As a retail travel agent since 1987, Lori Derauf has seen the industry change over the years, starting from a place to purchase plane tickets mainly for domestic travel to today, where experts plan the details of longer trips to Europe and other destinations.
The owner of Vacation Designers in Waunakee, Lori spoke to her fellow Waunakee Rotarians about those changes at the April 20 meeting.
Back in the 1980s, airlines paid commissions to the agents. The job was 9-5, and people stopped in the office for the transactions.
But in 1995, that changed. As the internet became more widely used, airlines stopped offering commission, encouraging the public to make reservations online.
Lori said in the past, the business was transactional, but the change forced her and other agents to become vacation planners.
Then on Sept. 11, 2001, the World Trade Center attack instilled a fear of flying. More security regulations were put in place as well, and that became the new normal. Several budget airlines also popped up.
The financial crisis of 2008 also hit the industry hard, and Lori was among the walking unemployed. Revenue was down 70%, which was difficult, she said.
“But in light of what happened next, that was no big deal,” she said.
During the next decade, buying a plane ticket became more complex, with more choices for seating, and with more ancillary fees for baggage, seat assignments and other things. But in 2019, travel planners saw their best year with more people booking trips very far in advance.
“We were exhausted from so much travel planning,” Lori said.
And then in 2020, the coronavirus caused another major pause in travel, and Lori’s business canceled $1.7 million in sales for planned vacations. That resulted in many agencies requiring up-front fees for their scheduling work and charging cancellation fees.
Travel began to pick up again in 2021, however, when the company sold $600,000 in tickets and reservations.
Today, the demand for travel is back to normal although the airline prices are higher. Some clients have two or three trips booked.
“They want to get it in before something else happens,” Lori said.
Today also, travel is done through apps for the airline and even for Vacation Destinations.
And Lori and her staff are no longer referred to travel agents but travel advisors.
“We’re more interested in the experience of your travels,” she said, noting that the vacations are planned around what their clients want to do during their trip.
******
Other News:
-The exchange student from Mexico is booked for the club. Now families are needed as hosts, Carol Bleifield said. If you’re willing to host the student or you know someone who is, let her know.
-The village-wide clean-up is Saturday, weather permitting. Meet at Village Hall at 9 a.m.
-Volunteers will also be working on the solar lights at the dog park on the west side of town on Hwy 19 Friday and Saturday.
Guests: Natalie Dresen, guest of Lori Derauf; Bill Collins, guest of Bob Klostermann.
Visiting Rotarians: None.
Birthdays: April 30, Harriet Statz
Anniversaries: April 28, Scott and Melanie Cochems
Greeters: April 27, Nick Mischler and Liz Mueller; May 3, Linda Olson and Danny Paul; May 10, Ken Pesik and Nick Petrulis; May 17, Jim Pingel and Erick Plumb; May 23, Corey Randl and Tom Roepke; May 30, David Rupp and Troy Salisbury.
