EXPRESSIONZ TRAVEL, an emerging travel agency, is transforming the Jamaican travel experience by introducing vacation financing in partnership with McKayla Financial Services under Supreme Ventures.

The aim is to provide more Jamaicans with the opportunity to explore the world without financial constraints.

“We have extremely great payment plans,” shared Karell Wynter, director of Expressionz Travel, in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

“There was a trip I went on that I got vacation financing for… A lot of people have a negative stigma about it, but I got vacation financing because, at the time, the funds just weren’t there to take that trip to Europe. When I came back from my trip I was very happy. I never had any resentment,” Wynter said, giving background for the decision to include vacation financing in the agency’s package.

The new offering aligns with its mission to make travel accessible to a broader audience, challenging the notion that travel is only for those with substantial financial means.

Despite traditional financial advice to borrow for investments, Wynter offered a different perspective based on her personal experience. She emphasised that vacation financing, when used responsibly, can be a valuable tool for individuals seeking to fulfil their travel aspirations.

“Life requires you to have some sort of space to just relax and enjoy. How do you quantify and put a value on peace of mind? You may not be getting something physical — like a five per cent return — but what percentage return do you get on calmness and peace? It’s priceless,” Wynter explained, highlighting the intangible yet invaluable benefits of travel.

The inception of Expressionz Travel itself is rooted in the idea of making travel achievable for everyone.

Wynter shared that her first business trip, funded through vacation financing, laid the foundation for starting her travel agency.

“Europe sounded far-fetched. I could never reach Europe. The love of travel and wanting to tell more people about it and wanting to show more people that it’s not as expensive as everybody makes it seem led to [me] getting up one Saturday and saying, ‘You know what, I’m going to create a travel agency,’ and I created the travel agency on Monday,” Wynter recalled.

Navigating the delicate balance between military duties and a burgeoning home-based business, Wynter faced pivotal moments in 2022 when she had to choose between juggling both worlds or taking a leap of faith. Opting for the latter, she left the military in October 2022, a decision that surprised many.

“I remember the brigadier looking at me, like, ‘Where are you going? You know how hard things are out there?’ If I were the type of person who gave up I would have discontinued that same moment,” she shared.

While acknowledging the challenges of navigating with a Jamaican passport, Expressionz Travel champions the idea that travel options extend beyond major countries. The agency encourages Jamaicans not to limit themselves, as there are countries Jamaicans can visit visa-free or visa-on-arrival.

“The US is not the only country you can transit through; Panama is an amazing hub. So don’t limit yourself to thinking you can only go to major countries,” Wynter advised.

In addition to offering vacation financing, Expressionz Travel goes the extra mile by assisting clients with visa applications. The agency recommends a strategic approach, particularly for Jamaicans travelling to countries outside of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, to enhance their chances of securing a visa. Wynter highlighted the misconception that securing a visa requires an invitation from a family member.

“I’m probably the only one in Jamaica who doesn’t have family in the U.S. I use a hotel confirmation and a flight itinerary. You don’t need a relative anywhere to get a visa; we provide a purpose for travel, we provide travel insurance,” she revealed to the Business Observer.

This approach aims to demystify the visa application process, empowering Jamaicans to explore international destinations without unnecessary barriers.

In actively working to help travel enthusiasts achieve their goals of checking off destinations from their bucket lists, Wynter suggests that people should step out of their comfort zones and explore alternative modes of transportation.

“For the price of what you’re paying to go to five different countries on a cruise, if you tally up the cost of airfare and hotels, it’s significant. So when you decide that, okay, I want to tick five countries off my list, a cruise is the way to go,” Wynter emphasised.