Inspiring Conversations with Katie Gustafson of Magical Moments Vacations

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Gustafson. 

Hi Katie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I haven’t always been a travel advisor. I had a 12-year career as a Physical Therapist Assistant which I loved, but after about 7-8 years, I felt this push that I should be selling travel because I love planning, the details, and the excitement of seeing and experiencing new things and places. Fast forward 4 more years to 2020 and everything seemed to align that this was the year I should become a travel agent! At that point, I think everyone still believed the Covid crisis would only last around 6 months and travel would boom once again. Unfortunately, that was not the case. However, it allowed me time to grow and learn and navigate this new career path. My family always traveled. My parents thought it was important for us to experience new places and history of those places, so I always had this love of travel I now get to experience every day by helping clients plan their magical vacations! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Like most small businesses, Covid hit everyone hard, especially the travel industry due to travel restrictions and lockdowns. Just when we thought restrictions were lessening, another round of closures would pop up, so it has been tough at times. But I was able to use this time to work on destination and brand certifications and furthering my travel knowledge to better support my clients. I also feel that if I was able to stick it out through some really dark times when first starting my business, I will be able to navigate other challenges in the future. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
As an Independent Travel Agent for Magical Moments Vacations, I plan client’s vacations to various destinations. Magical Moments Vacations’ (MMV) moto is “Creating memories of a lifetime!” I think one of the best gifts you can give someone is new experiences and memories together. With that in mind, I plan each vacation with the attention to detail I would my own, whether solo, family, or couples travel. One of the most distinguishing factors of being an agent for MMV is the amount of support and networking with fellow agents. Co-agents at MMV are like family and are incredibly supportive! Many people don’t realize travel agents are still ‘a thing’ due to the increased ability to book trips online, however, when you book through most online travel sites, you are just another number to them. If you run into an issue, no one is going to go out of their way to assist you. When clients book with me and support my small business, I take that very seriously and will do everything within my power to assist them with their individual needs. Each trip is planned and curated to each client, rather than a one size fits all approach, giving you the personalized service you deserve. I specialize in planning trips to Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, cruises, and Universal. I have clients from all around and have planned a variety of trips both domestically and internationally. 

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Travel has started to rebound and after nearly 2 years of delayed travel people are ready to go! I think Covid made travel advisors more relevant than ever, as I keep up-to-date on the ever-changing regulations, mask policies, vaccination requirements, and more. I also think people understand the value of using a travel agent for personalized service and destination expertise. 

Contact Info:

• Email: k.gustafson@mmvagent.com
• Website: https://www.magicalmomentsvacations.com/katie-gustafson-id
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.gustafson_travel_agent/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kgustafson.mmv