Honoring Veterans in Travel, Part 2: John and Jackie Matthews

Editors’ Note: This is the second story in a series of three. Find the first story here and the third story here. 

Among Nexion Travel Group’s myriad member support options is the Veterans in Travel program, which debuted in 2018 and aims to help recipients gain the skills and knowledge necessary to become successful travel professionals.

Veterans in Travel participants attend virtual training through the Travel Leaders of Tomorrow platform, which includes comprehensive curriculum, expert-led lectures, study groups and business plan development guidance. Once graduated, they can join Nexion Travel Group with no activation fee.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, and of Veterans in Travel awarding its 300th scholarship last month, we spoke with a few program grads about their journey to the industry and what their business looks like today.

Meet John and Jackie Matthews, Owners of Adventure Awaits World Travel

John Matthews joined the U.S. Navy in 1979, and as part of the submarine force was stationed in Pearl Harbor for years. His deployment travels in the Pacific brought him to destinations such as Guam, Japan and British Columbia. When he was relocated to Northern California’s Moffett Field, a naval air station, John was tasked with teaching the pilots about anti-submarine warfare.

Not long into his stint at Moffett, one of his superiors invited him home for a family birthday gathering. A meal wasn’t the only plan, though — John was also introduced to his host’s daughter, Jackie.

“In military families, it's very common to [invite over] the young officers who are new in town — that’s just one way they look out for each other,” Jackie said.

The gathering was actually Jackie’s 23rd birthday celebration, but John got a lot of attention, too. The pair barely got to chat, but toward the end of the evening John asked Jackie out on a date, and the rest is history. They married in 1983, raised five kids together (they now also have five grandchildren) and eventually settled in Colleyville, Texas.

Professional shifts took place over the years, too. John attended business school after six years in the Navy, then joined the aviation industry, where he worked for American Airlines before moving on to Boeing, where he helped sales personnel sell airplanes. The role brought him all over the world. Jackie helmed sales at Proctor and Gamble and Coca-Cola for years, then owned a brick-and-mortar, cruise-only travel agency from 1989 to 1993. Then she traded days in the office for days raising children.

John retired in 2017 after 20 years with Boeing, but the idle life wasn’t for him, nor Jackie.

“We knew that we wanted to stay busy,” John said. “I love golf and other recreational activities, but didn't feel like I could do that full time. We started looking for something else to do in this new phase of our lives, and after a couple of years we decided to start our own travel agency."

John and Jackie say they were fortunate to travel from an early age; both of their families believed that exploring the U.S. and beyond was an important part of raising compassionate citizens of the world. At 14, John even went to France on a school trip, and he recalls his time in Paris and Nice with fondness. And as John and Jackie continued to travel in adulthood, their love for the road didn’t wane.

Launching Adventure Awaits World Travel

With plenty of business acumen on their side post-retirement, they started thinking about how to launch their “encore career” in travel. Adventure Awaits World Travel officially debuted in late 2018, and they simultaneously researched host agencies. As they evaluated their options, Nexion’s Veterans in Travel program struck them as particularly impressive.

Veterans in Travel spoke volumes about the character and heart of Nexion.

“John pared the list down to a handful of host agencies, but the Veterans in Travel program was a tipping point for us,” Jackie said. “It spoke volumes about the character and heart of Nexion. It wasn't that [the program made our training] free — it was that they were prioritizing people who had dedicated their life to helping our country.”

After applying and being selected, the pair jumped into their “phenomenal” training via Travel Leaders of Tomorrow. Six years into their business, they especially appreciate the recognition and buying power that comes with being part of an agency such as Nexion. Marketing support and product training programs available have enhanced their business, too. If anything, they say there’s more support materials available through Nexion than they have time to mine.

Specialties: Cruising, Groups and Accessibility 

Adventure Awaits World Travel made it through the pandemic, then took off running. John and Jackie focus on cruises of all kinds — an ideal niche, since they love cruising themselves — as well as pre- and post-cruise travel and groups, including alumni and business trips. About 80% of their sales are in groups. Additionally, Jackie is certified in accessible travel. 

“Sixty-one percent of people over the age of 50 self-identify as having a disability,” Jackie said. “And the cruise lines have really stepped up to accommodate people, and children with particular needs, too, from making sure that they have the mobility devices a client might need or being in the right kind of stateroom if they've got a hearing or sight issue. Dietary needs are also being addressed.”

For a couple who is “retired,” John and Jackie certainly aren’t resting. They work four to six days a week, and they love every minute of it. Thinking of his comrades in the military, John hopes they know the door is open to them, too.

Veterans have been overseas, they’ve experienced destinations many people haven't and they’ve learned a lot about responsibility, managing competing priorities and dealing with stress.

“If they’re getting out of the military and considering what they might want to do, I would encourage them to consider travel,” he said. “They’ve been overseas, they’ve experienced destinations many people haven't, and they’ve learned a lot about responsibility, managing competing priorities and dealing with stress. They have a lot of skills that are very applicable to working in travel.”