by Lydia Gregory

FROM TIJUANA WITH LOVE: That’s how you’ll travel should you book your next vacation with Gloria Victoria. Owner of Victoria Travel and agent extraordinaire, Gloria’s career spans 26 years -and that’s just counting the years her agency has been in business. “I started working in the sales department for Aeromexico, and that’s where the idea of opening a travel agency was born,” says Gloria. “Dealing with travel has always been my passion and I truly enjoy doing it.” And it shows.

From one office, Gloria’s travel empire quickly expanded into six, all located within Tijuana’s most prominent shopping plazas. Well-appointed and comfortable, clients who call on her agents are all VIPs: whether their ticket is for a short-haul flight or a full-fledged top-of-the-line luxury vacation. It’s all in the details -one of the many reasons Gloria’s travel agency has been so successful. “To be the owner of a business such as mine -one that’s now the top agency in northwest México and that is held up as an example of success within the industry -is extremely satisfying both for me and for my colleagues.

Born and raised in Tijuana, Gloria Victoria knows her clientele well. Through her agency she offers not only her experience and knowledge within the travel industry, but also a group of highly trained and well-qualified employees. Together, they plan their client’s trips from start to finish: plane tickets, rental cars, hotel rooms and just about any reservation needed to make the voyage a pleasant one. Gloria and her team have put together some incredible pleasure packages with such diverse themes as a honeymoon in Oahu or a week in Athens -with a cruise included in the price! And her many years in the industry bring her clients another plus: through the agency, they can obtain discounts on hotel rates worldwide, not to mention the best prices on airfares and rental cars within the market.

Business clients also find Gloria’s skill a boon to their bottom line. A savvy businesswoman herself, she includes within her agencies a specialized Business Travel Department, aimed at giving executive clients the recommendations and solutions necessary to keep their company on the go. Each company receives a complete analysis of their present and future travel requirements in order to prepare for them the most efficient travel pro- gram to meet its needs. Services also include expense reports, different payment methods and more.

And as Gloria Victoria herself tells us, being at the helm of a large and thriving travel company does have its own particular rewards. “The most gratifying trip I have ever planned was actually a safari for a group of people who were visiting Africa for the very first time,” she tells us. “There were a series of special requirements on their part, since they were all accomplished travelers and very knowledgeable as well. After their journey, we received a letter stating it had been the most exotic and fascinating expedition they had ever been on!”