Travel has always been part of Mandy Pullin's life. Born and raised in McDonough, Georgia, Mandy's mom, along with her brothers and sisters would go on an adventure every year. The car was the primary mode of transportation, as that was the most economical way for their family to enjoy travel and create memorable experiences throughout the Southeast. Mandy didn't have her first flight experience until she was in college. A flight to Denver with the University of Georgia was Mandy's first introduction to seeing the wider United States.
The itch to go, to get out and see the world, fuels the passion Mandy has to create incredible, meaningful experiences for her clients. "Travel changes your perspective about a lot of things. You can get to see how other people live in other parts of the world. You start making opinions about that and other things." Mandy was an avid reader as a kid. "I'm a lifelong learner and that goes hand in hand with travel. My quest for knowledge, new places, new input, and new experiences, has always been there.
Travel has changed significantly since 2020, and few industries have fallen as far and as fast as travel and tourism. "The COVID pandemic definitely had an impact on travel. It simply nailed the travel and tourism industry. While people have been cooped up for 2 years, they have money for travel. People are recognizing there's no time like the present, as well as what's important. People are no longer putting off family trips, friend trips, and multi-generational trips."
Seamless travel experiences don't exist, and you can bet that staffing, inventory, and supply issues have made things more complicated. Everyone - airlines, cruise lines, hotels, resorts - are doing their level best to provide services and experiences at their previous levels. While some are doing better than others, DPP Travel - Dream Planning Pros - takes the hassle and worry out of travel planning. As the industry slowly recovers, and you begin to explore travel options, you can trust the travel advisors at DPP to be good stewards of your travel investment.
Mandy was a brand-new mom when Tiffany, her lifelong friend and now business partner, introduced her to the travel business. "It's just a joy to help other people experience the joy of travel. Whether it's out of state or out of the country. Whatever their emotional attachment to that trip is, I love helping them and hearing the stories when they get back. [I love] sharing in the joy of what they experienced."
The secret to success when it comes to travel is planning. Planning early is key, even if it's just a day trip to the beach. "People are planning their trips further and further out, and that's incredibly important as places get booked and fill up quickly." Plus, planning ahead allows travelers to budget for all aspects of their trip. In a post-COVID world, an experienced travel advisor can make all the difference. "They are going to advocate for you. It's their job to guide you through the process so it's done safely. Also, good travel advisors are going to do an inquiry call with you, get to know you, and listen to your needs and heart's desire. Select someone you can trust."
Travel can be as expensive as you want to make it, but you can also have meaningful journeys for very little money. "You have to manage your expectations when budget is your primary limiting factor. Managing expectations regardless of your pocketbook in today's travel climate is really important. Your dollar doesn't go as far as it did, even in 2019."
DPP Travel is part of Virtuoso - the travel industry's leading luxury consortium. Virtuoso travel advisors specialize in creating unique experiences you can't find online or plan for yourself. Their connections to properties and itineraries around the world are unparalleled. DPP travel invites you to connect with them on social media @dpptravel and visit dpptravel.com to learn about the services they provide, as well as their group adventures, cruise adventures, hosted destinations and more. For answers to the most asked questions and problems travelers face, check out DPP Travel's YouTube channel for their Pro Tips series. Email Mandy directly at mandy@dpptravel.com if you're ready to join the adventure. Learn more about their upcoming hosted trips to the Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland, Africa, Egypt, and the Galapagos.
What's better than travel to help feed your soul and make you an overall better person? Mandy and Tiffany, your Dream Planning Pros, invite you to explore the world with them and see. Their goal is to share wonderful experiences and have lifelong relationships with their clients.
