Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Evans.
Hi Tamara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My love for travel started at a very young age in Athens, Ga. On Friday’s when my mom would get off work she would always say be packed and ready when I get off work. She would pull up and I would have my suitcase ready and we would head to my Great Aunt’s house in Crawfordville, GA. I absolutely loved our road trips. The trip was only an hour away but I learned at an early age long distances are not a requirement for travel but what you experience while you are there is what’s important. In 1985 my mom took me on my first flight to Los Angeles, CA. It was a night flight and I was amazed at how beautiful the sky was and all the lights. The flight attendant even gave me wings to remember my first flight.
In high school, I was in JRTOC and we often traveled to Alabama and Florida for drill competitions. I met some wonderful people who I kept in contact with for years. My high school graduation trip was to Cancun, Mexico. I couldn’t believe at 18, I was headed to a totally different country and at that time, you could fly with an ID and birth certificate. That became the first of many international trips. The excitement of getting my first car in college fueled my passion to have many more road trips to South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. All I needed was music, a camera and open roads. I would make stops along the way to try new restaurants or take pictures of the scenery. In 2008 my love for travel was taken to another level: Cruising. My first cruise was to the Bahamas. Learning the history and culture of other countries is enriching and eye-opening. Travel changes you for the better. Besides being a time of relaxation and fun, you are also exposed to different people, foods and ways of life. You realize that there is so much more to the world than just the city you were born in. I use this opportunity to expand my mind as well as hopefully leave a mark on the people’s lives I meet along the way. On this trip, my friendship with my travel bestie Stacie was started and has continued ever since.
Each year after that, I made a promise to myself that I would take at least one international trip a year. This promise was kept until 2019 when covid hit. Now my personal travel was the foundation of how I became a travel advisor in 2018. When the opportunity was presented to me it was a no brainer. Having a secondary income was great but the greater benefit was that this was my opportunity to help create memorable travel experiences for others just as I had created them for myself. My business was named Dupree Destinations after my alter ego name London Dupree. I remember how I felt heading to the airport and arriving at a new destinations. The excitement was overwhelming and scary at the same time because I was not sure what to expect but I was ready for what was ahead. Unforgettable memories that last a lifetime. I call my clients Dupree Explorers. My very first client was one of my co-workers at my corporate job. I was honored that he had enough confidence in me to allow me to assist in planning a trip for him and his wife. They had a wonderful time in St Lucia and since then have allowed me to plan other trips for them. Being a travel advisor is more than just booking trips. It is about developing relationships and creating memorable experiences. It’s taking the worry and pressure off your clients and allowing them to fully be able to enjoy their vacation stress-free. In life, we all or at least most of us strive to make other people’s lives a little better and this is my way of contributing to that goal.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
No, the road has not been smooth at times it was a little depressing and frustrating. When you start a business, you immediately think those closest to you will be the ones to support you but that is not always the case. Also, it took time to really learn people to determine if people were really serious about using your services or if they were just pricing hunting and were only looking for the cheapest price even if what I would provide was a priceless service. It is also still to this day frustrating when you take time to research hotels, flights, and ever-changing covid protocols for someone and once you send them a quote, they ghost you or they take what you sent them and just book it themselves. People have a right to spend their money as they wish but if someone is willing to take hours of their day to help you free of charge the least you can say is thank you but no thanks. The last two years were rough with all the cancellations and modifications that were needed to bookings. Sometimes I would have to hold on the phone up to 6 hours to get things resolved but rather me doing it than my client having to do it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dupree Destinations?
I am a home-based travel advisor who specializes in creating memorable travel experiences for my clients. This can range from hotel & flight, all-inclusive resorts, cruises, airport parking, rental cars, excursions, vacation rentals, cabins and so much more. I ensure my clients have all necessary docs, passports, visa, etc. for travel. I also check-in with my clients a few days prior as well as during the day of departure to ensure they arrive safely and ensure expectations are met once they arrive. I am available to them during their vacation for any help that they may need as well as I follow up after they return home. I am a support system from start to finish.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes, covid-19 taught me that things can change very quickly and that in order to be successful, I had to be more flexible and patient. Also learned to really encourage travelers to get travel insurance. Covid had taught us all to prepare for the unexpected. As much as we may want to travel, life may say otherwise.
Contact Info:
- Email: DupreeDestinations@gmail.com
- Website: tamaraevans.inteletravel.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/DupreeDestinations
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/DupreeDestinations
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/DupreeDestinat1
- Other: https://linktr.ee/DupreeDestinations
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