Today we’d like to introduce you to Akilah Franklin
Hi Akilah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Since I was a little girl, I always loved the feeling traveling brought to me. I would look forward to our annual family vacations to different countries each year because it would bring me a new experience that I couldn’t wait to come back and share with my friends! That is when I first fell in love with travel. Fast forwarding to my young adulthood, traveling was always a good escape to relax and rid myself of life’s hurdles, and was always the fun reset I needed to keep me pushing when life wouldn’t stop life-ing. I made it a goal to travel to at least 2-3 new destinations each year to soak in each country’s unique culture and help me see life through different perspectives. The world is huge, with so much land to explore, filled with people of so many different backgrounds and cultures; I leave each experience with a take away and it inspires me to continue to travel and soak up the knowledge of the world. Not everything about the world is taught to us in school, and the first hand experiences you gain from traveling is one of them.
A few years into my journey of posting my travel content, I realized that I was inspiring other people to travel based off my travel experiences. I would get questions all the time asking how I planned a certain trip, restaurant and activity recommendations, who planned my itinerary, etc. However, I loved to plan my own trips because of the excitement that planning my perfect “dream” vacation just added on to my anticipation. I realized that I had acquired certain knowledge, skills, and travel hacks where I could create an amazing travel experience, not just for myself, but for others as well to explore the destination of their dreams. And that’s how “Dream Destination Awaits” was born.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I first became a travel agent in January 2020 where I soft launched my travel agency but I wanted to take my time to learn about my travel partners, vendors, and gain a niche for the type of vacation packages I would market. A few months later before I could even plant a solid foundation for my business, Covid-19 devastated our world. Travel as we knew it came to a halt and we didn’t know when it would return and if it would ever be the same.
In the spirit of “reading the room”, I didn’t feel right about promoting travel when the world was in the first pandemic of its century. Eventually, people were allowed to travel internationally again with country specific requirements during Covid, but many people were still scared due to health concerns or deterred by the covid test, vaccination cards, and other requirements that were necessary to travel internationally. So, I waited 2 years until I felt I was ready to start promoting my travel business again so it could be received well since more and more people had begun to travel as travel restrictions would lift. This was the first time I seriously promoted my brand and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was received, after doubting that it could do well given the wake of the events in the past few years. From then on, I vowed to never doubt myself or the capabilities my business could do, and promised to always pour my all into what I believe in and to make travel a dream come true for all of my clients.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Although I work in corporate America, I love to leisurely travel all around the world in my free time! I turned my passion for travel into a travel business in order to help others curate their perfect “dream” vacation as well, because I know first hand how fun and exciting traveling can be and how it is good for the soul! I specialize in all types of vacations from luxury to budget friendly trips, to all inclusive resorts and cruises, for all types of celebrations from birthdays, anniversaries, bachelor trips, and more- whether it be group travel or solo travel.
I curate vacation packages based off my clients needs so whatever they wish, I will fulfill! From booking flights and accommodations, to organizing local transportation, and also booking must-visit attractions. Based off their preferences, I’ll handpick the perfect destinations and activities to make their journey extraordinary where all they have to do is show up! I specialize in planning every single detail of their trip, leaving the client free to savor each moment of their adventure and not dealing with the hassle and stress of planning their own vacation.
What separates me from other travel agents is that I am a world traveler and have immersed myself in over 20 countries. I have visited a great majority of the destinations my clients inquire about so I am able to provide first hand experience, recommendations, and suggestions, saving them time from doing the research themselves. I take pride in handling it all! Together, we embark on a collaborative journey to craft their dream itinerary. I’ll provide expert advice, insider tips, and personalized recommendations to ensure that every step of their trip is filled with excitement and wonder.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Being detailed oriented, kind, and knowledgeable are key factors that have driven my success. Customer service is the main key to success in any business. What motivates me is helping others, I always go above and beyond to ensure my clients are satisfied. I have a keen eye for detail, and I’ve found that paying attention to those personal details with my clients make a huge difference when planning the perfect getaway.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dreamdestinationawaits.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/dreamdestinationawaits
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamDestinationAwaits/
