Pittsfield Businesswoman Opens Online Travel Agency

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local businesswoman Rhonda Serre says her new venture combining her love of travel and her entrepreneurial spirit.

Wow Moments World Travel combines the pricing and ease of doing business in the online marketplace with the expertise and personalized service that can be offered by a traditional travel agency, Serre said.

"The sheer volume of travel information available online has made it difficult for some traditional brick and mortar travel agencies to compete," said Serre. She goes on to add that with, "so much noise and clutter to weed through on the Internet," even experienced travelers value advisers who can make sense of the "clutter."

According to its website the new agency "specializes in small business travel, destination weddings, family vacations, group travel, eco/adventure travel, and highly detailed itineraries for the discerning traveler."


Like large online travel agencies, Wow Moments World Travel forgoes traditional business expenses, such as rent and utilities and investing those savings in technologies and partnerships that allow the company to guarantee pricing while still being able to customize the customer’s experiences. Unlike larger travel agencies, Serre explains that because the agency is local, "We can just as easily meet you for coffee if you’re local or set up a webinar."

For example, Serre said she stayed late on New Year's Eve to help a small business customer arrange and process a transaction before the end of the fiscal year.

"That's where we shine, our customers get 110 percent of our attention," she said.

With the recent recession and rapid expansion of large Internet travel sites, Serre said she saw the demise of many traditional travel agencies. Seeing this as an opportunity to redesign the business model and develop a solution that presents the best of both worlds, she worked with the Berkshire County Small Business Development Center to build a business plan, financial models and budget guidelines. Wow Moments World Travel is also a member of professional and social groups in the region including the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and Berkshire Visitors Bureau.


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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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