MAKES ITS COMEBACK
itinerary we want to promote . If it ’ s good for me , I am confident it will be enjoyed by others .”
Reminding Travelers About the Advantages of Motorcoach Travel With safety precautions in place , Sayah thinks it is time to restart the discussion about motorcoach travel ’ s traditional strengths . “ We have a newer fleet of coaches powered by clean diesel engines ,” she explained . “ Travel by motorcoach is by far the greenest way to travel per passenger mile among planes , trains and cars .” Motorcoaches also beat the competition by checking all the boxes of what travelers want today : safety , savings , and convenience . These features are also part of Best Tours ’ longtime messaging to the community and clients it serves . As a board member of the California Bus Association ( CBA ), Sayah supports CBA ’ s work on behalf of its members . When California ’ s Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) required fleet renewal registration even though coaches were parked during the COVID shutdown , Sayah worked in cooperation with other CBA members , contacting her local representatives , to successfully convince the California State Assembly to refund 2020 registration fees . With future coffee dates planned with her local assembly members , Sayah said operators can benefit by getting involved and building rapport with their representatives and regulators at the local , state , and federal level . “ We are family-owned small businesses in a niche market ,” she said . “ But our motorcoaches have a big impact . We are green , clean , and necessary for leisure , corporate , athletic and school travel and to move groups of people in emergency situations .”
She added that public officials also benefit by understanding “ the intricacies of our operations as they decide which regulations should impact our country ’ s transportation infrastructure . We want a seat at the table .”
A Business Built on Relationships Sayah was a newborn when her father Nick opened up a boutique travel agency specializing in tours . With a civil engineering degree and an established career as a travel agent working for airlines , his new business flourished . Best Tours decals started appearing on local rented motorcoaches and as the business grew , Nick Sayah took the financial leap to build his own fleet . “ I remember Saturday mornings getting up at 4:30 to go with mom and dad to the bus yard and help with paperwork and see the travelers off ,” she said . “ It was the greatest fun in the world . Back then , everything was done the old-fashioned way . Yet the way they put relationships at the center of everything , that ’ s how we still operate today .” Best Tours & Travel is also a member of the American Bus Association ( ABA ) and the United Motorcoach Association ( UMA ). At the CBA , Jasmine Sayah has served as a board member since 2019 . She is also a member of ABA ’ s Women in Buses Council and Board Member of Saint Agnes Women ’ s Club . “ This past year was a true test of our faith and will ,” she said . “ So many of our longtime customers were cheering us on with words of encouragement . I am so grateful to them , my family , staff and industry friends for their support and to carry through these difficult and uncertain times ."
BUSRIDE . COM | 27