An In-Depth Look at Travel Services

Doors first opened in PR in 1953

History

The firm was founded in response to the needs of Pan American World Airways in Port au Prince, Haiti in 1949.  Pan Am felt they could sell more airplane seats if the seats were packaged together with a hotel stay, airport transfers, and some sightseeing.  Charles Ferguson, founder of Travel Services, Inc., and a friend of his were persuaded to service those needs, and thus the firm was born. 

Travel Services expanded into Puerto Rico in 1953 at the invitation of the then-Director of Tourism, Staunton Williams.  He asked that Travel Services set up operations on the island in order to draw some of the same type of group business that was being enjoyed in Haiti at that time.  By 1955, the Ferguson family had seen the political handwriting on the wall in Haiti, and moved completely to Puerto Rico in order to take over the operation of that office.

Paul P. Ferguson, President, has worked for Travel Services since 1955, beginning with afternoon, weekend and summer work, then selling and writing airline tickets, and eventually handling routine passenger dispatches and luggage management for the early incentive groups that came to the island.  By 1957, Travel Services, Inc. was enjoying groups from E.F. MacDonald Travel Company (subsequently purchased by Carlson Marketing Group, now Carlson Marketing Worldwide), the first Incentive Travel firm in the business (then known as Abbotsford Travel).  By 1959, Maritz was sending groups to the island too.  To date, Travel Services, Inc. has remained a preferred supplier for both of these firms.

Paul Ferguson worked his way through college in a retail travel agency in Coral Gables, Florida, and upon graduating, joined E.F. MacDonald as a Trip Director, accompanying groups around the world.  He returned to the family business at the end of 1962 and worked as Office Manager through the end of 1965. 

Together with his wife, they nursed the business through the tourism depression of the early 70's, eventually bringing it to where it is now, a Destination Management firm and Wholesale Tour Operation comprised of more than 70 employees.  Paul is a Destination Management Certified Professional.

Assisting Paul is daughter Joanne, a graduate of Bucknell University.  Joanne was brought up in the family business, handling outgoing telex traffic before she was a teenager.  Upon graduation from Bucknell University, she worked at Travel Services for three years, then moved to Boston to work with a major group tour operator in that city, and rising to the number two position in the firm, as head of Operations.  She rejoined Travel Services, Inc. as Executive Vice President in September of 1999 and her responsibilities include heading up all operational aspects of the business.  Joanne is both a Certified Meeting Planner as well as a Destination Management Certified Professional.

Organizational Affiliations

Travel Services, Inc. is strong in its belief in being involved in, and giving back to, the tourism industry, as its affiliations will attest to.   Travel Services, Inc. is proud to say we are members of:

• Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association - where Paul served as Board Member for the past 30 years and was succeeded by Joanne on the Board in 2006

• Puerto Rico Convention Bureau - where Paul served on the Board of Directors as a Governor-appointed member under two different Governors for a period of 11 years and served as an elected member of the Board for an additional eight years before retiring his position in 2006

• American Sightseeing International - Paul was Chairman of the Board from 1983 to 1985

• SITE

• Travel Contacts of London

• Puerto Rico Skal Club - Joanne became President in 2006; Paul served as President in 1976

• Association of Destination Management Executives

• Meeting Planners International (MPI) - where Joanne serves as VP of Finance on the local level 

• Caribbean Hotel Association’s Group Meeting and Incentive Sub-Committee

• Advisory Board of the International School of Tourism and Hotel Management

• Combined industry Marketing Committee of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association and the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau

Structure

The firm is divided into different departments including Tour Department, Group Services Department, Tour Desk Management, Wholesale, Sales and Accounting.

The Tour Department operates as many as 115,000 passenger moves per year in a combination of wholly-owned and subcontracted equipment, and is responsible for handling sightseeing, off-property food and beverage functions including fine dining programs and water-related activities (deep sea fishing, catamaran cruises, kayaking).

This department is fully computerized which allows us to track meticulous detail all of the needs of our many clients.  During peak season, we handle from 35 to 40 groups per month, and at any given time we can have as many as ten groups in town operating simultaneously.  Using our custom-designed OPSKED program, a multitude of group services are scheduled and serviced properly.

The Group Service Department is identical in purpose to the Group or Convention Service Departments one encounters in hotels.  Approximately one month prior to the commencement of a program the file is turned over to Joanne Ferguson, Executive V.P. of Operations who carefully analyzes all that has transpired up until that point and creates a detailed list of areas that may require clarification.  The file is then assigned to one of the Group Service Coordinators.  This individual will remain completely involved with that program all the way through final departure day and follow-up billing.

Our Wholesale Department operates as a consolidator, handling bookings from clientele from throughout Europe and Latin America, funneling them to the major hotels and resorts in Puerto Rico, all of which have conferred wholesaler status on Travel Services.  These agreements provide for at least a minimum of 20% off standard rates, which allows us to price hotel stays most attractively for our clients. 

In Spain alone, our client list (agents who book their hotel needs in Puerto Rico through us) includes:  Elisan Travel, Expo Mundo, Ticket 31, Veamerica, STI Viajes, Viajes Tejedor, Viajes Mediterraneo, Tourne, American Express/Madrid, Iberojet, Eurojet Viages, and Puente del Mundo. 

Our Sales team responds as rapidly and thoroughly as possible to all requests for information.  The basic philosophy for each of us in Sales is to provide the very best possible advice and suggestions to prospective clients, helping the meeting planner put together the most interesting possible program within whatever budgetary guidelines that exist.  They participate actively in site inspections and assist in moving the planning process forward as the primary client contact up to about a month before program operation. 

The remaining departments – Tour Desk and  Accounting, are self explanatory.

Mission

We ensure that every visitor who falls under our care - from senior meeting planner to the last qualifier on an incentive program, from the participants in a large group movement, to the honeymoon couple on their first off-shore vacation - leaves Puerto Rico with the most positive possible feelings about its people, its attractions, and the pleasures of transacting business or vacationing on our island. 

The single overriding consideration that governs all our actions and recommendations is asking, "Is this in the best interest of the client?"  If an idea doesn’t pass that test, it's not proposed.

We can accomplish this only by totally identifying with the client and his/her needs, and by forgetting bottom line considerations.  By applying this philosophy we find that our mission gets accomplished and the bottom line takes care of itself.

Positioning

As a full-service destination management company, we are involved with far more than merely providing airport transfers and routine sightseeing.  We handle all types of water and land-based activities, teambuilding exercises, dining, entertainment, and private events.

We are innovators and trailblazers, always striving to bring a unique and creative touch to your program planning.   We are striving to find ways to always bring greater value to your events.  It was Travel Services, Inc. many years ago, who created such offerings as the City/North Coast Tour, and the City/Walking Tour.  And today, we continue to innovate with a Historic Homes Tour, Photographic Treasure Hunt, Cooking classes with renowned chefs, among others.

What Our Clients Like About Us

Our philosophy is to help the client determine the best possible combination of components for the group’s particular needs- from a sightseeing, food and beverage, and hotel standpoint.

Satisfied clients find TSI's plain talking, straight shooting and articulate approach to doing business refreshing. We are trained to give you the best advice. The firm makes no false promises.

Our Sales Team does not accept commissions here at TSI, and our clients are assured that we are offering them options based on identified needs and not to improve the bottom line. 

Client List

The Client List for our DMC operation includes Carlson Marketing Worldwide, Maritz Travel Company, Northwestern Incentives, ITA, BI Worldwide, Gavel International, MCI Planners, Marketing Innovators, Excellence in Motivation, Successful Incentive Travel, Landry and Kling, SEI, plus a great number of smaller but equally professional firms.  We also work directly with in-house meeting planning departments.

Special Write-Ups

We can customize any program, or build a program to fit you.  We can provide specialized write-ups on various activities in greater detail, as well as Restaurant menus.  Any of the write-ups that involve food and beverage opportunities are accompanied by complete function sheets spelling out the menus in great detail along with appropriate pricing.