T R AV E L
“I separate myself with superior
customer service.
My business is referral,
repeat and word of mouth.”
BETTY HOUSTON
Co-owner, Cardinal Tours, Pompton Lakes
CARDINAL TOURS
270 Wanaque Ave., Pompton Lakes, 973-835-0177,
www.cardinaltoursllc.com
According to Betty Houston, who co-owns
Cardinal Tours in Pompton Lakes with her husband,
Bill, travel planning is more than finding a cheap
deal. It takes patience, research and knowledge to
choose the best places and avoid travel disasters.
Houston has been in the travel industry since 1999
and has owned a Cruise Planner franchise since
2011. “There’s a lot of competition out there, but
I separate myself with superior customer service.
My business is referral, repeat and word of mouth,”
she states.
At Cardinal Tours, the cardinal rule is to find
clients the best vacation values to match their
lifestyles, desires and budgets. Houston’s relationships with tour companies and cruise lines allow her
privileged access to discounted rates, special offers
and unique amenities. “Vacations are important to
overall mental health,” she notes. “I spend so much
time researching products, prices, destinations and
what clients’ hopes are for their travel.”
Lately, a large volume of the vacations being
booked at Cardinal Tours are river cruises and allinclusive resorts. Houston is certified as a river cruise
specialist with Avalon, and has received an award for
her sales volume with Colette Tours. Dealing with
reputable tour operators and suppliers, she has
arranged escort motor coach trips all over the United
States, Canada and Europe.
Houston also points out that in general people are
feeling more confident about their own finances, and
the American dollar is getting stronger in Europe.
“The Euro dropping as much as it has is a huge
incentive for people to travel there again,” Houston
says. Cardinal Tours has planned group trips for the
Pompton Lakes Chamber of Commerce and for
St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes. ➤
MAY 2015 WAYNE MAGAZINE
31