TRAVEL AGENT PROFILE: 

NAME: Debbi Custer 
TITLE: Associate owner 
TRAVEL AGENCY NAME: World travel, Inc. 
TRAVEL AGENCY LOCATION: PORTLAND, OREGON, USA
YEARS IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY: 26 
SPECIALTY: Europe, Group and Corporate travel

10 questions, 12 very different answers 

Each month we will feature a new THOR member travel agent who’s been asked to respond to the same 10 questions. See how different the answers can be!

Q: If you were to be stranded on any island in the world, which island would you choose and what type of beverage would you have in your hand?

I would choose to be stranded on Capri with a limoncello in my hand.

Q: What is your idea of a country escape and where have you gone to experience this for yourself?

We stay in a villa outside of Lucca, Italy every other year for two weeks. We have done this nine times now and our next stay is this coming May.

Q: What types of precautions do you take to stay healthy while you travel?

I continue to exercise, eat as well as possible, wash my hands, take my vitamins and don’t worry too much about other people’s germs.

Q: Name one iconic destination you have been able to experience. Was it everything you imagined it would be?

The prehistoric cave paintings in France absolutely blew my mind. It was more than I ever could have imagined and made me think the human race has become much more evolved than I realized.

Q: If travel were a food, what would it taste like?

If travel were a food it would be spicy, have mysterious ingredients and be a new taste. With travel you may have a preconceived notion of what the new destination will be, but we are so often surprised by what we see, the people, and the experience.

Q: What type of changes in travel are you seeing with the Millennial Generation?

I see a lot of European travel from this group still, but they are very hands on when it comes to looking at options on the Internet.

Q: You have a free weekend to getaway for a quick vacation. Where would you go?

Since we are on the West Coast, I would go to Vancouver BC. The city is visually gorgeous, there are a ton of running and biking trails and the food is outstanding.

Q: What is the best part about being a travel agent?

I love working with people to send them on their dream trip. The majority of my clients are so thankful, and they have so many good things to report that I feel good about helping facilitate that. In 26 years there are way too many stories to give an example. I guess the best one is the one I hear often: “The trip to Italy that you planned for me changed my life.” That’s pretty powerful to hear.

Q: If you could choose any sports star to travel with, who would you choose and where would you go?

Believe it or not, I would travel with Lance Armstrong. We’ve been to the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia and I want to try to understand the atmosphere in the cycling world at that time and why he cheated. I want to hear it from him and then go on a bike ride.

Q: You were just told you won an all-inclusive trip to any resort and spa in the world! Where would you go?

I would go to Turtle Island. I have never been there and I’m fascinated by the idea of being pampered with very few guests on a tropical island. Perfect!