In its annual list of the 125 best travel agents in the USA, Travel+Leisure magazine named Wilmette, IL based Select Italy and its president, Andrea Sertoli, as A-List Super Agents for Italy. This is the fifth time that Sertoli has been honored with this designation.
In the September issue of Travel+Leisure magazine, magazine editors and travel agents at American Express released their 2006 "A-List of Super Agents for Travel Worldwide". This annual list features 125 top U.S. travel agents whose expertise and high levels of service set them apart from the crowd – according to Travel+Leisure, they are "the best of the best (…and…) provide unparalleled levels of service and essential advice." For the fifth consecutive year, Andrea Sertoli, President of Wilmette-based Select Italy, has been named as an "A-List Super Agent" for travel to Italy. Sertoli is one of only four Italy specialists in the US to win this coveted "A-List" designation.
Sertoli, a Rome native who has lived in the Chicago area for twelve years, founded Select Italy in 1997 after a career in the European hotel industry. From the outset, Andrea realized that there was a need for the Italian niche travel expertise that he could offer. He concentrated on providing personalized, custom travel planning as the core service in the Select Italy repertoire. Using a vast network of contacts within the Italian tourism industry, he built his company from the ground up and earned a reputation for unrivalled breadth of Italian expertise and excellent customer service.
At the same time, taking note of the technological evolution of the travel industry and a growing demand for individual services as well as full custom trips, Sertoli focused on expanding the company’s Internet presence. Now, the Select Italy website is a core tool for bringing Select Italy’s museum reservations, private walking tours, and services to the world on an ala carte basis. He has consistently developed the Select Italy website in order to provide clients with immediate access to complete information about tours and services and to offer online booking capabilities wherever possible.
"Being named to Travel+Leisure’s ‘A-List’ is one the highest accolades one can receive within our industry," said Andrea. "It’s very satisfying to be recognized as one of the best by the top travel magazine because it validates what I set out to accomplish when I started the company."
"Through our connections in Italy, we have the access to the many villas, country inns, apartments and boutique hotels that most American agents are unable or would not know how to book. We can arrange for completely private tours of the Sistine Chapel, tours of Italy from behind the wheel of a Ferrari or anything else you can dream of. What distinguishes us from most other travel agents is that we have the connections, networks and the ability to get these things done in Italy."
As part of the Travel + Leisure "A-List", each agent is asked about their "Dream Trip". This year Andrea picked one of the lesser-known regions of Italy, Le Marche (the Marches), on Italy’s eastern coast. Exploring this off-the-beaten path area with its classic medieval castles, Renaissance cities, opera festivals and world-class beaches is how he says he would like to spend his own vacation.
For more information on Andrea Sertoli and Select Italy, log onto www.selectitaly.com. The Travel + Leisure "A-List" is in the September issue of Travel + Leisure or you can find it on the magazine website at http://www.travelandleisure.com.
To discuss story ideas or schedule an interview with Andrea Sertoli, contact Seth Zurer at 1-800-877-1755 or 1-847-853-1661.
