tracy sold a few Sandals and Beaches bookings, here and there, but she never experienced the resorts for herself. It was only a few years later when she took her first Sandals Mega Fam Trip to Beaches Turks & Caicos and she was absolutely blown away by the resort, the staff, and the overall quality of the experience! She quickly decided that she would start concentrating on selling and promoting Sandals Resorts to her clients. Tracy saw the tremendous value that these resorts provided their guests. The fact that she made a much higher commission when booking their properties was the icing on the cake! When Tracy returned home she spent a lot of time studying the brochures and getting familiar with each of the properties. Each resort had a unique personality of their own! She talked to other agents who'd been long time sellers of the brand, and have personally visited every one of the resorts over the past several years. Tracy also began to stay in regular contact with her local Sandals Business Development Manager.
In 2006, Tracy sold her first Sandals booking to Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau, Bahamas, but this booking had a few "bumps in the road". Tracy quickly learned how accessible the management on property was and how quickly they responded to her clients and addressed their issues. Tracy was pleasantly surprised! It wasn’t like that at many of the other resorts and it made her a believer that Sandals truly did value her as an agent as well as her clients that stayed at the resort!
Tracy had attended a Sandals Weddingmoon Specialist Workshop is 2012, so she’s very well versed to discuss destination weddings with her clients. Also, Bridal Shows are an important part of her business! Tracy participates in 4-6 events per year! She also follows up the bridal show leads by hosting Caribbean Night’s or promoting the Sandals Virtual Weddingmoon Parties afterwards! It’s a great way to get clients excited about the resorts and increase bookings!
Tracy got her first wrapped car in 2009, and she got a second one in 2013. Tracy feels that it’s a great way to start a conversation about the resorts! She constantly has people stop her in parking lots, at gas stations, etc. to ask questions and get brochures. Tracy’s vehicles have both resulted in several bookings over the years! The most unique one came to her when she was selling a box of luau items (from a past bridal show) on an online yard sale forum. She met the gal at her local post office. She immediately started asking questions about Sandals when she saw Tracy’s car. She was getting married later that year and Tracy ended up booking her honeymoon at Sandals Grande Riviera just a few days later!
Tracy and her husband are no strangers to Sandals and Beaches Resorts, but their now adult children recently had their first visit to Sandals Whitehouse. This particular stay was a celebration of her daughter's recent college graduation and her husband's 50th birthday. Tracy’s husband and her son are avid tennis players, so they spent a great deal of time playing, participating in tournaments and working on their skills with the tennis pro on property. Her son still talks about his daily trips to the jerk shack for that delicious jerk chicken and coco bread! Tracy’s family has a trip to Beaches Turks & Caicos scheduled for September to celebrate her son’s 20th Birthday! Also, Tracy and her husband spent their 20th anniversary a few years ago at Sandals Montego bay. Tracy feels that it was the honeymoon that they never really had! The couple couldn't have asked for a better experience! They were pampered every moment of their stay. They’ve already been discussing which resort they should stay at when they renew their vows for their 25th anniversary!
The Sandals Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts, is very important to Tracy. She always explains to her clients about the Reading Road trip and she puts a flyer into their travel documents, which details the "Pack for a Purpose" program and how they can bring supplies to be donated to the local schools. Her clients really love the idea of being able to give back while on their vacation!
Tracy has earned too many awards with Sandals Resorts to mention them all! She’s also gained entrance into the very elite and prestigious group of agents in the Chairman’s Royal Club!
