Helping you get there from here

The economic climate for travel agencies has been tough since Sept. 11. Specialty Travel and the Travel Station recently closed their doors in Silverdale.

However, employees of Summit Travel II are confident the public will continue to fly and that their future on the Olympic Peninsula will be strong.

“People are always going to travel,” said Christina Koets, office manager at Summit Travel II.

The agency, located at 10715 Silverdale Way, opened Feb. 11 and offers a full range of services, including escorted tours, cruises, convention, leisure and corporate travel.

Although many people book fares online, travel agents can search among all airlines with ease. Expedia.com, Priceline.com and other popular Web sites only list airlines which pay them for the posting, according to Koets.

“They don’t carry the small guys because (the airlines) don’t want to pay. With my system I bring them all up. I also see the rules and let them know about any changes,” Koets said.

You’re also at a greater risk of missing your flight if you book online, Koets said. The risk is compounded by new security measures and the way airlines do business. Online ticketing departments are often separate from the airline’s main ticketing division, and airport agents might not have access to the transaction, according to Kandi Kostenuk, marketing specialist for Summit.

“If you get stuck in security and miss your flight, you have to go back to the desk and hope they can pull it up,” Kostenuk said.

Canceling online purchases also can be a headache, Koets said.

“I was on the phone for an hour and a half to cancel an Expedia order for a client,” Koets said.

Personal touch can count for a lot when planning a vacation, Kostenuk said.

“If you are going to Asia Minor, it makes more sense to have one-on-one contact with people who care about the trip,” Koets said.

And planning leisure travel is Koets’ favorite part of the job.

“I love planning someone’s vacation. That’s a real treat for me, especially when they come back and tell me they had a good time,” Koets said.

The original Summit Travel is located in downtown Seattle, and the Silverdale branch is the firm’s first expansion, Kostenuk said.

The agency is open from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and weekends by appointment.

For more information, call 692-6813.