The travel bug hit her early. While still in college, Wendy Pacofsky was pursuing math and doing well. Family trips had her wanting more independent adventures and looking for a way to support that desire. Knowing that a career in the travel industry was not the road to riches, she chose lifestyle over wealth and hasn’t looked back since. While working on her degree in Business Administration, she told her college counselor that she was interested in a job that would let her travel more. Before long, she called: “I think I’ve found a position for you.” Since then she’s become an expert in overseas adventure travel.
Soon she was exploring much of Europe by foot. For four years Wendy worked at BCT Scenic Walking and dedicated herself to the sales and marketing of European hiking holidays. Over time her love of nature led to scuba diving and she became a dive travel specialist, visiting some of the most exotic diving sites around the world.
Today twelve hour days are a norm, but so too are several trips a year to the Cook Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. As VP in Sales and Marketing for Outdoor Travel Adventures, she works with clients setting up vacations in Africa, Asia, Central America, the Polar Regions, South America and the Pacific for family, divers, honeymooners, and independent nomads.
Wendy spoke this week at a casual gathering of travelers interested in visiting the “Land of the Hobbits”, as Peter Jackson’s movies have dubbed New Zealand. Although she’d just returned from a conference in the Cook Islands, Wendy took the time to share her expertise with the group. It was a small gathering – a Serbian geographer, a Peruvian financier, a German scientist, our host, Nina Meade – who’d just returned from the trip of a lifetime “down under”, an underwater photographer and yours truly. The meeting fueled our mutual nomadic dreams and brought them closer to coming true.
If you’re on the lookout for a hands-on, passionate travel agent, contact Wendy at: Outdoor Travel Adventures.
Wendy’s an inspiration for those of us longing to do more overseas adventure travel, whether or not we take her path to becoming a travel agent.
Elaine J. Masters
Travel writer, co-host of San Diego Travel Massive.
Top Ten Podcast, the Gathering Road, on The Women’s Radio Network.
Travel ease books and audio for flyers and drivers at: www.DrivetimeYoga.com