Are We There Yet?

Headnote

Kay Merrill's wanderlust fuels a family-focused agency.

Kay Merrill is on a roll. The owner of Are We There Yet? Family Adventures was just recognized for her outstanding sales in 2015 by her host agency, Andavo Travel, that's the fourth year in a row she's received the accolade. The luxury travel advisor, who is based in northern California, was also named as a top family travel specialist in December by Condé Nast Travel, marking the 11 th time she's been on the list.

The world of luxury travel is as enticing as ever to Merrill, and that's after 22 years of being in the business. "It's exciting and challenging to stay up to date on the abundance of new luxury products announced over the last year, and I enjoy helping my clients who are often overwhelmed with this flood of new product," she tells Luxury Travel Advisor. That includes a litany of Four Seasons' hotels set to debut across the world, new ocean and river vessels from Crystal Cruises, routes to new markets from Emirates and exotic itineraries being added on by tour companies and ground operators. "If there's any destination you want to visit, there's probably an outstanding option available to experience it or one that's coming out soon," says Merrill.

Her clientele is adventure driven, yet they seek luxury accommodations and services, she tells us. They're based in the U.S. and abroad, having found Merrill via word of mouth and from seeing her listed consistently as a family travel specialist in consumer publications. Many hail from the high-income Marin County, just north of San Francisco, where Merrill is based. "Marin is a small county where I've retained repeat clients and I usually acquire their friends," says Merrill. "My clients like to get out there in the day and get involved, maybe even get a little dirty. They enjoy fun activities; but at night, they want to come back to feather pillows, nice sheets, a superb meal and maybe a massage. They like to be blown away by the day's adventures and like to travel in style."

She reports that her clients generally fall into four groups:

1. Families with older children who appreciate active trips to adventurous destinations and are looking...