I am the founder and owner of Sandy Pappas Travel, an independent affiliate of Travel Experts, a Virtuoso agency.
I started my career in sales and marketing at Xerox where I was recognized as President’s Club performer for several years. President Club winners attended recognition trips to destinations such as Italy, Hawaii and Fiji which inspired me and planted the seed for my ultimate passion.
I went on to advertising sales at Conde Nast and this brought me one step closer to finding my dream job which married my business skills and my passion for travel.
Before starting Sandy Pappas Travel, I was a freelance travel writer focusing on family travel.
Today I have the great privilege of sharing my passion with my clients. Having a part in enhancing my clients’ lives by helping them build lifelong bonds and memories is so rewarding.
“She booked me into several luxury ecolodges that I had tried booking myself only to learn they were sold out indefinitely. They turned out to be the most beautiful, fun resorts I’ve ever stayed at ... She organized fantastic day excursions that I could not have even dreamed of on my own. My husband who normally stresses on our vacation ... was in seventh heaven. He never had to worry about a thing. ”
At cocktail parties, I am often asked to name the favorite place I have visited. My answer depends on the day. Everyone should do an African Safari in their lifetime — doing a walking or horseback safari is a total adrenaline rush. Aperitifs on Capri then watching the sun set from your private boat cruising the Amalfi Coast is hard to beat, exploring the coffee region in Colombia, sailing on a private barge in France. This is only scratching the surface.
Travel Experts, Virtuoso, and a Collective Intelligence
Through my affiliation with Travel Experts, I am also a member of Virtuoso, an invitation-only network of the world’s best luxury hotels, cruise lines, tour operators and travel agencies. For my clients, this membership translates into VIP treatment when they travel, with perks including free upgrades, resort credits, and free breakfast. Through Travel Experts and Virtuoso, I also have direct contact and personal relationships with the top hoteliers, safari and tour operators, and other luxury service providers around the world. These relationships ensure a higher level of service for my clients, and allow me to quickly resolve any issues that may occur during travel.
“(Sandy) has planned a large, multi-family vacation in which she had to accommodate different budgets, age ranges (5-year-olds - 75-year-olds) and interests ... she has been an advocate for us ... especially while we were traveling outside of the country when the pandemic started to intensify globally. She made sure to keep us informed with all travel updates from both the U.S. and the country where we were visiting on vacation. We highly recommend Sandy!”
My partnerships are extremely important but I firmly believe nothing can replace first hand knowledge of a destination which is why I invest heavily in personal travel with my family not only for our enjoyment but to benefit my clients. I have traveled to six of the seven continents and Antarctica is on my wanderlist for 2021.
“Thanks to Sandy, we’ve made pizza in Rome, ridden camels in the desert outside Marrakech, and woken up to kangaroos on our doorstep in Australia. A collection of once in a lifetime memories for us and our kids ... Sandy’s experience and relationships all over the world results in flawless execution and white-glove personal service.
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Travel magazines quote Sandy as a travel planning pro
In a piece concerning holiday travel and the coronavirus, a national travel magazine quotes Sandy as an authoritative travel source.
An article in Virtuoso Life magazine asks Sandy for guidance and advice on family travel planning.
Sandy recommends one of her favorite destinations in “Travel Pulse.”
Travel industry magazine quotes Sandy on changes recommended by travel advisors in the post-pandemic world.
“Sandy put together the itinerary of a lifetime ... She got to know my tastes and preferences in record time. Sandy is super knowledgeable, plugged in and connected. The entire trip was a dream. ”
