Nathalie Nowak from Azuriet Reizen has been active in the travel sector for many years. She has personally visited nearly every imaginable place in the world. No domestic or foreign tour operator or cruise company is unfamiliar to her. As an independent travel agency, Azuriet Reizen not only has extensive experience in the sector but Nathalie and her team can also offer personalized service for a wide range of travel destinations and packages, from a simple weekend getaway to meticulously planned and personalized travel packages anywhere in the world.
A broad view of the world
After studying Tourism and Recreation Management at the Higher Technical Institute, Nathalie interned at Mercator Reizen. “My passion for languages not only gave me the advantage of language skills but also opened the door to a broad interest in the whole world. The tourism sector was the ideal environment for me to explore that world in a creative way,” Nathalie begins her story. “After seven exciting years at Mercator, I also dabbled in the coach sector at International Tours. There I was given the opportunity to take over Azuriet Reizen, and so it happened on April 1, 1998, that I started my own travel agency. Until the coronavirus period, everything was going smoothly, with activities, clientele, and revenue constantly on the rise. Looking back, the move to independence was undoubtedly a good decision for me. After years on Torhoutsesteernweg, I wanted an office in the city center. Ultimately, our address on Van Iseghemlaan turned out to be a much better location. Reason enough to continue working hard for several more years.”
An atypical approach
“It’s more challenging than before,” she continues without pause. “There’s much more to consider than in the past. Government requirements are higher, and customers have become much more demanding. However, with 33 years of experience under my belt, I can provide a service in an atypical atmosphere of friendliness that the customer fully appreciates. Together with my colleague Anne-Marie, who has also had a varied journey in the travel sector, initially with Sunair and later as an organizer of various important foreign trade missions, we complement each other perfectly to offer the customer the best possible service under the right conditions, and most importantly, to relieve the customer during the trip. Add to that the fact that my daughter Veerle, who studied business management, also manages all administrative tasks behind the scenes successfully, and we can confidently speak of a unique formula of ‘Team Azuriet’ or ‘A-Team’. My motto is, therefore, ‘we take care of everything except your luggage!'”
New Challenges
For the entire sector, Africa was somewhat of a blind spot. However, the fact that more and more tour operators and hotel chains are including the ‘dark continent’ in their activities ultimately creates an attractive offer that more and more travel enthusiasts are being enticed by. Local governments and the population have also clearly understood that the tourism sector offers favorable prospects where everyone benefits. African destinations already pose an exciting challenge for tourists to get to know Africa in a comfortable and acceptable atmosphere. But there’s more. Until a few years ago, we also saw a flourishing tourist emergence in the so-called Eastern Bloc countries. Here too, emerging tourism was a welcome gift for the local economy. The concerning war situation between Ukraine and Russia makes people hesitant, but the immense potential of the Baltic States and countries like Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Georgia still entices many tourists to head in that direction. These countries offer an exceptionally attractive and competitively priced range of attractions and tourist facilities at the doorstep of the travel sector.”
Cruise Tourism Continues to Peak
“There is a growing increase in water tourism, both in terms of river cruises and sea cruises,” Nathalie continues enthusiastically. “This remains my personal passion. As a specialized travel agency, I can also offer a very wide range of options and destinations in various price ranges in that regard. My special attention and interest go to the segment of expedition cruises. As an experienced professional, I have had the chance several times to gain extensive knowledge of this extremely exciting form of cruise tourism, where a very interesting connection is often made between tourism, science, and the environment. These last themes are packaged in an attractive offer that targets a group of like-minded individuals who are guided by specialists and scientists from various disciplines, both before, during, and after the cruise. We can proudly say that customers from far outside Oostende also consult our office and rely on our expertise in the field of cruises.”
Word-of-Mouth Advertising and Online Service
Finally, Nathalie adds with satisfaction that new customers are added daily alongside the established clientele through spontaneous referrals ‘by word of mouth.’ They are referred by friends or family. “We also gladly provide advice not only in our office but also via Zoom and Teams. This is undoubtedly a growing way to share knowledge transfer and travel experiences with others from the comfort of home. A positive legacy of the pandemic, we might say.”
Opposites – With Ensor to the South Pole
Based on her experience and knowledge of expedition travels, Nathalie Nowak committed herself to contribute to a highly fascinating exhibition aimed at unraveling Ensor’s connection with the South Pole. Ensor was indeed friends with Adrien de Gerlache, the ship’s captain who departed from Oostende to Antarctica aboard the Belgica in 1897. The Belgica expedition falls into the category of major explorations to the South Pole, something that we as Belgians and Oostendeners can be particularly proud of. An exhibition on this topic will run from Wednesday, May 1st to Sunday, June 16th, 2024, at the Albertschool Ligo, Ooststraat 29 in Oostende. More information is available at www.ensor2024.be.