A note from Julie Lanham, President of Vacations To Remember
Hi! My name is Julie and I am a helper by nature. It’s true. Everyone that knows me calls me when they need help. Whether it is to ask for the best dentist in town or what day is picture day at school or how to research county requirements for building a deck. It’s kind of weird but I also love it. My Nana used to call me the “Eyes and Ears of the World”. Wow. No pressure. LOL! But it’s fitting. I get major joy out of being that person. The one that people can rely on. It’s my strongest personality trait and I’m proud of it. That side of me blends very well with my passion for travel planning. I am an information junkie so my actual only hobby is research. Countries, hotels, restaurants, unique experiences. I can’t get enough. I am also a collector of people. There are very few countries in the world where I don’t have a contact. Someone that I met on a plane or at a hotel or during a travel conference… dating back 35 years. If I had an actual Rolodex, it would be busting at the seams. Thank God for modern technology and social media which helps me keep track of my network!
I founded Vacations To Remember in 1996 because of my love for planning vacations. Many people have a love of travel but not actually PLANNING their travels. I have a love of both. I was a travel agent for ten years before I realized I wanted to be more. I didn’t want to just book travel. I wanted to advise. Consult. I wanted to actually help people plan their entire trip. (See? Helper!) Not just book the flights and hotel and leave the rest up to chance. After spending the first 35 years of my career studying the Caribbean & Mexico in depth, I am currently focused on Europe and beyond. If traveling was an education, one might say that I have my Masters's Degree in tropical destinations and all-inclusive resorts. I am still very much in the know and will always travel there to stay on top of new hotels and updates but in the last 2 years, I have been fortunate enough to visit Morocco, Italy, Greece, France, and England. Later this year I will be experiencing a luxury river cruise throughout Germany and I can’t wait to share that experience with our clients. After that, an African Safari seems fitting!
To be honest, it was my dream to build a company where I could broaden the horizons of my clients. Take them to new destinations, show them new things, and help them experience faraway places. All I want is to help them travel well, feel safe and not have the stress and worry of going into an international trip blindly. I am honored that our clients trust us with their hard-earned vacation days and well-deserved adventures. It is something that I take very seriously!
Now, please excuse me while I go down a rabbit hole of skydiving experiences in Hvar, Croatia because someone mentioned it to me and I know the perfect person for that, so I won’t rest until I make it happen for him!