Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 19, 1993 TAG: 9310200288
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
``We do not charge for our services. A lot of people still, I think, do not know that,'' she said.
``We are paid through the suppliers to bring their services to the traveling public. It's on a commission basis,'' she explained. ``It's easier for the client to make on e phone call to us than to make 15 calls themselves.''
Surber, a Pulaski native, is manager of the newest World Travel Service branch which opened in October at 15 W. Main St. in Pulaski.
Joyce Ayers, a longtime member of the Pulaski business community, is travel counselor at the branch.
``Pam was instrumental in persuading us to locate a branch in Pulaski,'' said Ted Moomaw, president of World Travel Service. ``She has tremendous confidence in the ability of the Pulaski community to support a hometown travel agency, and we feel she has earned the position as manager of that agency.''
World Travel Service was founded in 1923, making it the oldest travel agency in Southwest Virginia. With five branches, it is also the largest. ``That helps us to be able to offer lower prices to our clients,'' Surber said.
This is Pulaski's first travel agency.
Three other branches are located in Roanoke and the fourth in Blacksburg. The agency manages business travel for more than 300 business accounts and has an annual sales volume of about $10 million.
``I think, once you start working in the travel industry, it gets in your blood,'' she said.
It started getting in her blood when she worked for an airline, scheduling pilots and flight attendants in California. She met her husband who was in the service there.
Since then, she has traveled in Europe and spent a year in Germany.
``That's what we're after, to go places to know firsthand what people are going to experience when they go,'' she said.
The new branch in downtown Pulaski will be a full-service agency providing airline tickets, cruises, vacation packages, hotel reservations and other services. Surber said it will specialize in business travel arrangements and cruises.
``It's been a dream of mine for a long time to have an agency here. Plus, I believe that the hometown folks here will support us,'' she said. ``We've had quite a good response from the community.''
Surber has 10 years experience in the field, most with World Travel. She worked previously at its Blacksburg office, and also briefly with another agency in Wytheville.
Now she is finally working in her own hometown, and will no longer have to commute to make travel arrangements for others.
by CNB