Menno Travel Service History

Menno Travel Service started in 1947 as the travel desk for Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, PA, for sending service workers abroad after WWII. An increase in demand for travel services in northern Indiana in the early 1950s led to the opening of the Goshen office in the fall of 1953.
The Goshen office became locally owned and managed in 1980. Long time managers Doug Risser and Geof Landis bought the company in 1995.

In 1997 Menno Travel Service became an American Express Travel Representative Office with access to the tremendous buying power of preferred suppliers with a worldwide presence.

Menno Travel Goshen has grown to be the largest agency in Elkhart County and one of the largest single office agencies in Indiana through diversification of services and products. Menno Travel is a recognized national leader in the travel industry through our involvement in industry associations.

Menno Travel has grown through the acquisitions of Four Seasons Travel in Elkhart in 1997, Adventure Travel in Goshen in January 2005 and most recently Destinations Travel Service in Warsaw on December 19, 2011.

Affiliations

Menno Travel is active in the travel industry through active participation in the following organizations:

• The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)-the world’s largest travel agent organization
• The Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA)-the country’s largest retail agency-only organization
• Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)-provides support and training for cruise sellers. CLIA awards the Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) and Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) designations for agents completing advanced special studies.
• NTA  – the leading business-building association for travel professionals interested in the North American market—inbound, outbound and within the continent.
• In addition, Menno Travel is an appointed agency for the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and the International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN). Menno Travel is active locally with The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, and the Goshen Chamber of Commerce