EDITOR’S NOTE: Pat Williamson, owner of Pat Tours, is one of nearly 100 local businesswomen who will be recognized Sept. 23 during Main Street Manning’s annual meeting. The Manning Times will be featuring a few of these women each week throughout September in The Manning Times, and those who wanted to participate in the program on manninglive.com starting today.
Pat Williamson has enjoyed seeing the excitement her countless tours and more than 55 cruises have brought to her clients’ lives during more than three decades in business with Pat Tours.
She said her parents made traveling a part of her childhood, and that her business grew out of her wishes to provide her three children with memorable experiences upon their graduations from high school.
“When each of my children graduated from high school, I wanted to take them somewhere that they would remember of life,” Williamson said. “I just had to find a way to pay for Mom to go, too. Thus, Pat Tours was created when my oldest child was getting ready to graduate in 1991.”
Her oldest went to Greece, Italy and Israel.
“With my next child, it was Spain and Portugal,” Williamson said. “With my last child, it was not only to celebrate her graduation but her 18th birthday with a trip to Hawaii. Since they, they have all traveled to wonderful places with me.”
Though most of her clients know their destinations before Williamson leads them around the world, some of her most popular trips are her “mystery tours.”
“The places I choose for those trips are usually to places I have been – but probably could not sell if I tried to explain them to you,” she said. “They are always special tours, and I can truly say that most folks are definitely not disappointed. I give clues, plus tell you what direction we will be heading and what clothes to pack.” She said the key to running a successful travel business is in the pre-planning.
“There are so many facets of a trip to take care of, from meals, hotels, airfare, bus travel, working with drivers, tour vendors and even the rest stops on bus tours,” she said. “Everything has to be thought out way ahead of time. Very seldom can you just wing it and hope all works out well.”
Weather can be her biggest challenge.
“I don’t have control over that, and it can delay air flights or change transportation routes at the last minute,” she said.
She said she has no plans to stop in the near future.
“I have not yet thought about retirement, but I think when I no longer find it challenging and exciting to put together a trip or look forward to taking a group somewhere, then that will be my clue,” she said. “My goal is to enjoy my life, enjoy my family and enjoy the work that I have chosen. I make prayer a part of every tour and I have seen firsthand how important my faith is in my business. I could never do this on my own. I have the greatest Co-pilot ever.”
