Community & Business
19 August, 2021
Travel will survive COVID says Atherton expert
After nearly 40 years of winning almost every award the industry you love has to offer closing down is not an option you want to consider.
BY SALLY TURLEY
WHEN you are at the top of your game, after nearly 40 years of winning almost every award the industry you love has to offer and when you have assembled a "dream team" to help you take your dynamic, thriving business to ever new heights, closing down is not an option you want to consider.
Uli Lenitschek, Managing Director of Travel Experience has had an amazing career before the last extraordinarily tough 18 months, but has not lost her belief in travel and is determined to not only survive this apocalypse, but to come back better and stronger than ever.
“I totally believe that travel enriches people's lives more than any other investment. It breaks down barriers, builds friendships, opens minds and creates opportunities. We want people to send us their travel wish list so we will be prepared to help achieve those goals when travel starts up again,” Ms Lenitschek said.
“Even though the industry is at an all time low right now, we believe people's desire to travel will return. There are still so many enticing destinations out there to visit. Everyone will be starved for new experiences and that first trip after COVID will be as intoxicating as that first square of chocolate after an 18 month restriction.”
Travel may be impossible right now, but Ms Lenitschek is busy making champagne out the stack of lemons life has thrown at her.
"We have diversifed into producing professional, promotional videos for people to use on their social media platforms or their company websites with our new enterprise, “Video Experience.”
“We have also created “Central Experience,” a shared office concept that would work brilliantly for business people on the road, or people working from home who need a professional space for liaising with their clients in person.
“Customers have already begun showing interest in the arrangement that gives them all the benefits of a fully-functioning administrative center with a positive, inspiring, team vibe without all of the upfront and ongoing costs of decking out their own office.
“We have also devised a new way of booking travel that will vastly improve our clients' experience. We will launch this exciting new development as soon as we have some promising signs of world recovery from the pandemic, hopefully before the end of the year.”
Always a hard worker and a quick learner, Uli started in the travel industry in 1984. She bought her first agency in Atherton in 1992 and by 2001 expanded her business to include agencies in Mareeba and Charters Towers.
An intrepid traveler herself, Uli knew what people wanted from their travel experience and made her clients' enjoyment of their holidays her top priority. Business boomed and the accolades started rolling in.
She was selected as a Telstra Business Women's 2020 finalist in recognition of her exceptional leadership and entrepreneurship and received hundreds of national sales awards from companies like Qantas, Japan Airlines and Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours.
“My all-time favourite though, was when I was won a spot on the “Round Table” for being in the top 10 agencies of the Travelworld Group Australia wide. We were flown business class to Scotland and treated to a private dinner inside Edinburgh castle.
“Once seated at the extravagant banquet table, the Queen's piper, piped in the haggis at the commencement of a night filled with eating, drinking and dancing. That was as close as I ever got to feeling like a member of the royal family,” she joked.
And of course there were plenty of challenges along the way.
“We survived the September 11 tragedy and the closely linked collapse of Ansett airlines in 2001; the SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak that emerged in China in 2003; several wars across the planet and the Global Financial Crisis in 2008.
“But nothing has had the devastating impact on the travel industry that we have suffered under COVID."
COVID has caused both a sudden halt in international visitation and restrictions on domestic mobility.
“Since COVID began, we have had to cancel over $8 million worth of travel and the random, recurring outbreaks have caused a lot of false starts. Everything settles down, clients feel confident enough to book travel again and then by the following week, the whole political climate has changed and we have to cancel and refund bookings.
“Its a real punch in the gut every time and so disappointing for all involved. For the last 17 months, we have had to work for next to no income, but have still had to pay all our overheads while working harder than ever in a much more high stress environment.
“People keep asking me why I don't just walk away. I could do that, but that would leave our 400 plus loyal clients stranded with credits in locations all around the world and no-one to turn to for help.
“We want to be there for them and we want to still be here when this passes, which it eventually will, because at the end of the day, we get so much joy and satisfaction from helping people realise their travel dreams.
“I had an offer of $500,000 for my business before the pandemic and now it is worth nothing. If I give up now, all that I have worked for over the last three and a half decades will be gone.
“I have lost my life savings, my superannuation and have sadly had to let most of my dedicated team go, for their own sakes as much as mine. Last financial year I was tracking at a $500,000 annual profit. I ended up with a $250,000 loss.
“During the pandemic we have seen both extremes in people, from an appreciative client who dropped in a $1000 cheque to thank us for 27 years of service, and the rock-solid support of friends and family, to the odd client, who, under duress, threatened us with legal action.
“Throughout all this, I have seen my amazing team shine – the patience and serenity of Mannuela Arcidiacono under the toughest of conditions, the dedication of industry newcomer Rowena Petersen who is yet to experience how magical and rewarding her job can be and the professionalism of my bookkeeper Kelly Ferguson who has had the unenviable role of updating me on how increasingly broke I am.
“I have always loved employing and training young people keen to work in travel and watching them develop into National award winning consultants, as has been the case with Mannuela and Rowena. I am looking forward to expanding my team again in the future.
“A lot of people are concerned about needing the COVID vaccine to travel, but vaccinations have always been a part of travel, I had to have three vaccines to be allowed into Europe in 1975, so this is nothing new and at the end of the day, it is just for our own safety,” she said.
