Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2007 - (Page 56) COVER STORY HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE Fugazi Travel has been in the travel business since 1859, when it started out as a bank that also served the travel needs of those who ventured out west to work in the gold mining industry. As these immigrants flourished and sent for their loved ones back home, it was Fugazi that booked them on the Transcontinental Railroad, on stage coaches and on transatlantic cruise lines. The company exited the banking industry in the ’20s, making travel its main business. When Bob Romano joined Fugazi Travel in 1986, he was no stranger to the company. The agency’s owner, George Lippi, had booked his parents’ honeymoon, and Christine Fecchi, who is today a vice president and an active agent at the company, had been his family’s travel agent; she is still considered a part of the Romano clan. After he joined the agency, he and Fecchi became good friends; this is a relationship that has stayed in place over the years. “We ask each other a lot of questions, Romano laughs. ” “We tend to see things the same way and we’re both very analytical. In our own way, we like to get to know the customer so that we really can offer them something that is suitable for what they want to do. We see a lot of agencies that don’t like to market that way. They look at a chart and say, ‘You are supposed to be buying this because this is what the statistics say.’ We are not like that. ” Romano and Fecchi (who joined the company in 1972 and whose two favorite destinations are Egypt and Kenya), are both partners at Fugazi Travel, which over the years has moved from servicing such mega-corporate accounts as the Federal Reserve Bank, to one that focuses on luxury leisure travel. Another evolution is the fact that the company’s leadership has just implemented a program that allows its agents to take 42 days a year for vacations or fams. The program was created to ensure that the company’s agents can see the world. Romano and Fecchi credit Lippi for having the vision to execute such a plan. “It’s very forward thinking. Being able to travel gives us the opportunity to know more than our customers know, says ” Romano. “If you don’t live luxury travel, how can you possibly sell it? You need to relate face up with your clients and be able to say, ‘I know that waiter at that restaurant and I know that room at the hotel.’” company them as their guests.” Another common trait relates to superluxe ground transportation. “They prefer to self-drive rather than rely on cars and drivers when in the countryside,” says Romano. “It’s more common for them to rent a Ferrari or a Lamborghini to enjoy as part of their immersion in local culture. They do use private cars and drivers for airport and rail transfers in and out of major cities. They are looking for the best combination of convenience and fun.” These two groups also want insider access in the destination they’re visiting, he says. “They are very experiential and gaining access to the best restaurant tables, nightclubs and cultural events is key for them. They often want to participate in local events like soccer games, operas and concerts.” Baby boomers have different habits, which relate in part to their age. “In contrast, the baby boomers use private cars and drivers much more extensively wherever they go,” says Romano. “They have more of a challenge managing luggage, so this is always a concern for them. We are using Abercrombie & Kent’s rail concierge much more often. It works very well for moving around the most important regions of Italy and avoids the ROMANO AND HIS WIFE, Jill, aboard the Silver Cloud earlier this year, escorting a group on a cruise to the Dalmation Coast and Greece from Venice. usual airport frustrations.” A similarity among all generations is that those who have tried booking a luxury experience online have been disappointed or burned in one way or another. “Each group has experimented in its own way with the Internet and learned that it’s not sufficient for them. They realize that they need the level of expertise and depth of knowledge that only the best travel professionals can provide. They have also learned how time consuming it is to do this type of planning well and that they don’t have enough personal time to do what’s required.” To design luxury travel programs, the agency charges an hourly fee of $100 per hour. “The fees are not cast in stone and we really look at each program to come up with something that is fair and reasonable for both the client and our firm,” says Romano. If you ask Bob Romano to describe what luxury travel means to him, it’s not all about how much money the client spends or how large or exclusive his hotel suite is. “I think luxury means different things to different people,” he says. “We try to deliver a luxury travel experience to our clients at all price points. For me, a true travel luxury is being blessed with clients who take the time for me to get to know them. They understand that developing the right kind of personal relationship with each other is what allows my colleagues and me to keep designing luxury travel experiences that satisfy them.” 56 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2007
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