Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, Alex Paz is our new Galapagos Sales & Operations Support team member, however, she’s not new to travel. She’s been in the business for two decades now, having spent years working for Galapagos cruise ship companies, many of whom worked closely with Southern Explorations.
And just because she’s the newest member of our team doesn’t mean she’s new to what Southern Explorations is all about either.
“Oh, I met the Southern Explorations team back when they were the clients of one of the companies I used to work with,” she laughs. “That was almost 15 years ago!”
“I remember it was only Justin (Laycob, Founder and CEO) and Jonathan (Borgida, Senior Director of Sales and COO) in those days,” she recalls. “From the beginning, I liked the way they worked. They were always friendly. We all wanted our guests to have the most wonderful trip and they were always open to suggestions. They just wanted to make their guests dreams become a reality.”
Alex has always wanted the same thing for her guests, and since she already knew she got along really well with the Southern Explorations team, her fit with us was only natural.
“What I like most about my job is, every trip I help with is something that people have been dreaming about for a long time. I’m making that into something that is going to be real for guests. And now with Southern Explorations, I get to be even more involved with the guests than I used to be, so that is really great.”
She’s excited to help us continue to grow travel to Ecuador, since she’s long been a big promoter of her home country whenever she gets the chance. She’s a seasoned world traveler who has never shied away from letting the people she meets around the globe know just how remarkable of a place Ecuador is to visit.
“We’re a small country, but we have so many things to offer. Ecuador is not just the Galapagos. We have more than that. We have the Andes. We have the Amazon. And you have to come to Quito with it’s gorgeous downtown. It’s the biggest colonial downtown in South America. Being from Quito, I am very proud of the city. But the country too. We have something for everyone. Volcanoes, hiking, biking, horseback riding. Then, of course, there is the Galapagos.”
Alex doesn’t like taking guests to the regular tourist places. Instead, she wants to get you out to some of her favorite places in Quito, like a traditional dessert shop she adores, or any of the number of restaurants that she loves that serve “real Ecuadorian food.”
Then there’s “all the little museums, which we have a lot of.” The only thing is, most people miss them because they’re usually tucked away within churches and other historic sites that your average tourist simply walks past. Alex knows the city’s nooks and crannies and delights in getting people into them to better understand her home. If you’re asking her for her personal recommendation, she suggests taking time to just sit in Plaza de la Independencia and take in the city experience as it unfolds around you. “I love to just sit in the square and watch life. Take it slow. And you can get so much good food in the square! Like cotton candy and food from street vendors, plus there are so many good restaurants around the square.” Alex and the rest of our team are ready to craft an incredible trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for you! Email or give us a call today at 1-877-784-5400.