The top travel agents in the western U.S. have once again made a strong showing on Travel + Leisure magazine’s annual list of top professionals. On its 2012 “A-List of 156 Top Travel Agents,” in the Sept. 21 issue, T+L will honor the following 48 agents in the West as experts in a variety of areas.
Super-Agents
Jim Strong and Nancy Strong (Strong Travel Services, Dallas, TX)
United States and Canada
Hawaii – Carolyne Brandon (Altour American Express Travel, Newport Beach, CA)
Europe
France – Murielle Blanchard (Black Pearl Luxury Services, Salt Lake City, UT)
Italy – Deborah Hyte (Altour International, Los Angeles, CA)
Italy – Joyce Falcone (Joyce Falcone – Italian Concierge, Aspen, CO)
Italy – Colleen Lamont (Journeys Peak Travel, Portland, OR)
Italy – Sally Watkins (Century Travel & Cruises, Austin, TX)
Scandinavia – Carol Arklind (Cadence, La Jolla, CA)
Spain – Edward Phillips (Summit Travel Group, San Mateo, CA)
Switzerland – Ilene Koenig (Let’s Travel (a division of Plaza Travel), Santa Monica, CA)
United Kingdom – Tammi R. Van Volkinburgh (Travel Experts – Private Travel
Consulting Services, Portland, OR)
Mexico, Central and South America
Galapagos – Brian Morgan (Adventure Life, Missoula, MT)
South America – Jerry Greenberg (Cassis Travel, Los Angeles, CA)
South America – Carlos Fida (PanAmerican Travel Services, Salt Lake City, UT)
Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific
Australia – Cassandra Bookholder (Camelback Odyssey Travel, Phoenix, AZ)
Australia – Catharina Apodac (Carefree Vacations, San Diego, CA)
South Pacific – Susanne Hamer (Travelstore, Los Angeles, CA)
South Pacific – Georgina Morgan Johnson-Kicklighter (American Express Travel, West Covina, CA)
Asia
Asia – Janet Moore (Distant Horizons, Long Beach, CA)
Asia – Patrick O’Connell (Asia Transpacific Journeys, Boulder, CO)
Asia – Darlene Ravin (CWT Vacations, Centennial, CO)
Bali/Indonesia – Diane Embree (Michael’s Travel Centre, Westlake Village, CA)
Bali/Indonesia – Jarrod Hobson (Asia Transpacific Journeys, Boulder, CO)
Burma – Rebecca Mazzaro (Asia Transpacific Journeys, Boulder, CO)
Hong Kong – Laura Woo (West University Travel, Houston, TX)
Japan – Noriko Townsend (Altour Cherry Creek American Express Travel, Fort Collins, CO)
Southeast Asia – Sandee Litwin (Litwin Travel, Los Angeles, CA)
Southeast Asia – Andrea Ross (Journeys Within, Truckee, CA)
Africa and the Middle East
Africa – Katie Cadar (TravelStore Platinum, Los Angeles, CA)
Africa – Cherri Briggs (Explore, Steamboat Springs, CO)
Africa – Dana Welch (Travel Society, Denver, CO)
Africa – Sandy Cunningham (Uncharted Outposts Safari & Travel Co., Santa Fe, NM)
Safaris – Tim Lapage (Safari Experts, Park City, UT)
United Arab Emirates – Lindsey Wallace (Linara Travel, Eagle, ID)
Special Interest
Adventure – Betsy Donley (Camelback Odyssey Travel, Phoenix, AZ)
Adventure – Mollie Fitzgerald (Frontiers Travel International, Phoenix, AZ)
Cruising – Steven E. Shulem (Strictly Vacations, Santa Barbara, CA)
Cruising – Paul Niskanen (Cruise Masters/Concierge Travel Advisors, Portland, OR)
Cruising – Ruth Turpin (Cruises Etc., Fort Worth, TX)
Culture/Education – Margery Hunter (Rudi Steele Travel, Dallas, TX)
Destination Celebrations – John Clifford (International Travel Management, San Diego, CA)
Family Travel – Kay Merrill (Are We There Yet Family Adventures, Larkspur, CA)
Family Travel – Ana Maria Pickens (My Little Swans, Hillsborough, CA)
Food/Wine – Lynda Turley Garrett (Alpine Travel of Saratoga, Saratoga, CA)
Gay Travel – David Rubin (DavidTravel, Corona Del Mar, CA)
Hiking/Walking – Doris White (Cadence, La Jolla, CA)
Private Jet Travel – David Lowry (Renshaw Travel, Vancouver)
Spas/Wellness – Karen Benson (Camelback Odyssey Travel, Phoenix, AZ)
