From Hosting Events for the Pope to President of Protravel: An Interview with Patrick Fragale

From hosting events for the Pope to heli-skiing off cliffs in Aspen, top adventure-travel agent Patrick Fragale has done it all. As president of Protravel, he oversees approximately 1,000 people at 19 branch locations in the United States and the United Kingdom, with annual sales close to $1 billion.

But in the end, he says, it’s his five children and his experience in the hospitality industry that are the keys to his success.

TMR: How did you get into the travel business in the first place? And how did you develop your specialty in adventure?
Patrick Fragale: I started my career in the hospitality industry as a chef in the specialty restaurants of a wide range of premium hotels. Over the course of 20 years, I progressed to the room side and eventually advanced to the position of general manager of several over-600-room hotels that included the Marriott, Stouffer, and Renaissance brands. I worked in many different locations throughout the United States as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, holding numerous positions.

In 1998, because of some personal family health issues, I needed to relocate to be closer to Pennsylvania, and so moved to New Jersey. At the same time, I came to the travel side and joined Direct Travel, which was owned by a former client of mine, who had always tried to persuade me to work with him. At Direct Travel I held the position of senior VP of sales and marketing and operations of the New York division. Only a year later, after I successfully negotiated the acquisition of several agencies—as well as the buy-out and stock transfer of the company to a private equity firm in 2011—I was promoted to president and chief operating officer of Direct Travel, Inc., which I held for 15 years.

During that tenure I oversaw more than 600 employees and it was very similar to the hospitality industry. It enabled me to travel—which I have a strong passion for—and it provided me with the opportunity to enjoy what I love the most: outdoor activities and adventure travel. I am an avid skier, hiker, and mountain-bike rider. Over the years, I have also enjoyed surfing in the Caribbean and the East and West Coasts of the United States. I have a passion for heli-skiing and even worked as a ski instructor when I was young in Aspen, Colorado. Up to this day, I still try to do these outdoor activities once a year, and that’s where my proficiency in adventure travel comes from. I can find adventure travel clients the best places to ski and

Heli-ski, mountain bike, hike, surf, and overall advise them on any kind of outdoor adventure activities.

Then almost two years ago, in 2014, an opportunity availed itself enabling me to take the helm at Protravel International. I align myself with Protravel, simply because they are the best of the best, with a remarkable contingent of 1,000 individuals—seasoned travel agent advisors and employees—who know the travel industry and every corner of the globe like the back of their hand.                                                                                                                                                                             

TMR: Can you list three things you think have contributed to your success?
PF: The number-one thing is that I am a people person. I strongly believe that this is paramount to be successful in the travel industry. What helped me become a people person is raising five amazing children and holding a variety of positions in the hospitality and travel industry, such as working as a chef, working on the frontline with the hotels, and dealing with a very diverse clientele. As the hotels I managed focused on corporate guests during the week and leisure clients on the weekend, I dealt with an eclectic and diverse clientele. I’ve literally hosted Popes to Presidents. Overall, I would say that I am very accessible, I am firm but fair, and I offer an entrepreneurial spin to a very structured environment, while always being high energy.

TMR: What do you see as the top trends in adventure travel for 2016?
PF: Overall, I see multigenerational travel as a growing segment within our industry. Millennials are also traveling more extensively. However, this group differs from other travelers as they are booking short-term travel much more frequently, with an increasingly higher budget and with less time in advance. When it comes to adventure travel, clients are more prone to pick highly exotic destinations that offer unique types of adventures. 

TMR: What advice do you have for young travel agents just starting out?
PF: The most important thing to become an extraordinary travel agent professional is to be passionate about travel and our industry. You must have a true hunger for travel to excel in this field. If you are merely looking for a job, this is not the right place for you. You must exhibit a desire to work with people, foster long-lasting relationships, and better yourself as a human being. Being a travel agent is not a simple job, it’s a calling. And you must make sure to be ready for it. The rest is trainable.