MARIA VIVIANA URSO

VOYAGES CONCIERGE DELUXE TRAVEL LACHINE, QC CANADA

We’ve asked 12 travel agents to give us quick, short responses to the following 15 random and fun questions. See a response in each 2017 issue of THOR Advantage!

TRAVEL AGENT PROFILE:

Name: Maria Viviana Urso

Title: Director of Operations

Travel Agency Name: Voyages Concierge Deluxe Travel

Travel Agency Location: Lachine, QC Canada

Number of Years in the Travel Industry: 22

Specialty: Cruises

In the past year, how many vacations have you taken outside of the country?

We took 3 vacations and we visited: France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Argentina, Bahamas, USA.

What’s the one food you could never bring yourself to eat?

Snake...

Have you ever visited a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Had the privilege of visiting a few. Some of my favorites are: Brugge, Piazza del Campo in Siena, Piazza del Duomo in Pisa, Quebrada de Humahuaca, in the north of Argentina.

Which celebrity chef would you most like to fix you a meal?

Jamie Oliver! Love his cooking and had the chance to try his restaurant aboard the Anthem of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas. Yum!

What is the best travel perk you’ve received from a loyalty program?

A Nespresso coffee maker and bottle of champagne in our boutique hotel room in Paris.

While on vacation, what is the most ‘extreme’ thing that you have done?

Just last week, while in Tuscany, drove up to a little town (200 residents only!!) on top of a mountain, 500 meters above the sea, on a very narrow street, with pronounced curves and cliffs. I was not driving, my husband was. Pretty scary!!

Which individual would you most want to meet in person: Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey or Bill Gates?

Oprah Winfrey.

Which is your favorite travel app on your mobile phone?

I love Flight Tracker.

What hotel lobby feature has been your favorite so far?

Club Med® Punta Cana. As soon as you walk into the lobby, you feel the Caribbean air, the open space, the smell of the sea. I love it!

If you could travel back in time, what year would you travel to?

1912, when the Titanic sank.

If you could go to any city in the world to experience the history, people and culture, where would you go?

Jerusalem.

Would you rather win an Olympic medal, an Academy Award or the Nobel Peace Prize?

Nobel Peace prize!

What one packing tip would you share with clients?

Prepare sets for each day and evening. Use compression bags, especially when you need to bring lots of clothes!

What’s the first thing you do when you get home from a trip?

Wash my hands!

If you could shop for free at one store, which one would you choose?

Macy's®!