Luxury Travel Advisor Magazine – featuring Travelworld of Coronado

Tania Swasbrook grew up in the travel industry — her mother, Francis Contreras, a native of Mexico, has owned Travelworld of Coronado in southern California since 1978. Even back then, Contreras was selling luxury travel in an area of the country that was rich in the number of second homes owned by affluent Mexicans. Swasbrook and her brother, Fabian Lebrija, both started at the agency when they were two years old; her first role was organizing the brochures on the shelf. By the time she was 14 years old, Swasbrook was attending travel showcases and learning about the travel agency business firsthand. The family was a tight-knit clan, running a company that today generates $7 million in revenue. But the world was calling out to Swasbrook and she headed east after getting her BA in International Relations and Business at the University of San Diego. Virtuoso, the luxury travel agency network, offered her a position in New York to help with the expansion of its Latin America market. Moving to New York City was a dream of hers since she was young, and so the decision to transplant was an easy one. “New York has it all and reflects the way the world is,” Swasbrook says. “It’s a melting pot of cultures and demographics, and a wonderful place to raise children as it exposes them to the world, locally.” During her time with Virtuoso, Swasbrook earned her Masters certificate from New York University. When she became engaged, the couple moved to London for her fiance’s job in finance, where she earned her Masters in marketing from the University of Westminster. The couple eventually moved back to New York, and around that time, the travel industry began calling Swasbrook back home. One evening at a dinner party, her husband’s client began discussing a trip with Swasbrook. As soon as she started sharing her vacation-planning expertise, her passion came shining through. Travel advising was most definitely still in her blood. “When he asked ‘will you help?’ it was a no-brainer,” she recalls. That “aha!” moment brought Swasbrook back to the family business, working again with her mother and brother from her New York base. Her brother subsequently moved to Mexico City to expand the Latin America market for the agency. Today, the two siblings each hold the title of vice president / luxury travel designer. The family dynamic has worked well for the luxury travel agency, which is a member of the Virtuoso network. It’s been with the consortia for over 25 years and was one of the initial 200 agencies invited to join. Swasbrook currently holds a role on Virtuoso’s innovation team as well. Working out of three different cities also has its benefits. For example, it helps the agency reach new clients, most of who come by word of mouth. And for those clients, it’s all about producing magical experiences. Read more on the official source: https://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/running-your-business/travelworld-coronado

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