Loreto DeRubeis, Group Department Manager for Central Holidays | Travel Research Online

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Loreto DeRubeis, Group Department Manager for Central Holidays

 

loreto

Loreto DeRubeis joins Central Holidays as the Manager of Group Operations, bringing with him 35 years of expertise in the travel industry.  This expertise comes from positions in international sales, luxury hotels, airlines, but mostly from travel companies where his accomplishments have been in product development, marketing, and as group and FIT specialist in destinations throughout the world.

DeRubeis is passionate about travel, and has firsthand knowledge of destinations in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, and Africa.  Throughout his career,  DeRubeis has been dedicated to making the clients’ dream a reality, and looks forward to providing unrivaled service to clients who travel with Central Holidays.

TRO: Tell us about your role at Central Holidays.

Loreto DeRubeis: My primary role at Central Holidays is to manage the group department; in addition I oversee the “World on Skis” and assist in developing new products such as a new high end FIT division “Journeys” and “Outdoor Journeys” focusing on outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking, etc.

 

TRO: What is your most fond travel memory?
LD: I have been in the industry for 40 years and have held positions in all facets of the industry from airline, to hospitality, to wholesale and retail. I’ve been blessed to have a multitude of travel experiences both good and sometimes bad. Each has helped to shape my love and understanding of this incredible business.

To truly enjoy our work, you must be a people person and be willing to accept all peoples and cultures for what they are. Therefore, I cannot single out the one memory but a multitude of memories based on persons I have had the pleasure to meet from all the places I have visited.

 

TRO: What aspect of travel inspired you to work in the travel industry?
LD: I have always had the travel bug and wanted to see as much of the world as I could.

 

TRO: What is a unique feature or service of Central Holidays?
LD: Being an international tour operator, Central is unique in that we are always revamping our products to keep pace with the travel trends of the day, such as the fitness and adventure travel that I previously mentioned.

 

TRO: Central Holidays has destinations all over the world, is there a particular destination that does exceedingly better than the others?
LD: We are most noted for our Italy products and continue to be at the forefront of this incredible destination. Although most travellers have visited Italy at one time or another, we are always introducing new regions or experiences to enjoy it.

 

TRO: What is Central Holidays’ relationship with travel agents?
LD: We have an excellent relationship with the travel agent community, which has traditionally been the main distribution of our products.

 

TRO: What types of strategies does Central Holidays use to uphold their longstanding success as a tour operator?
LD: As I previously mentioned, I believe it’s our ability to adapt to the changes in the traveling habits of the industry.  We are always working with our partner agents to satisfy their clients’ wishes.

 

TRO: Does Central Holidays offer any ‘special’ programs for travelers?
LD: In terms of special programs, besides our usual products, we have expanded to include other destinations such as South America, South Africa, and the Middle East. We are also offering more experienced based programs with emphasis on food and wine.

 

TRO: Is there anything on the horizon in 2014 Central Holidays?
LD: Our most interesting programs are the ones involving the outdoors, with cycling being our newest product.

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