Online Travel Company, Tripster, Honors 10 Year Employee Anniversary

Tripster, a leader in travel reservations and booking solutions for travel suppliers for 13 years, honored Diana Coleman Kersh on March 1st for 10 years of service to the company. Diana, Tripster’s Senior Market Manager, started with the company in March of 2004 and is the second employee to reach a ten year work anniversary.

Diana started as the Market Manager for Tripster at its first destination in Branson, MO, coming to the job with nearly a decade of experience in the Travel and Tourism Industry. Her industry knowledge and drive made her an integral part of the then-small company. As Tripster grew to include 10 destinations Diana was responsible for training new Market Managers and was an energetic component to the ongoing expansion of the company.

“Diana has been instrumental in the growth of our company through her long standing relationships in the travel industry and assume-the-sale approach,” stated Tripster President John Johnson. “Her experience and nurturing manner has also developed well to suit her role guiding all of our market managers. We’ve been lucky to have her onboard.”

Promoted to Senior Market Manager in 2011, Diana now oversees several destinations and Market Managers, providing training, management, and expertise while still serving as the Branson Market Manager. She is an active member in state and local attraction associations in Branson and several other destinations.

Diana said “Being part of the most advanced technology reservation company in the world and having an opportunity to work with all types of travel suppliers – hoteliers, shows, attractions, chambers and associations – in the progressive Internet Sales Market is what makes my career so dynamically rewarding.”

Tripster congratulates Diana on 10 years of dedicated service.
About Tripster
Tripster is a travel reservation technology company that focuses on specific travel destinations, offering local expertise and reservations for shows and attractions, as well as hotel reservations to vacationers, families and businesses. The company also offers fulfillment tools to travel suppliers and other regional travel resources. Tripster provides travel service in a variety of markets like Branson, Missouri; Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Orlando, St. Augustine, Panama City Beach and Destin, Florida; Williamsburg, Virginia; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the Hawaiian Islands.

Tripster Celebrates Ten Years of Providing Convenient and Affordable Reservations for Millions of Travelers to the Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

Three million visitors and $30 million in travel sales later, Tripster remains the premier choice for booking hotels and attractions in the Smoky Mountains. The online travel agency (OTA) offers discounted tickets to individual attractions, hotels and lodging, and all-inclusive, customizable vacation packages.

To help travelers get the most out of their experience, complete Smoky Mountains vacation packages are available; these packages include accommodations that range from luxury suites to quaint mountain cabins, along with a choice of tickets to leading area shows and attractions. Some of the most popular tickets on Tripster include:

  • Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede
  • Lumberjack Feud Dinner & Show
  • Titanic Museum
  • Smoky Mountain Opry
  • Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
  • Dollywood
  • Biltmore Estate

Last March, Tennessee native Joan Brock joined the Tripster team, bringing with her 20-plus years of marketing and sales experience in the travel industry. Since then, Brock has been instrumental in negotiating and strengthening relationships with numerous travel suppliers in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and surrounding areas. In fact, she just received a “Friendship Award of the Year” from the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. Part of her mission going forward will be to expand Tripster’s footprint in this region, which sees over 20 million visitors each year.

Tripster and its family of travel destination sites cater to individual travelers, families and businesses. The common denominator is the convenience and potential savings compared to both competitors and direct booking. Each destination site features informative travel guides and up-to-date news on various seasonal events. Tripster relies on local insight to ensure that vacationers experience the best that every destination has to offer.

The combination of competitive pricing and convenient, one-stop shopping has contributed to Tripster’s near decade of success. Travelers can quickly browse all of their options and then tailor a vacation package to fit their needs. E-Tickets are immediately available for printing upon completion of an order; because all orders are saved in customers’ accounts, tickets can never be lost.

In the past nine years, Tripster has progressively grown its market share in the Smoky Mountains. In fact, 2013 saw a 40% increase over prior year sales numbers and forecasts indicate exceeding that growth in 2014. Economists agree that a sure sign of an improving economy is more people and families going on vacation. By offering compelling vacation savings, Tripster is enabling more people than ever to get away from it all and experience some of America’s greatest destinations.

2013 Sevierville Chamber Friend of the Year: Joan Brock of Tripster

Tripster would like to congratulate Smoky Mountains Market Manager Joan Brock on her 2013 Chamber Friend of the Year Award. The prestigious title, awarded by the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, honors Brock for her outstanding support and promotion of the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce throughout the year. The award was presented during the annual Membership Breakfast on February 25, 2014.

Brock, who is active in the Smoky Mountain Community, earned the Chamber Friend of the Year Award by accumulating more Friendship Award points than any other member. Points were earned by attending the numerous Chamber networking functions such as ribbon cuttings, volunteering at special events and recruiting new members. Brock’s active member status, as well as her up-to-date knowledge regarding travel trends, also played a factor.

As a thank you for her support of the Sevierville Chamber, Brock received a trophy courtesy of Sign Master and a two night stay, golf and dinner at The Waynesville Inn courtesy of Smoky Mountain Living magazine.

Sevierville Chamber of Commerce Friendship Awards are based on points accumulated monthly from attending Chamber functions and volunteering as well as bringing inactive members and potential new members to Chamber events. Monthly points will go towards determining the next Chamber Friend of the Year Award recipient, who will be honored at the annual Membership Breakfast in 2015.