California Agency Takes Manhattan in Bicoastal Expansion
by Maria LenhartFollowing the lead of its entertainment industry clients, a Los Angeles-area travel agency has gone bicoastal, opening an office in New York City earlier this month.
“I’d always wanted an East Coast exposure,” said Steve Orens, president of Plaza Travel, a Signature agency headquartered in Encino, Calif. “A large portion of our clients are based in Los Angeles or New York, so there is a lot of activity in both directions.”
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The move to New York was a long time coming for the agency which was purchased by the Orens family in 1985 and came to include locations in nearby Santa Monica and Universal City.
Today, Plaza Travel has approximately 80 travel consultants and gross annual sales of $50 million-plus. The agency focuses primarily on entertainment, corporate and luxury leisure travel.
A good fit
The expansion to a Manhattan address was spurred by Orens’ introduction to Amber Lock and Nora Ingalls, two New York-based independent travel consultants who specialize in the music industry. The pair are heading up the new branch on West 20th Street, where there are a total of six travel consultants.
“All of us were looking for expansion and growth opportunities – it was a good fit,” Orens said.
Ingalls noted that her and Lock’s expertise in the music industry meshes well with Plaza’s strength in the broader entertainment industry. At the same time, the two agents are looking forward to widening their horizons.
“As we grow the New York office, we’re excited to expand our reach outside of music into leisure, non-music entertainment and corporate travel,” Ingalls said.
Although Plaza Travel includes agents who are home-based as well as those who work at a branch location, Orens thought it was important to open a storefront location in New York.
“There is value in a storefront location – the camaraderie, sales rep visiting the office,” he said.
‘Knock on wood’
Plaza Travel has experienced continual growth over the years, according to Orens. “Knock on wood – we’ve always been proactive and ahead of the game,” he said.
“We didn’t see a big slump during the downturn and kept investing in our technology and vendor relationships. We’ve grown year over year through new business, not by acquisitions.”
He credits this growth to a commitment to customer service. “It’s the little things that count. Even when you make a mistake or an error, there are opportunities to show your clients what you can do.”
Top-notch service is especially important when serving the entertainment industry, Orens noted. “You are dealing with high-profile people and there are confidential considerations as well. Plus there are challenges that occur 24/7 and constant changes to be addressed.”
Organic growth
By focusing on serving existing clients, Orens said business has grown “organically” through referrals. “Our client growth is slow and steady – our best resources are our current clients,” he said. “We want to build long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial.”
Helping this along means personal communication from the top, he added.
“Whenever we get a new client through a referral, I always send them a personal email. When they get one from the president of the agency, it means something.”
Crossover business between the agency’s main travel niches has also fueled growth, he said. “In particular, crossover business has come from the corporate entertainment side into the luxury leisure side,” he said. “They are similar markets.”
