Pumped up! That’s Mari Seith after her recent Dallas trip to an American Society of Travel Advisors conference where she immersed herself in morning-to-twilight sessions and limitless networking.
ASTA is the global advocate for travel agencies, the travel industry and travelers, Seith explained as she fueled her natural excitement with a latte at Fosko Coffee Barre in downtown Pensacola.
“This was my first time at an ASTA conference as a business owner, and I had two amazing sessions — one about marketing and the other about building financial success,” continued Seith, owner/president of Pensacola-based Planettrekker.
“I love these conferences and will always attend; they are so inspirational and educational. They are over the top. I am going to the next one this month in Curaçao, a Dutch island in the southern Caribbean.”
With decades of travel consulting experience in their past, world travelers Seith and her husband, military veteran Thom Seith, moved from Mobile to Pensacola in 2020 and opened Planettrekker in 2023.
It’s a travel consulting agency with an above-and-beyond mission, a concept that was born during a trip to Ireland many years before Planettrekker was created. Tapping her bank of amusing travel episodes, Seith shares the story about endless “sitting” during an Ireland bus tour excursion to the Cliffs of Moher when she decided enough of this and got off the bus to “trek” back to the hotel.
And that’s how she rolls today.
Planettrekker is “a vehicle to enlighten travelers with revelatory experiences” via exceptional human interaction, intra-cultural integration per informational emails, travel blogs, educational webinars and customized, authentic travel adventures, Seith explained.
“With intra-cultural integration, we strive to educate travelers to some aspects of the culture they will experience in advance of their travel and encourage travelers to immerse themselves in the culture when they are in destination,” said Seith, who has visited more than 25 countries and works personally with contacts in the travel industry in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and beyond.
Also, the website’s blog page has developed into a testimonial site where Planettrekker clients can share reviews of their travel with photos and tales of their experiences. And educational webinars will start this fall for current and prospective Planettrekker clients.
“I love what I do, and that probably explains why I have been in the business for 39 years and will help all types of people,” Seith said.
“If somebody comes to me, and their budget is really, really low, and they can’t afford to do what they want to do, I take it upon myself to say, ‘OK your budget is $1,000 but your dream trip costs $6,000. Let me make your travel experience the best I possibly can within your budget.’’’
Planettrekker offers four categories of service: The Grandfather Plan, The Savvy Traveler, The Planettrekker and The VIP Subscriber. Check out the details and cost at planettrekker.me.
Travel is for everyone, Seith happily repeated.
“What has evolved is that a ‘Planettrekker’ may not always be a walker or even able to walk,” Seith said. “The vehicle by which you opt to travel, be it by ship, train, plane, car or bus, is not important. What matters is the actual experience you gain along the way.
“Hence, our motto ‘Embrace Your Journey’ means that your travel experience isn’t about the destination. It’s about your entire travel experience, from the point you leave the comfort zone of home until you return home again.”
Finally, chilling out a bit to enjoy her latte at Fosko’s, Seith added, “For Thom and me, travel is an education. We believe in travel and making it the best it can be for everyone, so much so that it consumes our lives.”
Finishing our coffees, we said farewell and “Happy trekking!”
Want more info?
Planettrekker is accredited by the
International Airlines Travel Agent Network.
Visit: planettrekker.me
Call: 850-824-0080
Email: mari.seith@planettrekker.me
