This year, Boscov’s Travel is celebrating their 50 year anniversary. As these 50 years have passed by in seemingly, a blink of an eye, Boscov’s Travel has weathered some of the world’s biggest storms from pandemics, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and much more. As I sat down for a discussion with the company’s President, Pat Cinfici, who has been with the company since the beginning, I gathered my thoughts on how it must have been to work here when these world events occurred. I honestly couldn’t fathom any of this, at least until our conversation.
“Certainly, we have weathered a lot – recessions, political climates, 9/11 and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic,” Cinfici said. I had just asked her what some of the biggest challenges have been in the last 50 years of Boscov’s Travel. Her tone changed to saddened as she began to remember the many times when mountains were climbed with challenges to overcome.
The Rise of the Internet
Before the internet, Cinfici recalls handwriting plane tickets with many steps and tariff books involved. Travel Advisors also had to search through brochures, following with a call to travel partners to book their client’s travel. The process was a tedious one that they completed every day. When the Internet arose, she explained there was a time where people thought it would be the demise of travel companies – for the sole fact that people were able to book travel on their own. Unfortunately, for some companies it was. But Boscov’s Travel stood their ground with their no cost for complete vacation package planning services, their diversified product, and trusted presence in the community – all which still stand as the foundation today. Cinfici explained, “You cannot get human connection from a “box” (computer), as you would working with a Travel Advisor.” ‘This is true,’ I thought.
9/11
Cinfici recalled the worst impact for her on a personal and professional level being the 9/11 terrorist attacks. With the loss of many lives that day and the horrible memories, this day was a tragedy. Cinfici says she can “still see the day as if it was yesterday.”
She explained that Boscov’s Travel used to have the Boscov’s Department Store television department underneath them at their East location. Cinfici’s secretary at the time was at the office with her, and one of their coworkers called them as she had not come in yet.
“She called and told us a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. We ran down to the televisions and saw it. The first consensus was this had to be a fluke. We knew this was happening, but none of us thought this was a terrorist attack. As we were down there, we watched as a second plane hit the other tower. These events changed the makeup of everything,” Cinfici said with tears in her eyes. She told me the loss of lives were the most horrific thing about that day. I agreed with her.
As far as travel was concerned, the air space was closed for some time so Boscov’s Travel put a team into place who worked around the clock to get clients home safely. They rented cars from all over the country for clients just so they could drive home. Even after clients were home, Boscov’s Travel still had a lot of work to do.
“We had to face the challenges of clients being ‘understandably’ afraid to get on an airplane, for what was a very long time,” Cinfici recalled. “Not only that, but I had to eliminate positions because the business fell off. For me, this was a hard thing to do as I was affecting people’s lives and these people were my professional family. It was very difficult.” Cinfici was crying at this point. I’ve worked for her for over two years and I’ve never heard the full impact of these events. While I knew the impact was there, I finally understood the pain she felt during those very times and even now – loss.
Even after things started to settle and became more ‘normal,’ phones were not ringing as much as they used to for Boscov’s Travel. Cinfici explained, “We had to go outside the Boscov’s Travel offices to make business and to find business. This was the only way we were able to truly survive as a company. It worked, not only by my efforts but a lot of people’s efforts.”
Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Eruption
When Europe closed down due to the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano eruption, the ash affected the air which affected flights. This meant there were clients in Europe who couldn’t get home. “All of us, especially our Corporate Travel department worked tirelessly to get people home, but we got people home,” Cinfici explained. “We took our clients into different countries by boarding them via train to the next destination and so forth. As a country’s air space would close, we would get our clients to the next country. Italy was one of the last countries to close so we got them home through there.” These type of weather-related activities and even political climates are constantly changing the way people travel and Boscov’s Travel Advisors are on top of it day and night with a 24/7 emergency service line.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
We all know the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world, not just a single country. Four years ago, a Global Pandemic was deemed and those days were extremely difficult for Boscov’s Travel.
“Those days were very hard. For me personally, they went very fast. My office was at my dining room table so when I would get up at 4AM, I’d come downstairs, power up the computer and try to think of an inspirational quote and message that would get people motivated. I didn’t want anyone scared and worried about what was going to happen to us. That was one of the biggest challenges during that time,” Cinfici expressed.
I personally, was not with the company at the time, but I couldn’t imagine it – what she had to do or what anyone had to do during this time. The times of the pandemic were difficult and the waters were murky. One thing I did know as I listened to Cinfici recall these events, is that she is a go-getter and cares about her staff and clients – so I knew she would push through until she couldn’t, and that she did.
Cinfici explained, “The days went by so fast because I was on the phone from morning to night with people. I couldn’t wait until we reopened the offices as I had to assist clientele and my staff at home. I was also dependent on the store and the government telling us when we could reopen. I actually think the only reason we got through the pandemic was because of God’s grace, truly. That which does not kill you will definitely make you stronger.”
With that being said, the world began to open back up and Boscov’s Travel staff were back in office. Cinfici told me, “It was hard because every day each country had different rules and regulations which were being changed. My employees were nervous to sell some things to clients because one day a country may have been open and the next it could’ve been closed again.” She explained it was a tough road to navigate. “We lost some key staff members. They left the travel industry because of how the world was and how difficult the industry was becoming due to it. This was difficult, very difficult for everyone. I don’t want to go through it again, and I don’t want the world to go through it again. I don’t want us as an industry to go through it, nor us as a company – ever again.”
Pat Cinfici only skimmed the surface of just some of the things Boscov’s Travel has seen over the past 50 years. If there’s anything to take away, it’s that as a travel company, Boscov’s Travel is subject to what’s going on in the world – whether that be weather, politics, and much more. This is why it’s so important that the company has survived.
“I believe we survived because we have diversified product. People can come here and go anywhere they want in the world. They can go on a one-day trip or take a trip around the world, or everything in between. One of the reasons we did survive through all of these hard times is because we had to change. Change is hard. Some people don’t change, but then they will not be as successful,” Pat longed. “You truly just have to put one foot in front of the other. You have to recognize the fact that if God brought you to it, God gets you through it. That’s how I face it.”
Today, 50 years later, Boscov’s Travel is still standing stronger than ever. Pat Cinfici thanks you, our valued clients and her incredible team. Boscov’s Travel would not have gotten through some of the world’s biggest storms without all of you.