A year has now passed since the beginning of the pandemic, our life has become more complex and there are many aspects that have been affected: work, socializing, family, relationships …
We therefore decided to talk about one of the sectors most affected by the health crisis, which is also our passion: Travel.
It’s not easy to deal with this topic at present, because the constant change of the situation makes it difficult to extricate oneself between laws, regulations and prohibitions.
To do this, therefore, we wanted to involve an expert in the sector and we turned to Stefania Corio, owner of the agency “Viaggiare con noi”, based in Piedmont, in the city of Alba, which she manages together with her brother Nicola.
The consulting firm was born in 2001 from the idea of Stefania’s father, who after years of experience gained in the management of other travel agencies, decided to leave the old partners to create a family business that he carried on assisted by his wife and sons.
Traveling for Stefania is not just work, as she tells us, but has been part of her life since childhood, when the Corio family crossed Europe with long trips on the road:
“I especially remember the moment of departure: we got into the car when it was still dark. I was a child, I fell asleep and when I woke up in front of my eyes the landscape had changed. I watched, fascinated, the passing of new landscapes from the window, curious and eager to get off”
This is how this passion was born, which then turned into a profession as soon as she finished her studies.
Over the years Stefania and Nicola have worked to grow and differentiate the offer, in addition to the wide range of packages already prepared, they have specialized in the organization of tailor-made trips created based on customer requests.
In addition, thanks to the increase in tourism in the Langhe area, a UNESCO heritage site since 2014, they have taken steps to take care of tourists who come from abroad to visit the area (incoming tourism), providing multiple services.
In 2020 this path suffered a sudden setback, due to the unpredictable health emergency that hit us globally.
We start chatting about this last year and Stefania explains how work has changed.
“Initially the priority was to assist people who were abroad and help them to return safely. We constantly received calls from Italians who needed assistance, especially from those who had organized the trip independently, because the information was few and unclear.
After this first phase, the problem of refunds arose and here too we had to put all our experience into the field to protect our customers.”
During the months of lockdown, Stefania and Nicola never stopped working: “we renewed the travel agency’s interiors, we focused on the future, we increased the activity on social networks and studied how to restart”.
When we ask her what the situation is today, she explains that traveling is possible, but for reasons of necessity and work.
“As far as leisure travel is concerned, there are still no clear solutions, it’s all a “work in progress ”. For this reason, “Viaggiare con noi” strives to guarantee customers full assistance on all the procedures currently required, documentation that each country can request, special visas, also providing necessary information on health facilities in case of need for tampons or other medical certifications.
The legislation is constantly evolving, so it is essential to use up-to-date professionals who know how to follow the customer step by step, from booking to departure. In our case, for example, a strong demand came from wine producers who for work reasons need to move, even outside the national territory, so we have taken steps to provide them with a punctual and updated service to allow them to travel in total safety and legality.”
We ask her what she expects for the summer season, and even in this case her vision is very positive and constructive.
Aware of the difficulties that the sector will still have to face, she explains to us that, in any case, there are different and concrete solutions to satisfy the travelers
“There are many people who want to travel and several operators have adapted to the moment by offering 100% refundable packages with previously unthinkable cancellation terms, so you can book with complete peace of mind.”
In the event that someone does not feel like finalizing the booking, the Agency still offers quotes and advice, creating a sort of waiting list, taking care of recontacting interested clients for definitive confirmation when the authorities will give the green light.
We like this approach: the ability to stay one step ahead of difficulties with optimism and courage.
We thank Stefania for welcoming us and for sharing this information with us, with great clarity and honesty.
We will return to visit her in the months to come, to learn more and be updated on the developments of the situation, in this strange season that takes us towards the summer.
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