Rose Yang opened her first travel agency in September 2019 with three employees, one location, and a clear idea of what she wanted to build. What she couldn’t have known was that within months, the entire travel industry would grind to a halt. Most new businesses wouldn’t have survived it. Hers did — and then some.

Today, Rose leads Ali Travel, a network of five agency locations, and Maplelux Holidays, the wholesale tour operator she built alongside it. We spoke with her about the choices that shaped the business, the moments that tested it, and where she’s taking it next.

Starting From Scratch — With a Plan

Rose didn’t arrive in the Canadian travel industry without a foundation. Before opening Ali Travel, she had built a career in business and sales in China, developing deep experience in customer relationships, negotiations, and business development. She came to the industry knowing how to sell, how to build trust, and how to run a commercial operation.

Her vision when she opened the first agency at First Markham Place — with just three employees — was straightforward:

“To build a travel company that customers could genuinely trust, offering competitive prices, excellent service, and personalized attention.”

What she was reacting to, in part, was the direction the industry was heading. Online booking platforms were making it easier than ever to purchase a flight or a hotel room without talking to anyone. Rose saw that as an opportunity, not a threat.

“I wanted to create a business where customers felt comfortable speaking directly with knowledgeable travel professionals rather than simply purchasing a vacation through a website.”

There was something else driving her too — something less transactional.

“I also believed there was an opportunity to bring people closer together through travel, whether that meant helping families visit loved ones, introducing travellers to new cultures, or creating memorable vacation experiences.”

What began with three employees and one location has since grown into a team of more than 20 people, five locations including a head office, and Maplelux Holidays as a dedicated wholesale tour operator brand.

“What began as a single agency has grown into something much larger than I originally imagined,”

she says — and the understatement in that sentence is telling.

The First Real Test

Six months after opening her doors, the world stopped travelling.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the travel industry harder than almost any other sector, and Ali Travel was barely off the ground when it happened. Cancellations piled up, restrictions changed constantly, and there was no clear timeline for when any of it would end. For a new business with no established reserve, no years of built-up goodwill to draw on, the situation could easily have been fatal.

Rose didn’t close. She kept showing up.

“We continued communicating with our customers and preparing for the eventual return of travel. When travel demand recovered, we were ready to grow.”

That decision — to treat the pandemic not as a reason to pause but as a period to prepare — turned out to be one of the most consequential calls she made. While others were in survival mode, she was laying groundwork. And when travel came back, Ali Travel came back with it.

What Actually Drove the Growth

Ask Rose about the single biggest factor behind expanding from one agency to five locations, and her answer doesn’t involve a marketing strategy or a lucky break. It comes back to something simpler.

“I believe the biggest factor has been earning the trust of our customers and maintaining strong relationships with our travel suppliers. In this industry, customers have countless choices. Competitive pricing is important, but what brings people back is knowing that someone will be there when they need assistance.”

The business was built, in her words, on repeat customers, referrals, supplier relationships, and a team that genuinely cares. That’s not a complicated formula — but it’s also not easy to sustain across multiple locations, which is where a lot of growth stories start to unravel.

Rose has been deliberate about where she opens. New locations aren’t chosen based on available real estate or gut instinct — they’re driven by the communities she serves and a clear-eyed read of demand.

“We looked for locations where there was strong demand for international travel, established communities of travellers, and an opportunity to provide personalized service.”

But she’s equally direct about what expansion really requires:

“I have never believed that opening a new location is simply about finding an attractive storefront. It is about understanding the local market, building relationships, and having the right people to represent our company. Growth is important, but protecting our reputation is even more important.”

Building a Team Across Five Locations

Maintaining consistent service quality across one location is hard enough. Across five, with different staff, different markets, and a wholesale operation running alongside the retail business — that’s a different problem entirely.

Rose talks about her people with a directness that doesn’t tip into corporate-speak.

“I look for people who are responsible, hardworking, patient, and genuinely interested in helping customers. Training and communication are essential, but so is creating a culture where employees understand that customer satisfaction is everyone’s responsibility.”

As the company grew, she had to learn something that doesn’t come naturally to founders who built everything themselves: letting go.

“Building a larger organization requires trusting the team, developing future leaders, and giving talented people opportunities to grow.”

She’s proud of what that growth has meant beyond the business itself.

“I am particularly proud that our growth has created employment opportunities in Canada and allowed our employees to develop careers in the travel industry.”

It’s the kind of detail that tends to get left out of growth stories but says a lot about how someone actually runs a company.

Going Up Against the Internet

Every travel agency owner has had to answer the same uncomfortable question over the last decade: why would someone call you when they can book it themselves online in five minutes?

Rose’s answer is grounded in the reality of what can go wrong.

“Flight cancellations, itinerary changes, visa requirements, and unexpected situations can quickly turn an exciting vacation into a stressful experience. Our philosophy has always been to offer three things: competitive prices, excellent value, and dependable customer service.”

Her agencies combine modern booking technology with the kind of access to a real professional that a website simply can’t replicate. Supplier relationships, customized itineraries, escorted group tours, destination expertise — these are the things that give her business an edge that an algorithm can’t easily replicate.

And the long game matters to her:

“Our goal is not simply to sell a vacation. It is to build a long-term relationship with every customer.”

On the sales side, repeat clients and referrals remain the core of the business.

“When customers have a positive experience, they return and recommend us to their friends and families. That trust is extremely valuable and cannot simply be purchased through advertising.”

Group travel has also grown into a significant part of the operation, and she sees digital sales and business-to-business distribution as major opportunities going forward.

Advice She Means

When we asked Rose what she’d tell a travel business owner thinking about expanding, her answer wasn’t about timing the market or finding the right location. It was about foundation.

“Focus first on earning your customers’ trust, establishing reliable supplier relationships, and building a team that shares your values. Do not measure success simply by the number of locations you operate or the amount of revenue you generate. Profitability, customer satisfaction, and operational stability are equally important.”

And on the practical side:

“Understand your costs, protect your cash flow, and make sure you have the right people and systems in place before taking the next step.”

The line that sticks, though, is this one:

“Expansion should be a natural result of doing things well, not simply a goal in itself.”

What’s Next for Maplelux

Rose’s ambitions for Maplelux Holidays are clear and specific. She wants to build it into a recognized Canadian wholesale tour operator serving travel agencies across North America — with China and Asia at the centre of the story.

“China offers an extraordinary combination of ancient history, rich culture, incredible cuisine, breathtaking scenery, modern infrastructure, and exceptional value for travellers. Through Maplelux Holidays, we want to make these destinations more accessible to the North American market, especially through professionally organized English-speaking escorted tours, small-group experiences, and customized private journeys.”

Beyond Asia, the portfolio will expand into Europe, Africa, and other destinations. And retail travel agencies are a core part of how she’s thinking about distribution — she wants agents to see Maplelux as a partner they can rely on, not just another supplier sending rate sheets. The company’s relationship with TRAVELSAVERS and its extensive network of travel advisors is an important part of building that reach.

“Ultimately, I want Maplelux Holidays to become a brand that travel advisors are proud to recommend and travellers can trust.”

She closes with a reflection that’s earned rather than borrowed:

“We started with one small travel agency and three employees. That experience taught me that with determination, strong relationships, and the right team, even the most ambitious goals are achievable. And I believe our journey is only beginning.”

Given everything she’s built since September 2019, that’s not optimism. That’s a track record.

To learn more about Maplelux Holidays and their growing portfolio of tours, visit www.mapleluxholidays.com or find their resources on the Global Agents platform.

By Kateryna Ivchenko