Imagine you’re James Bond (or his equally cool female equivalent, Jamesita Bondita). You spend your days traveling to exotic locales, confronting deadly foes, and rendezvousing with even deadlier lovers. And the music that plays whenever you enter a room?
Ba-da-DA-DAA-da-da-da … DAA-DAA … da-dadahhh
Awesome.
Now, ask yourself: Do you think James(ita) arranges their own trips, or departs on them unprepared for trouble? Of course not. That wouldn’t be cool, which is why they have MI6 to book all their tix and bail them out when things go sideways.
You may not be a secret agent (as far as anyone suspects, at least), but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your own personal Moneypenny. Travel agent Alana LaBissoniere of ALL Travel has a license … to thrill.
“I love travel,” said Alana. “I loved it as a little girl, going on roadtrips wedged into the backseat of my dad’s unairconditioned Ford Capri. I loved it as a young woman on my first trip to France in 1980, and on my second trip there the very next year. And now that I’m an ever-so-slightly less young woman, I’m just as in love with meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, tasting new food, marveling at new scenery, and feeling new energy as I’ve always been.
“I’d always wanted to make a career out of my greatest passion. After several years of planning and training, I was finally ready to do it with the grand opening of ALL Travel … in January, 2020. Whoops! But here I am, five years later and still fortunate enough to help others who share my wanderlust.”
It’s not just called “ALL Travel” because Alana’s middle initial is L. “ALL” also describes your available options when Alana is planning your trip (with some exceptions; you’re on your own if you want to visit North Korea, for example).
“Europe is my focus,” said Alana. “It’s my niche – my sweet spot – my favorite place in the world to go on river cruises, which are one of my specialties. The Danube. The Rhine. The Douro. The Seine, Elbe and Moselle. The continent is marbled with so many rivers that you could float down them endlessly and never see the same sights twice.
“Of course, a Minnesotan travel agent wouldn’t get very far if they didn’t also offer fair-weather destinations. I’m especially fond of the Caribbean islands. There are hundreds of them, each with its own distinct history and personality. Visit Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Nassau, and Turks and Caicos. You’ll discover that even the waters surrounding them are different brilliant shades of blue. And oh! Oh! You haven't truly experienced paradise until you’ve toured Mexico’s wine country!”
I know what you’re thinking. I always do, because I’m very attuned to this magazine’s readership. You’re thinking: “If there’s any upshot to occupying this accursed digital age, then it must surely be the speed and convenience with which one can purchase tickets and reservations online.” And you’re right! Buying stuff is extraordinarily easy. It’s everything else that’s nigh impossible.
“You certainly can book your own flights, cruises, hotels, rentals and tours on your own,” said Alana. “But if you wind up needing help, then you’ll be lucky to speak to a customer service rep who barely pretends to care about you.
“From the moment you leave home until your safe return, my mission is ensuring you have the time of your life. A lot of that includes upfront planning, like helping you avoid popular tourist destinations during peak season, making sure you leave with the correct travel insurance, and booking your itinerary in a way that stretches your budget the furthest. Simply visiting Hawaiian islands in a certain order can save you thousands!
“The human touch becomes even more important when things go wrong. What if you injure yourself or encounter a family emergency just prior to departure, and hope to get a total refund? What if your luggage disappears en route to your destination? What if your hotel overbooks, and tries sending you to a fleabag on the other side of town? Think of me as the Houston to your Apollo, who plans your trip so nothing goes wrong and stands by you in the off chance something does.”
ALL Travel: Never leave Eden Prairie without it! Visit ALLTravelAdvisor.com today to learn more and schedule a call with Alana.
"...you could float down them endlessly and never see the same sights twice."
"Think of me as the Houston to your Apollo..."