Would you trust your best friends to design your dream vacation? Heather and David D’Amico’s best friends would. And have. Ever since 2001.
Hammonton native and proud third-generation female business owner Heather D’Amico has been running D’Amico Travel since 2012, securing the agency’s reputation both locally and nationally.
“I talk about our town to people I meet all over the globe, and the fact that my family even owns a blueberry farm in the Blueberry Capital of the World always becomes a conversation piece,” Heather said.
Having planned thousands of vacations for Hammonton residents and individuals in surrounding areas, Heather always recommends working with a professional advisor – whether through D’Amico Travel or not – instead of “just blindly booking on your own.”
“One thing that sets us apart is the amount of travel our team does in a year and the varied types of trips we take worldwide,” Heather said. “The firsthand experiences we accumulate are hard to match.”
But when vacations are your job, and any job can lead to burnout, balancing work and play isn’t always easy.
“This job is on-demand,” Heather emphasized. “It can be stressful, a little addicting, and it never really stops because I’m always striving to do more and be better for our clients.
“I travel once or twice almost every month, but I wouldn’t say I’m ever truly on vacation.”
While Heather loves experiencing new destinations, most of her travel involves meetings, property tours, training, and professional development.
“These trips are about growing expertise, building relationships with our supplier partners, and staying ahead of industry trends… It’s a huge part of what makes D’Amico Travel different, and it’s something I’m proud to stay committed to,” Heather explained.
Of course, traveling professionally has its perks, too.
“It is really rewarding that I’m able to teach my kids the value of working hard while enjoying life at the same time,” Heather said. “We’ve made so many memories as a family traveling often since my kids were as young as three months old. Plus, what can be better than helping amazing people plan their destination weddings, honeymoons, or ‘bucketlist’ vacations with their loved ones?”
D’Amico Travel’s passionate Vacation Designers not only offer top-notch customer service that tailors custom trips to clients’ desires; they also provide a bit of extra support just in case anything on vacation goes wrong. Providing these complimentary services, from the ideation stage to after you return home, elevates clients’ experiences while making their adventures stress-free.
But becoming a part of the big moments in someone’s life – and bestowing extra touches that truly gives clients the VIP experience – is the main highlight of the job. With too many examples to count, one of Heather’s favorites was crafting a unique gift for a client’s wedding.
“A couple I worked with was surprised to see ‘Congrats’ followed by their names spelled out in natural materials on the beach…for the whole resort to see, which we coordinated behind the scenes with the resort staff. It brought them to tears!” Heather said.
Under her leadership, D’Amico Travel has earned the title of Best Travel Agency in Hammonton and a spot in Sandals Resorts’ Chairman’s Royal Club. Heather is an ALG Vacations 40 Under 40 honoree for Kindness, a proud member of Consortia X, and a regular speaker at industry events, as well.
“Mentorship has become a big part of my journey, and it’s something I find incredibly rewarding. I believe there’s room for all of us to thrive, and if I can use my experience to lift others up, I’ll always make space for that,” Heather said.
She was also recently recognized as an ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors) Travel Advisor of the Year Finalist. As one of only three finalists nationwide, D’Amico says being honored in this way by the leading global advocate for travel advisors is her biggest accomplishment to date.
“I’m really proud of how far we’ve come, but I know there’s still so much more ahead,” said Heather.
As for the future of D’Amico Travel, Heather’s goal is to continue scaling the business while maintaining the personal, boutique-style service they’re known for.
“I never want to lose that feeling clients get when they know we genuinely care about them and their trip,” Heather said. “At the same time, I’m excited to keep growing as a leader in the industry…helping other business owners find success, too.”
