2024 FOBA winner Medium Business Category – Inspiration Travel: Jet wings and a prayer

When it comes to traveling the world, some people need a little inspiration — and Fresno-based Inspiration Travel hopes to provide some of that positivity after being named a 2024 Family Owned Business Award winner.

Founded in 1981 as Christian Cruise Conferences, Inspiration Travel was acquired by current owners Steve and Ruth Dick in 1994. Originally operating via phone and fax, Inspiration Travel still works remotely with clients from around the world.

The company attracts a wide variety of pastors and performers, connecting their clients with their spiritual inspiration. Inspiration Travel has planned getaways and excursions featuring the likes of well-known artists, authors and spiritual leaders including Michael W. Smith, Greg Laurie and Kay Arthur.

“It was founded and begun here in Fresno, but we work worldwide,” said Stephanie Dueck Smith, daughter of Steve and Ruth and executive vice president of Inspiration Travel.

Smith, who joined the company in 2005, was named executive vice president in 2018. Her husband Joshua joined the company in 2008 to oversee marketing and creative elements.

“Our clients are actually not even local at all; we don’t advertise locally,” Smith said. “Our name isn’t even on our building.”

Smith said that despite the lack of signage and advertisement, Inspiration Travel is still well-received and supported by the local community; she credits the company’s continued success largely to the support received from other local small businesses.

“It means a lot,” she said. “There are so many people in the business community in Fresno that come alongside us…the small business community in Fresno is really supportive of each other.”

Over the years Inspiration Travel has had the opportunity to relocate but chose to remain in Fresno, largely because of local support from clients and businesses alike.

Smith said that with the continued evolution of technology, Inspiration Travel’s business model hasn’t needed much physical change; still operating with a small team out of a small office, the company leverages technological tools to communicate with suppliers and vendors worldwide.

“Our suppliers and our vendors are all over the world,” Smith said. “Everything is done digitally; we just communicate from this office.”

In addition to planning and constructing clients’ vacations, Inspiration Travel also provides clients with information and tips based on individual countries’ laws and regulations, as well as accessibility and comfort suggestions regarding weather, technology and other amenities.

Inspiration Travel has also taken proactive steps to monitor the still-evolving travel situation in Israel; the company has suggestions on their website and can provide specific detailed information regarding client’s preferred destinations and the risks and benefits for their desired regions.

Inspiration Travel boasts a client base of more than 1,500 different organizations and nearly 240,000 travelers.