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Stephanie Durst Westbury, NY Luxury Travel Agent
Agency
Protravel Long Island
Destinations
Caribbean, Mexico, Italy, Hawaii, Africa
SPECIALTIES
Wellness, Luxury Cruises, Family Vacations, Honeymoons, Villas

Stephanie Durst

Westbury, New York Travel Agent
My Life in Travel
Jamaica Inn secret cottage
Jamaica Inn secret cottage

My passion for travel began with our family trips when I was a child. My most vivid early travel memories are of a trip to Hawaii in 1967, before it was a big tourism destination. My brother, who was serving in Vietnam, met us there and our travel agent, a family friend, put together an amazing itinerary. I was so impressed by seeing lava fields and black sand beaches. We’d been to Bermuda a number of times but Hawaii looked different from anything I’d ever seen and seeing it together as a family felt so wonderful. To this day, I remember that amazing trip and planning family travel is very special to me.

I have always worked in the travel industry, first as a tour designer, then at a cruise company, and for most of my career, as a travel agent. I managed an agency for a time before deciding to join Protravel International. It’s the leading agency in the country. When I say Protravel to my counterparts at hotels, cruise lines and other suppliers, I get tremendous respect, and this brings wonderful benefits for my clients.

A key to fulfilling people’s dreams is taking the time to fully understand what they are looking for. One of the most satisfying trips I planned was sending a single woman in her 20s to Tahiti. She had been feeling isolated and alone after losing a close family member and asked for a destination that was different and beautiful. It took a leap of faith for her to go to such a romantic destination on her own, but she had an independent spirit and knowing how loving and caring the Tahitian culture and people are, I felt it would be right for her, and it was. She told me that being in a culture so totally different on her own changed her life and that the people she encountered had made her feel safe, warm and comfortable in the world again. That’s a real testament to the transformational power of travel.

I also am always there for my clients when they are traveling. For example, I recently had clients in Scotland who had a serious medical emergency. Fortunately, they had taken my advice and purchased medical evacuation insurance and I was able to get on the phone (in the middle of the night) to sort it out so they could return to a hospital at home. Being able to ease clients through challenges, big and small, is one of the most gratifying parts of my work.

I also enjoy photography, tennis and water skiing.

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