It is no secret, travel agents are what makes TravelSafe thrive. From offering our line of protection plans during travel bookings to advocating for us on social media, our agents make a difference. This month, I did a little Q&A with one of our valued agents, Marianne Rayermann with Drifting Sands Travel.
And who doesn’t love a little Q&A?
Amanda: What kinds of travel do you mostly sell?
Marianne: I mostly sell Leisure. I sell a lot of beach vacations and trips to the Caribbean and Mexico. I’ve had the pleasure, and come to really enjoy, arranging European Travel, US Cities vacations and a cruises also.
A: How long have you been in the travel industry and what was your reason for joining the travel industry?
M: I started selling travel in 1989, I can hardly believe it! Prior to being a travel consultant, I was a flight attendant.
A: A flight attendant, wow! Did you like being a flight attendant, or was it less glorious than you had imagined?
M: I did enjoy being a flight attendant. I relished meeting so many different kinds of people and discovering how many really good people there are in this world. Yet, they are all so different. Of course, I loved seeing so many different places, even if only for one day. After a few years however, when I met Richard, I decided I was ready to follow him and only have to adapt to one mobile career. Richard was a Navy fighter pilot back then, he was transferred and traveled a lot!
A: What was your reason for joining the travel industry?
M: I had always loved learning about new places and I stumbled upon an opening at a small travel agency in South Texas. I had needed a job at the time and thought I’d apply, and I was hired!
A: When did you open the doors to Drifting Sands Travel?
M: When I first started to sell travel in 1989, I worked in house at a few different brick and mortar offices. I then became independent in 1992, when my first son was born. I officially coined my business name and filed it as an LLC in 2004.
A: So after joining the agency, did you start selling travel insurance right then, or was it something that came down the road a little later?
M:I don’t remember there being travel insurance so readily available when I first became a travel consultant. It seems it got more common starting around 1999.
A: When and how did you hear about TravelSafe? When did you start selling?
M: I heard about TravelSafe from my very good friend and colleague, Sharon Lasater from UMC Travel. I think it was around December in 2008. She said, “You know about travel insurance, don’t you? I sell TravelSafe and they are a great company. They’re great with claims and they take care of their agents!” So I signed up right away. OVer the course of time, I have enquired to a few other companies (to see what was out there), but I have never found any company that offers as much coverage for such reasonable prices.
A: Has TravelSafe ever been able to assist one of your clients while traveling?
M: Yes, there has been a number of times TravelSafe has helped my clients!
A: That’s great to hear, what were the circumstances?
M: Two come to mind. A few years ago, a client became ill on the airplane during the first leg of her vacation. TravelSafe was a tremendous help during the whole ordeal. They assisted during the immediate situations and also in handling the claim a few days later. The client was able to continue her flight the next day, so not all was lost!
The next one is worth noting, and was definitely interesting! It hadn’t happened during travel, but before. The father of a groom was paying for the couple’s entire honeymoon. He had told me he absolutely had to have the plan that included the Cancel for Any Reason Benefit. He was firm in his request! Then, he called me a few months later to cancel their honeymoon! He told me his son had broken off the engagement. That had a feeling all along that they were not right for eachother!
A: What is your favorite thing about TravelSafe to represent to your clients?
M: TravelSafe represents confidence. It is extremely important that if my clients are going to pay for travel insurance, I am able to sell them a product we feel is the absolute best. I want them to have peace of mind, and have no doubts that they have excellent coverage and resources if something goes wrong before or during travel. TravelSafe has done that for my clients and myself.
A: Have you found, as a travel agent, that TravelSafe is always willing to help meet your needs?
M: Yes, TravelSafe is always there to answer questions and provide the products I know are right for my clients. I especially like the flat rate fee for kids under 18 (when families are traveling together). Sometimes I do with the Cancel For Any Reason Benefit had a higher limit (like 100% instead of 75%), but I understand the reasoning. I know the underwriters have the best provisions they possible can and TravelSafe works with them to get the best benefits for the best price.
A: I have heard that before. We’re one of the few providers that can keep it up at 75% (some are down to 50%), so we’re proud of that! Now, last but not least Marianne - you said you love to travel, and that is why you joined the travel industry. What is the most memorable trip you have ever been on?
M: I am not sure I can pick one trip! All of my favorite trips have all had a common thread; sightseeing and family. I love hanging on a beach, but it is a country’s sites and culture, along with sharing the experience with my family, that makes it so worthwhile. My boys are all history lovers, we recently saw Antigua’s British Naval History, and it was truly amazing. Then we took a trip to New York to see Ellis Island, the 911 Memorial and the Statue of Liberty. The kids told me they thought I outdid Antigua!
Marianne Rayermann is happily married to her husband Richard. They are parents of two amazing boys, Thomas and Matthew. Marianne says her sons are her proudest accomplishments. Thomas is in the Army ROTC and will be commissioned as an officer upon his college graduation. Matthew is a computer science major and is currently doing an internship at a major tech company in Seattle.
When Marianne is not working, she loves to travel, go to wine tastings, bike and take walks with her black lab Allee. Her family, friends and faith are all very important to her and she stays connected any way she can.
