That’s where Riverside Travel, a full service Christian agency in Roseville, comes in. Specializing in booking missions travel, RT can help groups find the cheapest airfare available and offer useful advice on other aspects of mission travel.

“It’s a way to earn a living, but I see it as a ministry to the groups we work with,” said Ted Groat, founder of RT. “It [missions travel] can be way more difficult to book than leisure travel.”


Humble beginnings
Groat was himself a missionary in Europe for 10 years, traveling with and leading music groups for Youth for Christ International. During his time as a missionary, Groat would often make arrangements for group travel.

“Back then you had to look all the information up in a big book, make arrangements and write the ticket by hand,” Groat said.

When he returned to the U.S. as a fulltime musician and worship leader, Groat decided he needed a part-time job.

“I saw an ad that said, ‘Be your own travel agent.’ I thought, ‘Hey, I can do that,’” Groat said.

Groat began booking travel for YFC through contacts he had developed in his time with the organization. By 1998 he had hired his first employee. Today, RT has 10 staff members.


Spreading the Gospel
Groat and the staff at RT focus on stewardship of both money and human resources when helping groups plan missions travel.

“We’re actually saving the Lord’s money, instead of saving the people money or making money ourselves,” Groat said. “Because we are all Christians and motivated by trying to help them, we understand what they are going through in terms of recruiting people to go, raising the money and trying to save money.”

Melissa Dobmeier, an RT staff member, said the company is often able to shop for wholesale airfare rates or missionary travel contracts, which are often more flexible. RT also specializes in out of the way destinations that clients might not be able to book online.

Groat explained that by utilizing RT’s service, groups often save many man hours booking travel for mission trips.

“People might spend hours trying to do what we can do in minutes,” he said.


Travel advice
Groat and Dobmeier both encourage groups interested in booking missions travel to alert the company of their plans and destinations early. That way, RT can make recommendations about the best seasons and conditions for travel.

“The biggest part of what we do is educating. We help groups see when they should set their fundraising deadlines so they can get a decent fare in the future,” Dobmeier said. “Missions travel is the busiest in the summer and that’s when the fares are the highest and the seats are the least available. I do understand that it’s an easier time to get away, but people should definitely take advantage of off-peak season.”


Follow-up
RT also follows up with missions groups upon their return and has developed lasting relationships with many clients.

“For me the reward is always when people come back and send us a trip report talking about the lives that have been changed,” Dobmeier said.

Groat, whose office walls feature letters, pictures and souvenirs from past clients, also values the relationships that he’s developed.

“I’m always blessed by seeing what people do in their work,” he said. “There’s a lot of blessing in just knowing what people are doing.”


ACTION POINT:
For more information on Riverside Travel, visit www.rivertrav.com or call (651) 484-2200.