DANIEL CRAWFORD
OWNER/MANAGER
TRAVEL OUTLET OF WNY INC
OVER 30 YEARS AGO MR. DAN CRAWFORD, CEO OF TRAVEL OUTLET OF WNY INC., WAS WORKING AS THE US SALES MANAGER FOR AIR CANADA VACATIONS, BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 1100 TRAVEL AGENTS IN THE WNY, PENNSYLVANIA AND OHIO AREAS. AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION HE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT HE COULD OFFER LOWER AND BETTER PRICES THAN WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED BY THE TRADITIONAL TRAVEL AGENCIES AT THAT TIME.
IN JANUARY OF 1990 MR. CRAWFORD OPENED TRAVEL OUTLET OF WNY INC., ON THE 5TH FLOOR OF THE ELLICOTT SQUARE BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. HE HAD ONE GOAL IN MIND THAT WAS TO PROVIDE THE BEST QUALITY VACATIONS AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST.
TRAVEL OUTLET’S GOAL WAS SIMPLY TO SELL QUALITY VACATIONS IN QUANTITY TO BRING DOWN THE COST DIRECTLY TO THE CONSUMER. MR. CRAWFORD LIKENED IT TO WALMART BUYING TOOTHPASTE, THE MORE YOU BUY THE LOWER THE PRICE. HE WANTED TO APPLY THIS SAME PRINCIPAL TO THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY WHICH AT THE TIME WAS NOT BEING OFFERED. AT THAT TIME PEOPLE WERE PAYING THE “BROCHURE RATE”, “DISCOUNT” AND “REBATE” WERE CONSIDERED SWEAR WORDS AMONG AGENTS IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY.
IN THAT THE “DISCOUNTING” CONCEPT CAUGHT ON VERY QUICKLY, TRAVEL OUTLET HAD OPENED TWO ADDITIONAL OFFICES, ONE IN THE NORTHTOWN AND TONAWANDA/AMHERST AND THE LANCASTER/DEPEW/CHEEKTOWAGA AREAS IN A FEW SHORT YEARS.
TODAY OVER 21 YEARS LATER, TRAVEL OUTLET IS WESTERN NEW YORK’S ONLY DISCOUNT TRAVEL AGENCY. WE ARE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BRICK AND MORTAR AND ON-LINE AGENCIES IN THAT WE DISCOUNT OUR PRICES UNLIKE OTHER TRAVEL AGENCIES. AS THEY SAY, IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY, BUT NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OUR LOW PRICES AND WORRY FREE VACATION EXPERIENCES. 30 YEARS LATER, TRAVEL OUTLET IS WNY’S LARGEST LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL AGENCIES.
NOREEN GURNEY
TRAVEL SPECIALIST/ GROUP COORDINATOR
HAVING WORKED AT TRAVEL OUTLET SINCE OCTOBER 1991 I THINK THE GREATEST PLEASURE I GET IS MAKING MY CLIENTS HAPPY AND FINDING THE BEST VACATION THAT SATISIES MY CLIENTS EXPECTATIONS AND BUDGET.
MY SPECIALITY WOULD BE NOT ONLY SETTING UP GROUP TRAVEL BUT PERSONALLY ESCORTING THEM TO LOCATIONS LIKE IRELAND, ROME AND BUDAPEST. I AM ALSO TRAVEL OUTLET’S SENIOR CITIZEN COORDINATOR WORKING WITH LOCAL SENIOR AND TRAVEL CLUBS, SETTING UP LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRIPS.
SANDALS CERTIFIED SPECIALIST.
DESTINATIONS TRAVELED TO :
IRELAND, SCOTLAND, PARIS, ITALY, ROME, BUDAPEST, PRAGUE, VIENNA, BRUSSELS, CANCUN, PUNTA CANA, PUERTO PLATA, PUERTO VALLARATA, GREECE, ALASKA, JAMAICA
JOANN GILMOUR
C.L.I.A. CRUISE COUNSELLOR
HAVING WORKED AS A “HANDS ON” TRAVEL AGENT FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS MY FIRST LOVE IS TRAVEL. THE GREATEST PLEASURE WORKING FOR TRAVEL OUTLET IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THE “PERFECT” VACATION OR HONEYMOON FOR MY CLIENTS. I AM A JAMAICA TRAVEL SPECIALIST AND HAVING BEEN THERE MANY I CAN GUIDE YOU TO THE PERFECT HOTEL FOR YOUR NEEDS.
I AM TRAVEL OUTLET’S CRUISE SPECIALIST, HONEYMOON AND DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER HAVING BEEN ON OVER 20 CRUISES INCLUDING EASTERN AND WESTERN CARIBBEAN, ALASKA, MEDITERREAN, WINDJAMMERS, GREEK ISLE CRUISE.
I AM ALSO A DISNEY SPECIALIST AND DESTINATION WEDDING SPECIALIST.
DESTINATIONS TRAVELED TO :
CANCUN, BARBADOS, JAMAICA, PUNTA CANA, PUERTO PLATA, ST. MARTIN, ITALY, PARIS, ROME, VENICE, LONDON, IRELAND, GREECE, ANTIGUA, ARUBA, BAHAMAS, ENGLAND, TURKEY, ST LUCIA, GRAND CAYMAN, MEXICO
CATHY JO VOLTZ
OFFICE MANAGER/GROUP COORDINATOR & GROUP TOUR DIRECTOR
ENSURING THAT YOUR TRAVEL PLANS GO SEAMLESS IS WHAT I AM ALL ABOUT. ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS THE KEY TO YOUR PERFECT TRIP. MY DAILY DUTIES INCLUDE MAKING SURE ALL DOCUMENTATION IS CHECKED AND DOUBLE-CHECKED. FROM START TO FINISH I WILL OVERSEE THE TOUR. ACCOMODATIONS, FLIGHTS, TRAVEL INSURANCE, CAR RENTALS, EXCURSIONS, PASSPORT INFO, MEALS, SPECIAL SERVICES & ASSISTANCE, AND ANYTHING IN BETWEEN, I WILL BE TAKING CARE OF YOU.
I REGULARLY TRAVEL TO THE DESTINATIONS WE OFFER, PARTICULARLY WITH GROUP TOURS, TO BE AVAILABLE AND TO ASSIST WITH THE SMALL NUANCES OF A TOUR THAT CAN MAKE IT UNIQUE! SOMETIMES, IT IS THE LITTLE THINGS OR THE ATTENTION TO DETAILS THAT MAKE OR BREAK A TRIP. THAT IS WHERE I COME IN. I PRIDE MYSELF ON PAYING ATTENTION TO THE HOSPITALITY AT A HOTEL OR THE SERVICE AT A RESTAURANT OR A TRIP FROM A LOCAL ABOUT OUR DESTINATION. THAT IS WHAT I AM NOTICING WHEN TRAVELING. I ALSO LISTEN TO GUESTS WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM A DAY TRIP, EXCURSION, OR LEISURELY STROLL, SO I CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO OTHERS. MY FAVORITE PART OF MY JOB IS WHEN I GET TO WITNESS THE JOY OUR CLIENTS GET FROM THE DESTINATION THEY ARE EXPLORING. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT WHEN CLIENTS RETURN TO THE OFFICE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH ME. I OFTEN TAKE THE DAY TRIPS OR PAY ATTENTION TO FEEDBACK FROM EXCURSIONS TO KNOW WHAT IS WORTH A VISIT. I LOVE TO GET AMONG THE LOCALS TOO, SO I CAN FIND OUT THE LITTLE EXTRA DELIGHTS OF THAT REGION OR COUNTRY.
MY OWN TRAVEL INTERESTS INCLUDE IRELAND, THE CARIBBEAN, EUROPE, AND THE USA. ACTUALLY, I AM HAPPY TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE! WITH EACH TRIP I TAKE, I BRING BACK DESTINCTIONS THAT MADE IT SPECIAL OR UNIQUE SO THAT I CAN OFFER THE SAME TO OUR TRAVEL OUTLET CUSTOMERS.
AT TRAVEL OUTLET WE ALWAYS GUARANTEE THE LOWEST PRICES!!!