are personalised attention and expert advice. At Global Travel, Bermuda's newest agency, clients can expect to receive just that. The company's owners/managers -- Deryn Jolliffe Higgins and Suzanne Watson Ingham -- have more than 40 years of industry experience between them and are determined to use that knowledge to the benefit of their customers. The travel gurus met seven years ago while working in LP Gutteridge Ltd.'s travel department and discussed opening their own agency for several years. However, it was only after they discovered available office space in the recently-renovated Park House on Middle Road in Smith's Parish, that the idea was given serious consideration. "Since the end of August we knew that the facility had a new owner and that it was available but nothing permanent was decided on until later in the year, towards the end of October,'' explained Mrs. Watson Ingham.

"We had talked about it before and knew we shared the same ideas for the business. Basically, both of us had done leisure and corporate travel and we'd worked for both smaller, and larger companies. We had our own opinions and a feeling of what our clients liked and what they didn't like. So what we've tried to do is to incorporate all those experiences and figure out how best to get them together for our customers.'' Added Mrs. Higgins: "We really wanted to focus on personal service. We know that it's important to our clients and we don't want them to feel lost.'' The two began their careers at different points -- Mrs. Watson Ingham with the airline side of the business and Mrs.

Higgins in the agency side. "I joined Pan American Airlines in 1970 as a passenger service agent and later transferred to the reservations and ticket office in Hamilton,'' said Mrs. Watson Ingham. "When Pan Am relocated their reservations and ticket office back to the Airport, I was promoted to reservation senior agent and then to supervisor.'' With the route exchange between Pan Am and American Airlines, Mrs. Watson Ingham maintained her position. And after American began computerising its reservations process, she was made Sabre Co-ordinator for American Airlines and Sabre Agencies in Bermuda. In 1985, Mrs. Watson Ingham joined Penboss Associates as a travel consultant, learning both leisure and corporate travel and building her loyal client base. Mrs. Higgins joined L.P. Gutteridge in 1982 as the travel secretary to the travel manager and was subsequently promoted to supervisor.

She successfully established the company's Corporate Travel Department and, when it merged with Kitson & Co. Ltd., was promoted to deputy manager. Mrs.

Higgins has also completed numerous courses in sales and marketing with the American Hotel and Motel Association, numerous management courses and holds a degree in Travel and Tourism. "We're both well known in the industry and have over 40 years between us. So, even though we are a new agency, we're not new at it,'' said Mrs. Higgins. "And we've met with various officers of any departments that is tourist or travel related. We felt it was important to support and be part of the industry.'' Aiding their desire for customer satisfaction is their well-trained and knowledgeable staff -- office administrator, June North and travel agent, Anna Finkbeiner. As part of that plan, Mrs. Watson Ingham said, the two decided that in order to make their customers feel as welcome as possible, a human voice, rather than a mechanical one should always be available to them. "We decided against Voice Mail,'' said Mrs. Watson Ingham. "So many of our clients expressed their dislike of it. So instead, we have a personal Voice Mail, June North, with whom they can talk to instead of a machine. "We didn't want to fall into a situation similar to many of those that we'd been in before, where sometimes the volume of a business can leave the travel agent feeling rushed and the client feeling rushed, so although we certainly welcome new clients, we're trying to stay small. We are a fully-functional travel company. Basically, we do everything -- group travel, individual travel, visas, hotels, car rentals, rail travel, Clients first, at Global Travel! great location -- only five minutes from Hamilton and on the main artery to the airport,'' said Mrs. Watson Ingham. "You don't have to worry about traffic and parking and we're on the ground floor of the building which makes us wheelchair accessible. So we're accessible to everybody. Even those that don't drive can take the bus to us.'' The facility was officially opened last Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by James Gibbons of Gibbons Management Services. Events were scheduled over the rest of the week to ensure that all clients, family, friends and directors -- Mrs. Watson Ingham, Mrs.

Higgins, Katherine Ingham, John Ingham and Don Jolliffe -- were present for the celebrations. Global Travel is a member of the Bermuda Travel Agency Association and the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and may be reached on the Internet at www.saberes.com /ad15 or e-mailed at globaltravel y IBL.BM. Global Travel is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. PHOTO The Global Travel team from left: office administrator, June North, owner/manager, Suzanne Watson Ingham, travel agent, Anna Finkbeiner and owner/manager Deryn Higgins Co-owner and co-manager of Global Travel, Suzanne Watson Ingham has a wide and varied background in the travel industry having worked for two airlines before becoming a travel consultant. Co-owner and co-manager of Global Travel, Deryn Higgins, is determined that each of her clients receive the attention and expert advice necessary to plan a perfect trip -- whether corporate or leisure travel Bermuda's newest travel agency was opened last week, promising personal service and expert travel advice to each customer. Located on Middle Road in Smith's Parish, Global Travel is co-owned and managed by Deryn Jolliffe Higgins and Suzanne Watson Ingham. The couple have more than 40 years experience between them in every aspect of the travel industry and promise to share their collective expertise with their loyal customers. Shown, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the agency's opening are (from left) Mrs.

Watson Ingham, Mr. James Gibbons and Mrs. Higgins. Valued clients, family members and friends were invited to attend various receptions commemorating the latest addition to Bermuda's travel industry. Travel consultant at Global Travel, Anna Finkbeiner, is ready to offer Global Travel's clients her years of experience and a willing smile The friendly voice of Global Travel's office administrator, June North, welcomes each client to the agency