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David Elmy
President


Phone Number: (604) 605-5175

Email: davide@travelg.com

Bio: David still misses his original career as a travel consultant, so occasionally dabbles in an intriguing reservation from time to time, "just to keep from getting rusty!"  Originally from Ontario, he moved to beautiful BC in 1980 and entered the travel agency business shortly after, eventually building a partnership under The Travel Group name in 1987. 

"When I started in this industry, we were still writing some airline tickets out by hand, manually typing out invoices, and booking hotels by phone or telex.  Telex!  Remember that?" laughs David.  The industry has come a long way since then, most of it to the better for both consumers and professional travel consultants, but David has tried to steer his agency along a path that exploits all the benefits of new technologies while still emphasizing the human element of the business.  "We can sometimes get too obsessed with automation and technology, and forget that what customers really want are meat-and-potato things like customer service, creativity, and a sense of humour," he says.  Although he has a pretty big company to oversee now, David still tries to stay connected to all of his original clients, many of whom go way back to the 1980's when he started in the business.

Although he has handled extensively both corporate and vacation travel, David specialized in corporate travel; and believes in applying the corporate travel tools and principles to both sorts of travel.  When you make vacation plans with one of his agents, you'll notice things like use of corporate rates, attention to small details (like seat selection and loyalty programs), emphasis on reliability and comfort of airline choices, picking hotels with excellent ratings, etc.  All hallmarks of great corporate travel agencies.

David has focused his personal travel on Europe and North America, and admits that there are vast swaths of the planet, notably the southern hemisphere, that he has never visited.  "I believe that North Americans will be more and more looked at travelling to the southern half of the globe," he notes; which is why the agency, under his direction, has started to focus on areas like the South Pacific, South America, and southern Africa.

David is Chair of AC BC Council and a board member of ACTA National, the trade association for travel agents and agencies.  He is a passionate believer in professionalism in the travel agency industry and in the value of the specialized expertise travel agents bring to customers.

Expertise: Airfares & France.

Favourite place: Two - Provence and Tuscany. "And anywhere with history, old buildings, art, museums, and great food..., well, Europe!"

Hobbies: Literature, running, hiking, The Grouse Grind, vegetarian cooking, gardening, film criticism.

BlogsThe Perfect Room.  Random thoughts from clients and consultants about what goes into the "perfect" hotel room.

Travel tip: Pack an empty water bottle when you fly - that way you can fill it once you get through security.  (Thanks for the tip Jane!)

Testimonials:

I can't thank you enough! You have gone above and beyond for me! 

Anonymous
April 8, 2020

 

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