Work from home? Not for this Barrie, ON agency owner.
Jet Lag Voyages, a member of The Travel Agent Next Door, is opening a storefront location in a central location in downtown Barrie, a community north of Toronto.
After ten years in the industry, and with the pandemic not even quite behind us, owner Ola Ulewicz tells Open Jaw it was the right time and the right move.
“After over a 2-year world-wide travel hiatus, while most travel agencies have closed its bricks and mortar storefronts and switched to a remote model, we saw this as an opportunity to open our doors,” Ulewicz said.
“I think now more than ever people are seeking real people to help in their travel plans, and there is nothing more real than to be able to meet in person having their travel experience start right from the consultation process.
“I believe travel is very much about human connection and building relationships.”
The agency is holding a Grand Opening on 22APR, with a ribbon cutting hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce, in a show of support for the local travel business.
“I wanted a location that would be considered a central meeting hub in the City of Barrie, and one that specifically focuses on community and the promotion of small businesses,” Ulewicz told Open Jaw, saying that downtown Barrie made sense.
“There are events, theatre, festivals, incredible growth and community development- this a natural choice to bring people together for their love of travel. Not to mention future development of the area will be sure to bring in amazing traffic and natural marketing by simple nature of being in a busy downtown core.”
Growth is very much on the agenda for the agency owner.
“Oh my goodness, has there ever been a recovery!” she exclaims.
“I do feel most people’s confidence levels to travel have finally re-emerged, and we’re here to help continue to build that confidence. We could not have opened the doors of our space if it wasn’t for the re-emergence, but in the same light we feel that without travel professionals fighting so hard for this industry there wouldn’t be the recovery that there is, and this office is a step for me to help the recovery of my business.”
During the two-day Grand Opening of Jet Lag Voyages’ new digs, members of the community are invited to drop by for exclusive promotions, giveaways, refreshments, meetings with the agency’s advisors, and an invitation to discover “all the ways to explore this extraordinary world.”
