Adventure and Luxury Travel Specialist

View My Main Profile
Vanessa Ballard, Travel Agent in Sarasota, FL

Vanessa Ballard

Sarasota, FL Travel Agent

Vanessa Ballard

Sarasota, FL · 3 Years of Experience

The Journey Group, an independent agent with The Journey Group, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
4.9
(16)
100% Recommended
Great trip!! Vanessa was fantastic - made it so enjoyable and stress free. <br/>It really was the trip of a lifetime! Read More >
About
Reviews
Certificates & Awards
My Places
Travel Stories & Media

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

Europe, Africa, Peru, Alaska, India

Interests:

Adventure, European Culture, Safari, Christmas Markets, Family Vacations

Suppliers:

Backroads, Classic Vacations, Europe Express, Marriott Hotels, G Adventures

About Me

Incredible Morocco
Incredible Morocco

Hi! My name is Vanessa and I have spent the last three decades of my life either traveling, reading about traveling, taking photos while traveling or planning vacations for myself/my family and many others. I have been to over 31 countries so far and have done everything from sleeping under the stars in the Italian dolomites, hiking the Fjords in Noway/Glaciers in Canada, sailing the British Virgin Islands on a private yacht to watching elephants roam the land on a South African Safari.I've been asked countless times to help others plan their trips after hearing about mine and seeing my photos.....so here I am! It seemed only natural to expand this passion into something more.I love authentic experiences and customized trip itineraries and would love to help your dream vacation become a reality! If you can dream it - I'll help you plan it.

Personal experience is priceless

What makes me unique it that if I haven't been to the place where I'm planning a trip for my clients, it's likely on my list for a future visit!  With my extensive travel history there's a good chance I've personally been where you want to go.  I'm not only sitting behind a computer doing research/trainign certifications about destinations,  I'm actually going there myself so I can better understand the destination and book the best vacation for you!
In addition to the typical accommodations and transportation that advisors provide, I often add my own personal touch about places to see/things to do that aren't mainstream tourism that you only know about from personal experience.  That's what makes my services so unique to the industry.  

REVIEWS

Rating: 4.9
16 reviews
100% Recommended
Your trust is our priority. Every review is submitted by verified travelers after they have booked and completed their trips. Learn more about our review guidelines.
Search reviews:

Showing 16 reviews

The trip of a Lifetime
Reviewed By D McKechnie - Regina, Saskatchewan | Traveled to Europe
Great trip!! Vanessa was fantastic - made it so enjoyable and stress free.
It really was the trip of a lifetime!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
This trip was a dream come true.
Reviewed By Scooter - Frisco, Texas | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
It was great working with her on this trip. She was able work magic getting us what we wanted.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
The most incredible adventure!
Reviewed By Wendi B - Saskatoon, Canada | Traveled to Peru ~ South America
Vanessa is exactly what I look for in a travel agent. Kind, efficient, knowledgeable, passionate, excellent communicator… the list goes on. Most importantly, she paid attention to the details we wanted in a vacation. We were a group of 5 people and everything was perfectly executed. Without Vanessa we wouldn’t have known where to start. Vanessa was spot on in recommending spending a few days in Cusco to adjust to the high altitude prior to hiking the Inca trail. Her hotel choice in Cusco was perfectly situated for exploring the city by foot and the hotel room and included breakfast were excellent. She recommended and booked g-travels tour company for our Sacred valley and 4 day/3 night trek on the Inca trail to Macchu Pichu. The exemplary service, food and knowledgeable guides far exceeded my expectations. Would highly recommend Vanessa and will definitely be booking with her again in the future!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Beautiful Amsterdam and Tulips
Reviewed By G - Sarasota, FA | Traveled to Amsterdam ~ Netherlands ~ Europe
Vanessa was amazing— everything was perfectly planned— every detail of our trip handled seamlessly! We could not be happier with our experience.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
A fabulous 10 day trip to Italy!
Reviewed By Tess and Tom Magee - Olney, MD | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa had great recommendations on restaurants, site seeing ideas and was able to accommodate all our suggestions into a very workable itinerary that provided lots of time to relax on our own as well.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO

Certifications & Awards

ASTA is the leading global advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the traveling public.It is the world's largest association of travel professionals.Our members include travel agents and the companies whose products they sell such as tours, cruises, hotels, car rentals, etc.Expand your world. Go with the pros.
Certified Active & Adventure Travel Specialist: During this certification program Travel Agents study several components including: Understanding the Active & Adventure Travel Customer, Destination Knowledge, Active & Adventure Travel Experiences, ATTA Travel Resources, Active & Adventure Preferred Suppliers, Case Studies and a Marketing Plan. This is a two-year study program.
Andbeyond luxury supplier specialist
Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions 360
Certified Journeys Specialist National Geographic
Backroads Insider Specialist
Anchorage Wild Expert

My Places

When it comes to travel planning, real-world experience makes a huge difference. Check out the map below to see all the places I have personally visited or booked for my clients. I know these destinations well and can give you reliable guidance.

My Travel Stories

Backroads Cycling Trip through the Danube

I had the pleasure of being on a Backroads Active and Adventure Tour in July cycling along the Danube. I've been traveling for decades through many countries and continents, and this was one of my favorite trips of all time.  Let me tell you why! - We were home based on a beautiful luxury river cruise ship for this trip, but many of their...
Read more

BESbswy