After using a travel adviser to plan a family trip, she considered the idea of becoming a travel adviser herself. In spring 2021, Wood combined her passions for travel and planning and opened her own business, Daybreak Travel Co., in Leander.
“As a younger adult, I spent so much time watching [Bourdain and Zimmer] ... just connect with people across all these different cultures, and that was really inspiring for me to be able to experience these other cultures and not just see the pretty places, but really connect with other people,” Wood said.
Because she started her business during the height of COVID-19, Wood experienced all the changes the travel industry faced that came with the pandemic, from rising travel prices to staffing issues at airports and resorts. Despite these challenges, Wood said she finds a way to create a memorable trip for her clients, no matter their budget.
“In the travel industry you have to pivot constantly, and so it’s a challenge, but I’m up for a challenge,” Wood said.
Although many aspects of planning a trip can be done online without consulting another person, Wood said providing services to her customers such as information on how to exchange currency, transportation coordination and restaurant recommendations set her business apart.
“I eat a gluten-free diet, and so I know how important it is to be able to find things like that when you’re traveling,” she said.
Daybreak Travel Co. will soon be undergoing a visual rebrand, including a new website.
Wood said that along with the rebrand she wants to create more fully customizable itineraries for her clients. Her top destinations are countries in Latin America, Hawaii and theme parks such as Walt Disney World.
“Everything is customized—the flights, the travel insurance, the mode of transportation,” Wood said. “Anything they can possibly imagine, we can turn that into the perfect trip for them.”
For Wood, she said the best part of her job is helping her clients make the connections and memories that she has gotten from her experiences traveling.
“Seeing the world in different ways, experiencing things that help somebody get outside of their comfort zone, I think that’s the best part,” Wood said. “I really do think travel changes you.”
Daybreak Travel Co.
512-850-4581
https://daybreaktravelco.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sat.-Sun.
