AAA Traveler - Holiday 2018 - 16

AGENT SPOTLIGHT

Dream Job
BY KIMBERLY BUTTON

At the young age of 9, Matt Spencer was captivated hearing his neighbor's stories
of their next travel adventure. Living in a small town, Spencer could only dream of
the destinations he heard about. That is, until he decided to look up the address for
state tourism bureaus and request information of the destinations for his neighbor.
WHY DID YOU BECOME A AAA TRAVEL AGENT?
Being a travel agent was always my dream job. I love it because travel
enables you to enjoy life, explore the world and be enlightened, often all at
the same time. There's nothing better than welcoming a client back from
a trip I've sent them on and hearing the happiness in their voice that
they enjoyed it, too.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I really enjoy the challenge of matching the right destination and
schedule for the right client. Developing a good relationship with a
member inspires me to do my absolute best for them.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE TRIP
PLANNING EXPERIENCE?
A few years ago, on a late March day, a AAA Member told me she
wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is on
first Saturday in May and brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to
Louisville. Hotels are usually booked solid months in advance. It took
a lot of research and creativity, but I got her to the Kentucky Derby and
found nearby accommodations. I'm a native Kentuckian, so I was able to
make suggestions for the rest of her time. After she returned, she stopped
into the office to thank me and surprised me with a bottle of Kentucky
bourbon. It meant so much because I was able to draw on my resources and
help our AAA Member.

Matt Spencer

AAA HENDERSONVILLE, N.C.

16

VISIT YOUR LOCAL AAA OFFICE

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN RECENTLY?
I did an amazing cruise from Barcelona to Venice with Celebrity Cruises.
I didn't want to leave Barcelona since it was so stunning, but there were so
many more exciting places still to be seen! I did shore excursions in Monaco and
Rome. In Venice, I took an after-hours tour of Saint Mark's Basilica. There's a
gradual lighting system, where a light illuminates the altar, a stained-glass piece
and other items. We sat in silence as the gradual lighting concept played against
the gold Byzantine art and architecture. It was a memory that will stay with me
for a lifetime.
CALL 1-800-750-5386

CLICK AAA.COM/TRAVEL

PAUL VINCENT PHOTOGRAPHY

WHAT'S THE BEST TRIP YOU'VE TAKEN?
It was definitely a recent Danube river cruise with Tauck. I now know why
so many of our members come back from river cruises completely smitten.
In Vienna, we had dinner while we enjoyed a combination performance of a
string quartet and opera in the same palace where Mozart and Strauss once
performed. In Engelhartszell, Germany, we were invited to visit a private
home where the host taught us to make strudel. I loved Bratislava, which was
a surprisingly walkable city that was beautiful and rich with great history. It's a
real hidden gem!
http://www.AAA.COM/TRAVEL
AAA Traveler - Holiday 2018

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