Employment History:
Partner, Head of the Incentive Division, Local Travel Agency (1994-2002); Director, Local Travel Agency (1990-1994); Travel Coordinator, BMA (1980-1990)

Published Works:

Public Speaking Experience:

Why She is an Expert:
Most of the time, Ms. Lou won’t send any of her groups to an area or a hotel that they have not yet visited. She only informs them of those destinations or resorts to which she has been before – all that falls under experience.

Best Advice:
“Know your product. Know where you're going, the people, and their culture. Look on their website. Most of the time, the hotel is not going to look like the photos on the website when you get there. Visiting the location and experiencing it will help.”

Passionate about:
“Keeping my clients happy. I don't want a situation with a client where this year, something goes wrong and then they go somewhere else next year. I'm passionate about the traveling itself and getting to know the people I work with. I love to read; I love the beach; I love life.”

Biography Excerpt:
Lillie (Lou) Hannah, president and owner of Creative Destinations, Inc., received her bachelor's degree in accelerated business in 1965 from East Mississippi Community College. She started her career in incentive travel program management in 1980, when she was hired as an assistant to the director of Incentive Travel at BMA (Builder Marts of America). Many critical windows were opened for Ms. Hannah during her time there. She established herself as a professional through her personable customer relations and hands-on approach to project management. In 1990, after BMA shuttered their incentive travel operation, she moved on to become director of sales for a travel company. By 1995, she was a partner and head of the incentive department for Travel Group. After accruing a total of 22 years of vital industry experience, in 2002 she started the total travel solution company Creative Destinations, Inc.

     

Cambridge Who's Who: How do you remain current in your profession?  
LILLIE 'LOU' T HANNAH :  We do a lot of reading and research on websites. We have developed really good relationships with what we call DMCs, or destination management companies. They do our transfers and tours in these different areas. If we can't find what we want, we call or e-mail them, ask the question and get the answer. After 27 years, most of them are personal friends.

What is the most significant issue facing your profession today?
Rising costs and the long lines for security at the airports. Just in the last year, we've seen more long lines in the customs area when we're coming back in from a country. Just last week, one of our groups had gone to Mexico, came back through Houston, and there must have been a thousand people in customs. There's nothing you can do; you can't hurry it up. Fortunately for us, we've never had it happen, but there have been people who have missed flights taking so long to go through customs. By the time they got through immigration and customs, got their bags and got to their connecting gate, the plane was gone. I think the government should hire more people at the customs lines when they know there are going to be 12 planes coming in at the same time.

What is your motto?
Have integrity. Live by the rules, don't take advantage of anybody and do the best that you can in any situation. Never close a door. Don't burn any bridges in your business.