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In Focus | Donna Bennett of KVI Travel

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.

What is your name?
Donna Bennett

What do you always find yourself saying?
I’m so excited for you!

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select and why?
Oprah, because she has accomplished so much in her life, seems so grounded, and has had conversations with many interesting people. I’m sure she would have some great insight about many topics.

If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
Awards are a bit of a funny thing, in that there has to be a winner and loser, but I guess I would pick the Nobel Peace Prize.

If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would you choose and why?
It would be fascinating to hang out with Albert Einstein, so he could teach me about things like quantum physics and the theory of relativity.

Who inspires you?
People who do nice little things for no reason, which make a difference in someone else’s life, just because they can.

What are three things on your bucket list?
Practising more gratitude for people and things every day, way more travel, and helping more people so I can continue to make a difference in the world.

If you had an enormous yacht, what would you name it?
Belladonna, because I had a mixed-media art website called Belladonna, and I like the sound of the name.

If you could foresee a single day of your future in its entirety, what date would you select?
The date I win a big lottery. It would be so exciting to help more people get rid of financial stress, and I would have the opportunity to help people in so many more ways.

What are you passionate about?
Travel, people, art, music, writing, dancing, great food, wine, health and wellness, and riding my motorcycle. I have written three articles on travel which has been published in the Okanagan ICON magazine and I enjoy writing blogs that I share on our website.

What has been your favourite day of your life, up to this point?
The day I married my husband Greg, because it was so amazing to have all of our friends and family there, and there was so much great energy and love all around.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Our children.

Where is your favourite place to dine in Kelowna? What do you like about it?
Bistro Fandango because Chef Derek Benitz is one of the nicest people I know. He is super talented, and creates culinary delights from locally-sourced products. The ambience is cozy, and very romantic too!

What is your favourite activity or event in Kelowna? Why?
I love any event with live music. My husband Greg is an amazing guitar player, and plays in a band called Fat Foot Five. I love supporting local restaurants, riding my motorcycle through the beautiful vistas, and shopping at Opus for new art supplies.

What is the name of your business/organization?
KVI Travel

What does your business/organization do?
We assist our clients with all of their vacation details, so they have the best experience possible, and make memories that last a lifetime. KVI is a full service travel agency, offering a complete range of river cruises, ocean cruises, land tours, all-inclusive resort packages, flights, hotels and travelers insurance.
Time is everyone’s most precious resource, and even if you have a lot of money, you can never buy more time. Without a travel consultant, people can waste hours on the internet, and sometimes book a vacation and that turns out to be a poor match for them, and more often than not it really wasn’t such a “great deal” after all. To spend a whole week at an all-inclusive resort that was not right for you, or to be on a cruise ship, with the wrong demographics, is a poor way to spend your precious vacation time. The internet is a wonderful tool however, there is so much information out there that it can be overwhelming to read all of the fine print, and really understand what you’re getting into.

Since we are independent agents, we have the privilege of getting to know our clients really well, as we are not at a call centre being timed as to how long we are on the phone, and we are not restricted to specific office hours, so we can be available when our clients need us. Our business is totally mobile, and even when my husband and I travel, we are still available to help our clients. I am usually in our KVI office downtown, so if a person prefers to meet in person, that is great and a lot of people are happy just contact me by phone or email. I am passionate about travel, and excited to take care of the details, save you time, and help you and your family and friends have an amazing vacation!

At KVI Travel we provide exceptional personal service by using our extensive travel experience, and knowledge of the industry, to help you pick the right vacation and get the best value for your money. We do not charge a fee when you are booking an ocean or river cruise, land tour, or all-inclusive vacation. When you “Travel with Greg and Donna” we can take care of all the details for you, and you can make the memories!

Where can people find you or your business online?
www.travelwithgd.com

How do people connect with you on Linkedin?
Donna Ross Bennett

Where can people find your business on Facebook?
Travel with Greg and Donna

What is your Twitter account?
@GregandDonnaKVI

What is your mission?
Personal service for a global community.

If you could achieve one thing within your field, what would it be?
To be known as someone who really understands their clients, provides excellent personal service, takes care of the details, and helps people to have vacations that create memories that last a lifetime.

Where do you want your business/organization to be in five years?
I would love to have our brand “Travel with Greg and Donna” at the top of everyone’s mind, as a team that can provide exceptional service and add value when they are planning a holiday. My husband Greg and I would like the opportunity to earn more “raving fans” and be the faces that everyone recognizes as a skilled travel team at KVI that really cares about their clients. KVI Travel has a solid reputation globally as company that excels in personal service, and I would like more people in the Okanagan area to realize what an amazing Canadian owned travel agency they have right in their valley.

Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
Kyle Oram, the CEO of KVI Travel is a forerunner in the travel industry. Kyle is on the board of directors for many large organizations and he is on the cutting-edge of everything that is new in the travel industry. His decisions, along with others, are shaping the entire future of the travel industry. He just returned from a one week meeting in Europe that was held on an Avalon river cruise ship, and he had productive discussions with the world wide leaders of major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Crystal, Holland America, and Norwegian cruise lines, to name a few. Kyle lives and works right here in Kelowna.

What three qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
Personal service, innovation, Integrity.

How does your business/organization impact the community?
KVI Travel is a family owned, Canadian company and our Global Head office is right in heart of the cultural district in downtown Kelowna. We rent office space and pay taxes right here and contribute to the economy. KVI employees like my husband and I shop at local businesses, we participate in trade shows, and plan travel events here. When you book your travel through us, the money goes back into the community. KVI has helped raise a large amount of money for the BC Cancer Foundation, and I also enjoy volunteering at the Art Gallery. We make the community a better place by helping people travel and enjoy time with each other, and their families, and then they come home from a vacation more relaxed and productive.

If you were trapped in an elevator with several wealthy investors from any field, which field would you want them to be experts in? What would say to them/talk about?
When you have a lot of money, you can hire the right experts to help you out, so I would want the investors to be open minded, grounded and compassionate. I would love to talk to them about developing a program that involves travel for young people especially. It would be amazing if every student that graduated from Grade 12 had the opportunity to travel around a variety of countries for around six months and learn about other cultures and people. I think this would educate our youth on cultural differences, create more peace in the world through understanding the importance of diversity and give them inspiration to make improvements in the world.

If I could change one thing about Kelowna, it would be:
More venues for live music, and art, as well as easier, more cost effective ways for people to get home safely after going out.

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
I love the seasons and the weather, the people, the gorgeous vistas, the wineries, the lake, and I think it is just the right size. Kelowna is an epic playground!

My choice for the Kelowna In Focus spotlight is:
Sheila Benson of www.pureheartwellness.com

Some general comments I would like to share are:
I believe all of us are connected to everyone, and everything, “As One.” Travel is one of the most powerful ways to become educated about the beautiful planet we share, and gain a deeper understanding of the people who live on it, to create more peace and caring in the world. We need each other to survive, and we cannot exist by ourselves.
The Dalai Lama says “Our purpose in life is achieving happiness.” Deep down we are all the same, whether we were born in Africa or Canada, whether we are considered wealthy or poor. We all have similar basic needs and feelings. We love our children, feel grief and sorrow, and extreme joy and happiness the same way no matter where we were born. I feel my career as a travel consultant is magical and powerful, as travel breaks down the barriers of cultural differences, educates, inspires, and connects all of us “As One.” Travel gives us an opportunity to reconnect with our loved ones, to have time to reflect inward, have new experiences, and meet new people. All of this can be life changing! Travel changes people, and people can change the world. Your next amazing adventure awaits! Please call me today!

We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!



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