Travel Advisor Interview

This week we have an exclusive interview with Cheryl Olive, who is both a travel advisor and a GS travel troop leader. She has traveled to over 53 counties and has been to every continent. When it comes to traveling, especially as a Girl Scout, she has some tips. Below she has answered some top travel questions.

Why did you become a travel agent?

I became a travel agent/advisor because if I am gonna help girls to travel I might as well learn all the ins and outs and become a travel agent. This way I can help them travel better and cheaper.

Where have you traveled as a GS?

Locally with my daughters troop we have gone camping, gone to Savannah, and the North Carolina Mountains. With my travel troop I have been all over the world. I have been to every world center except Kusafiri. I have taken girls and adults three times to Pax Lodge (London), Our Chalet (Switzerland), and Our Cabana (Mexico). I have also taken a group of adults and one girl to Sangam (India). My group has been all over Europe to England, France, Switzerland, Ireland, Wales, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Iceland. We have also gone to South America to Peru, Ecuador, and the Galápagos Islands. In February I went with a group of GS leaders to Chile, Easter Island, and Antarctica. Also I have taken a GS group to New Zealand and Australia. I have been to every continent and 53 countries.

What does a travel advisor do?

We advise people on where to go, how to get there, what the accommodations are for safety and price. We also book flights, tours, and more. Anything for your entire trip we can see it and book it. A lot of travel agents have niches for instance my specialty is Europe. I can still book for Grand Canyon or cruises, but my main focus is Europe and fully independent travel.

What locations do you recommend for Girl Scouts to travel to locally in the USA?

Definitely Savannah to see the origin of GS. From there it really depends on what the troop is interested in. For instance some troops are really interested in camping and getting out there, while others would rather go"glamping" or hotel camping. Any of the GS camps in your council or even outside of your council. Any of the National Parks are great options as well. New York and Washington DC are also fun options for GS since they have so much to do. Once again, it really depends on the interests of the troop.

Where is your favorite place you have traveled? Why?

It is extremely hard to narrow that down since I have been to 53 different countries, but if I had to choose only one I would choose Ireland. The reason for that is because I feel a connection with Ireland. I love the coastline of Ireland, the music, the people, and the fact that they speak English. If someone comes to me and asks what they should do for their first international I would recommend Ireland for those reasons. Other countries I love include Greece, New Zealand, and Egypt.

What are some budget saving tips you recommend?

First of all it is important to shop around for flights. Once you know when you want to go you should check the price and watch them. There are lots of different apps that can help you for flights. One called hopper that I use all the time. You can put in the location you want to go to and when along with where you want to fly out of and where you want to arrive. It will tell you whether you should book the flight now or wait. It is definitely important to shop around. If you are talking about accommodations and you are okay with staying in a youth hostel it is a great way to save money. However, you have to be careful because a lot of times they are a big room with ten beds and it can be girls and boys. For a sixteen year old girl that may not be ideal. For Girl Scouts, you can't stay in a hostel like that and get it approved. However, if you want to save money this is a great way. Pax Lodge is basically a hostel. This is a GS world center and focused for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. But they will not put girls and boys in the same room. Another way is to not travel in the busy season. It is also a really good idea to use a Travel advisor. You can look online and book almost anything online, and that is perfectly fine, but if you have a travel advisor, especially one that does not charge fees, it does not cost you anything more to book with them and it may save money. A travel Advisor is always a good idea because a lot of times we have specials or we can do a lot of research because we have contacts we can reach out to.