Erica Harnett

Every trip is a new adventure. I am always looking to design extraordinary experiences that are different, fun, and above all, that speak to your specific interests. For example, I arranged a trip for five female friends to Indonesia inspired by the book Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. In addition to places mentioned in the book and featured in the movie adaptation starring Julia Roberts, I gave them suggestions for wandering off in separate directions at various points in the trip to follow their individual preferences. 

For multi-generational families, I often incorporate unique ways to capture children’s interest. In Rome, I sometimes suggest a gladiator class at the Colosseum, where kids dress up and learn how ancient gladiators fought and some of their individual stories. In South Africa’s wine country, I sometimes arrange for families to combine a wine and cheese tasting with a second stop for a chocolate tasting. And in Europe, I can arrange for the adults go touring while the kids are off horseback riding or taking a cooking class.

Travel has been my life since joining the industry in 1981. I have explored the world on my own, with my family, and with friends. Living in Scarsdale and working in midtown Manhattan, I service a very high-end clientele. I worked for many years at Liberty Travel and developed personal relationships with hoteliers and other industry professionals. This allows me to provide highly personalized service and VIP treatment for my clients. 

When Liberty Travel was sold, I looked for an agency that would be a good fit for my clients and decided to join Protravel International, one of the top Virtuoso agencies in the world. It’s been wonderful. Their buying power gives me access to a lot of complimentary amenities at many four and five-star hotels. These can include upgraded rooms, early check-in, late check-out, free breakfasts, and more.

In addition, I can often save my clients a lot of money on first and business class fares. And because Protravel is a top preferred partner with all major airlines, we have our own VIP desk at many carriers to assist us in proactively rebooking flights that are canceled due to weather or other issues. This is a sharp contrast to those travelers who book their own air online and are stuck on hold with the airlines for hours and shut out of overbooked flights. This is one of the many reasons my clients are so loyal and use me for all their travel.  

Protravel’s name recognition around the globe complements the personal contacts I’ve made over the years. That means wherever you want to go, I have hotel, cruise and land operators I can rely on to make sure your trip is the best it can be. Most importantly, your trip is my first priority.  

Every decision starts with understanding who you are as a traveler. Do you seek out hair-raising adventures? High-touch service? Authentic, immersive cultural experiences or urban sophistication? By listening and tuning in on what motivates you to travel and your interests, both travel and non-travel-related, I can arrange special experiences and activities that will make your trip uniquely yours.