Travel agency opens near Woodstock Square to help plan ‘everything you can think of’

In the era of Google Flights and AI-generated itineraries, a personal travel service has launched near Woodstock Square.

Woodstock Travel Services opened earlier this summer at 216 Main St., which is north of the square and across the street from the movie theater. The site was formerly home to a record store, The Records Department, which has since moved to a larger store on South Street.

The travel agency was founded by Tori Witt and Dana Pritchard, who previously worked for another local travel agency before opening their business in Woodstock.

Pritchard is originally from Woodstock, so the agency is close to family and friends, Whitt said.

Pritchard said so many people she knows stop by and her family comes to visit her while she works. She said the community is excited to have a travel agency back in the area.

“It was amazing,” Pritchard said.

The agency has about 60 trips booked so far, Witt said. “Woodstock helped us.”

But the busy season is November through February, Witt said, adding that it’s a combination of travelers wanting to go somewhere warm to escape the cold of winter and families discussing their holiday travel plans and locking them in for the coming year.

Even though people are trying to go somewhere warm, the most popular destination is actually Alaska cruises, Witt said. They have been very popular over the past couple of years, with Witt citing the appeal of glaciers, whale watching and wildlife. “People book their tickets a year in advance,” she said.

Those who enjoy warm weather are opting for all-inclusive trips to places like Cancun and Punta Cana, Witt said.

Multi-generational trips are also popular when they are joined by grandparents, as well as their children and grandchildren.

Another popular option is a river cruise.

Pritchard said she would lead a tour group on the Seine River next September and would announce a 2028 tour soon. She said a lot of couples have signed up, but there are still plenty of spots available for the river cruise.

And for those traveling alone, the agency plans to launch a solo travelers club later this month. Pritchard said the group is for widowed people who are partners with someone who doesn’t want to travel, or for those who want to meet others but don’t want to travel alone and like the security of traveling with other people.

An informational meeting for the solo group is scheduled for Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. at the travel agency, Pritchard said.

But in addition to all this, the agency can help with holidays in Europe and other destinations.

“Anything you can think of, we can do,” Witt said.