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From the Custom Elite Travel Blogger's Desk:

Welcome to Custom Elite Travel!
By Brandon Biss, Senior Travel Consultant, Custom Elite Travel.

During my eight years working in travel, I have noticed a shift within the industry. Booking a vacation used to be flights between Washington DC and Paris, a hotel near a metro station, and a recommendation of travel insurance. Once the transaction was completed, there were a few questions along the way, ticket delivery, and a bon voyage call to wish the client safe travels. Over the past few years, the planning of this vacation has turned into something different.

Travelers now value unique and "once-in-a-lifetime" type experiences more than ever. Those flights between DC and Paris are scrutinized for the best schedule and on time stats. Often, business class is worth the upgrade to arrive fresh and ready to breathe in Paris' coffee and pastries the next morning. The hotel selection is no longer just a question of location and convenience within Paris' 20 arrondissements (districts). Recommendations vary between the cozy cafe culture along Saint-Germain in the 6th, or the provincial palaces and parks at the footsteps of the Louvre in the 1st. Not only are location and neighborhood important, so is the personality of the hotel itself. Some of my clients prefer charming, boutique style stays at the Relais Saint Sulpice where the intimacy of staff interaction allows for an enriching stay. Others prefer the high-end George V, where no amenity or request goes unfulfilled. Lastly, the Parisian experience itself has become an important detail. Do you want to tour the Louvre with hundreds of your "closest friends" on a busy Tuesday afternoon? Or would you rather enjoy an intimate museum dinner after closing hours when your dessert includes private viewings of the Mona Lisa and Venus di Milo?

It is not possible create this intimate experience without knowing my clients on a deeper, personal level. I must know their priorities, desires, travel history, and expectations. They need to know that I genuinely care about their planning and vacation experience. I am more than a 9 to 5 travel agent that takes and fills their cruise order. I am a travel consultant that is going to use my destination expertise and my world-wide contacts to create the best opportunities possible. I am going to be there for them if a flight is cancelled and will call to hear all about the new memories that were made.

So, welcome to the Custom Elite Travel boutique! Gone are the days of agents working on behalf of travel suppliers. No longer are clients just hoping to have their vacation orders fulfilled. Welcome to a place where our travel consultants take personal pride in creating inspirational travel experiences that make you stop, sigh, and say "Wow!"

Read more in our blog!