Photo: About Your Travel Center

About Us

With 40+ years in the travel business we have a passion for the travel industry.  Our attention to personal service along with our preferred relationships with many airlines, car rental agencies, hoteliers, cruise & tour vendors ensures that we will exceed your travel needs.

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Over 40 Years Of Experience

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Your Travel Center Inc. has been in business since 1972 and has blossomed into a full scale 120 Million dollar Travel Agency.

The founders, Phil & Louise Emrich, began Your Travel Center to serve the residents of Santa Barbara, California.  From 1990-2002 Your Travel Center grew to 16 offices stretching from Pismo Beach, California to Tempe, Arizona.  As well as expanding our territory with our offices, Your Travel Center Inc., starting in 1992, began hosting Independent Contractors and smaller agencies.  This provided us the ability to deliver our support to help home based agents and smaller offices elsewhere provide their services. Today, Your Travel Center still serves several Southern California communities, Omaha, Nebraska and parts of Arizona; however only 6 offices remain.  During the period from 1990 - 2002 we increased our sales from 15 Million to 100 Million which is a testimony to our ability to adapt to the ever changing Travel industry. 

Our transition to becoming one of the premier Host Travel Agencies has proven to be extremely successful and today we have over 300 Independent Contractors working from home offices around the country.  With a very strong management team that is dedicated to the long term success for Your Travel Center, it is easy to see why Your Travel Center has excelled during the economic ups and downs. 

Due to advancements in technology and industry trends Your Travel Center continues to explore the growth that comes with hosting Independent Contractors and smaller agencies.  Our reputation within the industry and, most importantly, with our clients is what sets us apart from others.  "Treat others the way you would like to be treated", as our President Colin Weatherhead would say, is the Your Travel Center way of life. 

Your Travel Center takes pride in the fact that our bank balances are extremely strong and that our operations are reliable.  This in turn provides our Independent Contractors, Employees and Clients the security necessary to work with us.

For immediate assistance regarding our hosting services - please contact Connie Miller at conniem@ytc.com or give her a call at 1.805.456.2545 

 

Our Staff

Colin Weatherhead
President

Colin Weatherhead has spent his entire career in the Travel Industry working as a Geography teacher in England before moving to America with EF Student International Services. Colin joined YTC in 1988 as Executive VP before purchasing the company in 1995. He is admired for his friendly, outgoing nature and is well respected in the industry. Colin truly values the belief in treating others the way you would like to be treated which makes working with him delightful. 

Brenda Weatherhead
Vice President

Brenda Weatherhead has been working in the YTC Technological & Marketing Departments since 1994. She has been instrumental in building the Your Travel Center internal website along with creating a multitude of marketing material throughout her tenure. She is technically savvy and remains on the cutting edge still today with her Social Media efforts. Brenda acts as a marvelous ambassador representing the Your Travel Center family on her various travels around the world.

Jacki Jones
Chief Financial Officer

In the role of Chief Financial Officer, Jacki brings over 35 years of financial management experience and expertise to Your Travel Center. As CFO, Jacki, directs and oversees the financial aspects of the business including accounting practices, financial analysis and acquisitions. Jacki's passion is travel, and whilst the travel industry environment is facing new challenges she fully believes that with true dedication and excellent customer service the travel agency community will prosper.

Robin Sanchez
Chief Operating Officer

Robin has embodied excellence during her 20+ years at Your Travel Center showcasing the ability to excel in several different roles. From Travel Advisor to her position as Chief Operating Officer, Robin has grown to be well respected within YTC and the travel industry as a whole. Robin's true loyalty to Your Travel Center partnered with her professionalism and hands on approach directly attributes to the growing success of YTC and our partners. 

Janet Wagstaff
IT Administrator

Janet Wagstaff began her career in the travel industry over 25 years ago. She grew from a corporate travel advisor to a quality control specialist. This background brought her to YTC to help create a Q.C. department.  Currently she is responsible for all 4 GDS systems, maintaining all system servers and also serves as the International Quality Control advisor for the entire company. Her largest asset to YTC is the ability to communicate with advisors of all levels of expertise and manage situations with grace.    

Shane Lefeber
Implementation/Training

Shane LeFeber has been on the YTC team since 2006.   Shane actively works with the management team on a daily basis.  With an energy and enthusiasm Shane can be relied upon to help find answers and solutions to daily issues. Shane has his Masters in Teaching (MAT) and handles the majority of the trainings held by Your Travel Center Inc. Due to his extensive experience in this field; he is able to provide comprehensive and pertinent courses at a personalized level. 

Christopher Weatherhead
VP of Hotel Relations

Chris Weatherhead was raised with the privilege to travel extensively at a young age which provided him with a fantastic foundation to begin his Travel Industry career. This coupled with his International Business degree helps him bring a youthful and innovative spirit to YTC. Chris will be instrumental in the growth of Your Travel Center due to the increasing demand in the online marketplace. His expertise with various online business development tools will help YTC remain relevant in the 21st century. 

Connie Miller
VP, Business Development

Connie has enjoyed travel her entire life.  She first started in the travel industry while her family was young, working as an agent, group coordinator and eventually manager before changing careers. Connie rounded out her travel career by taking on corporate sales and account management roles as well as vendor relations and leisure sales marketing.  Connie is now working to develop independent contractors and partner agencies with YTC.  Connie is respected for her overall knowledge of the industry, her passion for people and her passion for travel.  Her philosophy is that travel is the perfect way to bring the peoples of the world together.

   

Loretta Alva
Director of Leisure Sales

Coming soon...

Nick Cabugos
Creative Director

Since 2013 Nick Cabugos has been highly involved with Your Travel Center and because of that he developed a passion for the travel industry. The design work Nick completed for YT while freelancing made the transition to bring him on full-time a seamless one. His talents in digital design will help our Travel Center continue to enhance their online presence.

Vickie Bennett-Ludlow
Director of Cruise Groups

In 2004, after a 15-year career in the commercial mortgage and investment sector, Vickie transitioned to travel, the industry of her dreams, as the Manager of Group Administration for Avoya Travel.  She is excited to bring her expertise to MVT with the creation of the group department and its forecasted growth. Vickie selects departures for group creation, manages inventory including FIT moves and handles all aspects of the finalization and reconciliation process for open promotion groups.  She presents all group-related training and informational webinars, including opportunities with affinity groups.  Her expertise in group reconciliation led Royal Caribbean to use her technique as a tr

To be the Travel Management Company of choice for our Employees, Independent Contractors, Clients & Suppliers 

-Our Values-

We will be known for our people
We will attract, develop, 
motivate and retain the best

We will take pride in our work
We will challenge ourselves to excel

We will work as one
No one of us is as smart as all of us.
Together we will achieve greatness

We will provide 
Our Independent Contractors the ability
to increase their revenues, reduce overhead expenditures and enhance their relationships with their clients while maintaining their own business identity

We will excel at all operational levels
We will continue to invest in
State of the Art Technology 
in order to
reduce our clients Travel and Entertainment expenditures

We will be totally committed to our clients
We guarantee our service levels will continue to increase and exceed our clients' expectations

  • Multiple Affiliations
  • Luxury Cruise Programs
  • Luxury Hotel Programs
  • Business Travel Solutions
  • Management Report Analysis
  • Meetings/Conventions/Groups
  • Passport and Visa Service
  • Global Traveler Services
  • And more
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  • Crystal Cruises "Platinum Account"
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises "Key Account/Council Member"
  • Princess Cruises "Excel Gold Account"
  • Cunard "Inner Circle"
  • Seabourn "Pinnacle Club"
  • Viking River Cruises "Platinum Circle"
  • Holland America "Centurion Agency"
  • Royal Caribbean/Celebrity Cruises "Key Account"
  • A&K 100 Club
  • Classic Vacations "Top Producer"
  • Tauck "Top Producer"
  • GOGO "Top Producer"
  • Apple Vacations "Platinum Account"
  • Pleasant Holidays "Centurion Club"
  • Allianz Global "Presidents Club"

CST #2019108-10

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