[Travelandtourism] Article from Agent Life Magazine
cheryl echevarria
cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
Tue Dec 6 22:47:19 UTC 2011
Agent Life Magazine is the monthly magazine for NACTA - National Association
of Career Travel Agents, they did an interview with me a few months ago, and
it just came out today.
I got the word document so that I can post the store here.
A Day In the Life: Making Travel Possible
A NACTA agent advocates for the importance of travel for everyone with the
help of Norwegian Cruise Lines.
By Julie Anne Long
When Cheryl Echevarria lost her sight in 2001 due to complications of
diabetes, her life changed. She had to learn how to use a cane and get used
to a service animal and learning Braille. Her previous career as an
administrative assistant was put on hold for four years while she underwent
dialysis daily. In 2005, when her health had stabilized, she assessed both
her options and her desires. She had a love of travel and had often acted as
an unofficial travel agent in her role as an administrative assistant. With
help from a member of the National Federation of the Blind, she was
connected with a host agency, Montrose Travel, and opened Echevarria Travel
in 2009.
"I want everyone to be able to travel," says Cheryl. "Right now, I would say
75% of my time is spent advocating for impaired travel and 25% of my time is
spent booking travel for the disabled."
As she has navigated the world of travel and how it relates to the disabled,
Cheryl has found a great partner in Norwegian Cruise Lines.
"With Norwegian Cruise Lines, I can contact them through Facebook, Twitter,
or e-mail, and I am immediately put into contact with the right person,"
says Cheryl.
Recently, Cheryl scheduled a ship tour on the Norwegian Gem for a group of
blind people and the parents of blind children.
"It was the first time I had ever done anything like this," admits Cheryl.
"And for many people with us, it was their very first time on a cruise
ship."
The ship tour allowed the group to explore the Norwegian Gem at their own
pace and ask questions relevant to their own travel needs and wants.
According to Cheryl, instances like this are educational for everyone: the
people on the tour and the travel partner, as well.
"They were so accommodating to us," says Cheryl. "At lunch, they brought out
menus in Braille."
As the president of the travel and tourism division of the National
Federation of the Blind, Cheryl is passionate about travel for the impaired.
"I sell what I know," says Cheryl. "And it all comes down to asking your
client questions. It's not about where you can't go, or what you can't do.
It's about what is possible."
Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com
For daily updates read our blog at
http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
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