Pedro Gonzalez Guirola lives the life that many dream of: he gets paid to travel around the world. “I have a big jet lag here, but it’s going great! », he laughs, adjusting his webcam. This 38-year-old from Montpellier, who always balances between two time zones, is… travel planner. Just a few days ago, he was in Morocco, and there, destiny led him to Guatemala, the country where he was born. “Since June, I haven’t stopped! », he confides to 20 minutes. Via Rock’n’Road, the company he created a year ago, he plans tailor-made stays for those who wish, in the four corners of the world. With a preference for sustainable tourism, far from the beaten track, meeting “real people”.
A road trip between Texas and New Mexico? A week of partying and relaxing on Copacabana beach? A completely journey lost in translation in Tokyo? Pedro Gonzalez Guirola takes care of finding low-cost offers for transport, accommodation and leisure, according to the wishes of his customers, who only have to make the reservations. That’s the little difference with a traditional travel agency: the travel planner gives you a travel diary, with details of the itinerary, stages and activities, and customers only have to pay , themselves, the plane, the hotel, etc.
“A saving of around 40 to 60%”
“A travel agency will book everything for you, and will offer you a total price, including their margin,” explains Pedro Gonzalez Guirola. A travel planner does not make reservations. But customers know exactly the price details, and the price of its service. By using a travel planner, you save around 40 to 60%, compared to a traditional travel agency. » And if it is a group that uses Rock’n’Road, the more there are, the cheaper it is: if the planning of the stay is invoiced, for example, 500 euros by Pedro Gonzalez Guirola, its services will not be will only cost 100 euros per person if five friends travel together, 50 euros if there are ten, etc.
But at Rock’n’Road, there is a little extra, which differentiates it from other travel planners: if clients wish, it can… accompany them. “I am a guide, not a guide,” explains Pedro Gonzalez Guirola. A guide informs travelers about the culture or history of the place, and that’s it. This is where I come in. I offer them activities, and I ensure that travelers are reassured, in the country where they are, in terms of the language, their outings, restaurants, etc. My job is also to maintain cohesion in the group throughout the stay. So that travelers are even more connected to their return than they were when they left. »
Soon a Rock’n’Road branch in Central America
So, yes, “you need a lot of patience,” smiles the travel planner. Customers always say to me “But how do you do it?” It’s a bit… “reading people”. I was a social psychologist before doing this job. And I never thought I would need these skills for my travel planner activity! And yet, yes, often! »
Rock’n’Road has been booming since its creation. Pedro Gonzalez Guirola even intends to take advantage of his stopover at home in Guatemala to teach his little brother the basics of his astonishing profession. The Montpellier resident hopes to soon open an office of his thriving business in Central America.