Travel Leaders Group CEO Barry Liben issued the following statement on the passing of Tzell Travel Group's Rina Anoussi:
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Rina Anoussi - not just one of Tzell Travel Group's premier travel agents, but also one whose unparalleled contributions significantly shaped what Tzell has become today. Just 67 years young, Rina lost her brave battle with brain cancer, succumbing on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Born in Greece, Rina began her prolific career in travel 40 years ago as a ticket and reservations agent for El Al Airlines at the Tel Aviv Hilton. From there, she moved to Italy, but it was New York City where this indefatigable force of nature truly left her mark on the world of travel over the past 30 years - close to 28 of them as part of the Tzell family - honing her exceptional expertise on the highly discerning luxury and adventure traveler.
If ever there was a travel agent who traveled the world, it was Rina Anoussi. Along the way, she learned to speak six languages very fluently, including Greek, English, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish and French. During her continual travels, she gleaned everything she possibly could about every destination and always made it a point to develop close personal relationships with some of the world's most prestigious hoteliers and DMCs along the way. They all knew who she was and delivered the level of excellence she required.
While she loved experiencing everything that each culture around the globe offered - and famously would say "I don't eat Occidental food" when she would rather enjoy cuisines native to the destinations she visited - she was partial to traveling far off the beaten path. By visiting newly emerging destinations, she would always be several steps ahead of where her clientele might wish to visit next.
Her expertise was so valued, that it's no wonder high profile news organizations ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The New York Times sought out her opinion. You could say that Rina truly wrote the book on The Travel Business - in fact, she even named her boutique agency within Tzell exactly that.
Rina and her team of 11 within Tzell proudly offered the utmost service to their distinguished clientele. Because Rina traveled in the same circles as her clients, she believed that no client request was too big or small - the word "No" was simply not acceptable. Always armed with her BlackBerry in hand, she would work 24/7, fighting tirelessly on her clients' behalf until her last breath. From all their years by her side, The Travel Business team will carry on her legacy.
Rina is survived by her husband of nearly 40 years, Takis Anoussis, her son Doron Tal, and her Godson, Max Irons.
A private funeral will be held tomorrow. Plans for a public memorial service will be announced shortly. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217, Attention: Karen Brooks Hopkins.
We will all miss the enormous contributions from Rina Anoussi, who helped shape our company through her mastery for the art of travel.
SOURCE: Travel Leaders press release
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