There is one less travel agency in town but the same number of travel agents.
Joan Hokanson, owner of Marlin Travel on Alexander for 28 years, recently bought Bayview Travel which was owned by Janet Hindbo.
Hokanson says Hindbo was tired of dealing with administrative work and she was tired of booking trips.
So, Hindbo has moved over to the office on Alexander as senior travel consultant, taking seasoned travel agents with her – Gerri Stewart, Sandy Hardy and Pam Tate.
They’re joining part-timer Keri Tierney and Missy MacKintosh, who has worked with Hokanson for five years and is now manager of the newly expanded Marlin Travel.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for all of us to increase our business and better service our clients,” says Hokanson. “Just by merging, it’s done away with one set of overhead costs. All I’m taking on are extra wages; the infrastructure for everything else was there before.”
Hokanson, who took over Marlin Travel Nov. 4, 1985, is going back to doing something she did when her children were little – something she thoroughly enjoys.
“What I am doing is putting groups together and I am escorting them,” she says.
In June, Hokanson escorted 22 women, some of them Lady Striders to Italy, where they attended a concert of Puccini’s music in his hometown, a cooking school in Florence where they learned to make sausage and gnocchi, and a wine tour.
Next September, she will lead a tour to Croatia. Those who are on the mailing list have already received the initial itinerary and five have already booked on the tour that has room only for 16 women.
“I call it soft adventure,” she laughs. “Comfort hotels but hiking, kayaking, lots of walking, museums and city tours.”
Hokanson is filling a niche for women, many of whom do not want to travel on their own.
“If we have a group, we will pair people up,” she says, noting women can talk on the phone or meet in person to see if they might be compatible roommates. “We give people contact numbers and pull ourselves out of the final arrangements.”
Before Croatia, Hokanson is taking another group on a river cruise in Vietnam and Cambodia at the beginning of January.
Back in the travel agency, Hokanson says everyone gets along and are very happy with the new arrangement.
“It’s a really nice atmosphere and we’ve combine agencies with years of experience in the business.”
Marlin Travel is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit the website at www. marlin travel.ca/salmonarm.
