In our world’s current boom of technology, it’s hard to imagine a travel agency existing in 2015. But not only does Wayzata’s Minnetonka Travel still exist—after 39 years in business—it continues to thrive.
Roger and Lenore Miller opened Minnetonka Travel in 1976. Roger passed away in 2012, but Lenore still works at the agency with their daughter, Jennifer Yokiel. The Millers met while working for Northwest Airlines, where Roger worked in sales, including making travel arrangements for the Minnesota Vikings, North Stars and Gophers. “My husband was a true adventurer,” Lenore Miller says. “It was kind of a natural stepping stone to opening our own travel agency. Yokiel and the Millers’ other daughter, Heidi Windmiller, both had summer jobs at the agency as young adults. Yokiel stayed on and has made her passion for the travel industry her career.
When the agency first opened, all of the work was done via telephone, and hard copies of plane tickets were still required. It’s incredible to think about today, when reservations can be made online with a few clicks, and boarding passes are only a smartphone-tap away—but traveling was a totally different experience in the 1970s. Still, the core of the business is the same, says Jennifer Yokiel. “The biggest draw is it’s all about people,” she says. Most of Minnetonka Travel’s customers are local, meaning Miller and Yokiel get to help friends and neighbors see the world.
More than anything, the travel agency offers journeys and experiences. Anyone can go online and book a hotel or a flight—but working with a travel expert means you get help planning the perfect vacation.
Often, travelers come to Minnetonka Travel looking to book a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Perhaps it’s an overseas sojourn in Europe, or a fun-packed family getaway to DisneyWorld. For those big-ticket vacations, the value of a travel agent—that face-to-face connection and expertise—can make a world of difference, Yokiel says. For one traveler, the perfect luxury rental car might take the trip to the next level. For another, the focus might be on great dining. And some travelers just want to relax. “We try to find out what they want from a vacation,” Miller says. “What is going to make the trip the best experience?”
Travel agents serve two main purposes. One is to be a personal travel consultant, and handle all the details, from reservations to itineraries. The other is to be a dream-creator: to help put together a vacation package that will fulfill each traveler’s vision of the perfect trip. Minnetonka Travel agents have all traveled the world, and they’re passionate about sharing that knowledge with clients.
“Traveling certainly expands your horizons beyond the local area,” Yokiel says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to see how other people live and fills your life with memories. [As a kid], you won’t remember your toys, but you always remember being at a beach in Spain when you’re 7 years old.”
“Traveling is in our blood,” Miller says. ”We still do family trips together, and it is so instilled in us. I feel like my husband started a legacy in 1976 that is still very much alive.”
