Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Quirk
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always loved to travel however it was a trip I took to England back in 2019 that really lit my spark. I went for my birthday by myself and did 5 days in London and then joined a small group and did an 6 day organized tour of the Gardens of Southern England and just absolutely fell in love. As we were coming out of the pandemic I started looking for work I could do from home that would give me flexibility and decided to pursue what I really love and started my own travel agency in October of 2022. As an avid gardener, foodie & lover of architecture this was a perfect pairing and I have a special interest in gardens all over the world. I began learning everything I could from my host agency with their resources and went to my first in person event where I met my peers and fellow travel agents, and everything blossomed from there. I now travel the world with my best friends, I even started a podcast on travel with one of them where we talk about all things travel called Trippin with Laura and Shawn. I specialize in the things that I love and am passionate about which is custom trips to Europe, worldwide cruises and family vacations. I bring a personalized attention to details for my clients and offer curated itineraries just for them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been easy, and sticking with my vision has been very important to me. I really started to see progress after meeting my peers in person and learning from events for industry professionals and working towards certifications. The most influential thing has been fellowship from other Travel Advisors within my host agency in Brunswick Ohio. I have learned so much and enjoyed fine tuning my business practices after events. There is an overwhelming amount of information to learn so being able to focus and choose exactly which areas to devote my time to has been very important and also challenging.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been an avid gardener for a long time and spend a lot of my time in my garden. I am also a Floral Designer and was even certified as a Flower Show Judge for a time. I am active in my Garden Club and am always wanting to visit a Botanical Garden in another country while I am traveling. With so many historical and cultural sites that have a garden as a feature this is a common interest for me and not hard to find. I love seeing what plants grow in different climates all around the world. Seeing the same plants in England that I can grow at home was fascinating because the climate allowed the same plants to get so much bigger it was incredible. As a Travel Agent and Agency Owner, I am able to share with clients’ details about various cities that reflect my love of architecture, culture, gardening, food and adventure as it relates to exactly what they want to be doing and seeing on their trip. With such a love of Europe it is no wonder that is one of my specialties, along with worldwide cruises both river and ocean. I offer personalized services including having access to me 24/7 while traveling so that if anything happens while traveling, I can assist them immediately. This style of concierge service allows my clients to really relax and know that they can enjoy their trip and have peace of mind that everything they need will be taken care of.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love a small town feel but having the options for culture in food and activities of a larger metropolitan area. I love that I can go anywhere and either meet new people or run into someone I know. I love that in a world that can be big, there is always a connection to be made on a personal level. I love that I can live here and hop on a plane at any time and an adventure is waiting in another part of the world for me to explore. I don’t love the traffic and try to avoid it when I can, prefer direct flights, and I have to start my day with an ice cold Coke. I am always looking for my next trip and offer special trips a few times a year for solo travelers that want to travel with other like minded people. All this and more is on my social media so if this interests you please follow me there. I will be going on a European Christmas Market trip in November, planning on a girls cruise potentially on Virgin Voyages in February and there are sure to be more things come up!
Pricing:
- custom quotes for curated itineraries vary
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/royalglobaltravel
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royalglobaltravelbylaura/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087553506624
- Other: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/laura-quirk
