Interview
Three years ago, luxury travel advisor Julia Vergiles from Vergiles Travel made the life-altering move from war-torn Ukraine to Budapest, Hungary. In LuxuryWise, she opens up about her current life, the profound challenges she continues to face, and the unexpected opportunities and personal growth the crisis has brought with it.
Interview
Three years ago, luxury travel advisor Julia Vergiles from Vergiles Travel made the life-altering move from war-torn Ukraine to Budapest, Hungary. In LuxuryWise, she opens up about her current life, the profound challenges she continues to face, and the unexpected opportunities and personal growth the crisis has brought with it.
"The lack of commercial flights departing from Ukraine causes long overland transfers for my clients to reach the nearest airport."
LuxuryWise: Dear Julia, please share your career in travel in a few sentences. Julia Vergiles: It all began back in 2011. At the time, I was working as a business development manager at a law firm. I had applied for a position at the luxury concierge service Quintessentially. I had nearly forgotten about it when, a year later, they reached out and offered me the job. I accepted and stayed until 2012, when the office closed. Today, I can't think of anything that I couldn't do – because as a luxury concierge, you simply have to do everything. Afterward, I briefly partnered with a former Quintessentially co-worker, but in 2013 I decided to take the leap and start something of my own: a private travel company that combined a tour operator with a travel agency.
LuxuryWise: And what does your current job situation look like? Vergiles: Today, I work as a independent travel advisor. I relocated to Budapest, Hungary, three years ago. My clients value personal contact, so I handle everything myself, supported by a small team of assistants – no other travel agents work for me. Most of my clients are originally from Ukraine, although they now live all over Europe – in Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, and beyond. Despite having relocated, I remain officially registered as a Ukrainian travel agent. The conditions for small businesses in Ukraine are very good and give me many opportunities. One of the biggest challenges, however, is the spending limit placed on Ukrainian bank accounts: whether business or personal, they are restricted to a maximum of €2,000 per month in foreign transactions ever since the war started. That’s why it’s important to also have an international bank account.
LuxuryWise: Did you believe from the very beginning of the war that you would be able to work as a travel agent under those circumstances? Vergiles: At that time, I couldn’t really think at all – everything happened so sudden and unexpectedly. None of us ever imagined that something like this could become reality. For about half a year I wasn’t thinking about my future career. During that time, everyone was only thinking about how to stay alive and be safe. It wasn’t until the fall of 2022 that I slowly began to take the first steps toward rebuilding my business. Around that time, my clients started reaching out to me again. And to my surprise, I noticed that I had gained a significant number of new followers on social media – even though I hadn’t posted anything in a long time.
LuxuryWise: Is it difficult to book trips for clients that are still living in Ukraine? Are there any restrictions? Vergiles: There are no official restrictions, but a few challenges remain. During wartime, men are not allowed to leave Ukraine – strict regulations are in place. As a result, I can only arrange trips for women and children. Another obstacle is that there are no flights at all departing from Ukraine. This means my clients often face long overland journeys just to reach the nearest airport in a neighboring country.
LuxuryWise: How did your clients react to your relocation back in 2022? Vergiles: Some of my clients probably don’t even know that I relocated. During the pandemic, the travel industry became largely digital – and for many, location stopped being important. Those who did know didn’t seem to mind. In my experience, language has become a stronger expression of patriotism than physical borders: many people back home have switched from speaking Russian to Ukrainian. Most of my social media communication is now in Ukrainian as well. On the rare occasions I’ve posted in Russian, I’ve never received negative reactions, though. Since moving, I’ve gained quite a few new clients – primarily Ukrainians now living in Hungary. There are also many mixed families, with members from Ukraine and others from countries like Hungary or Poland. Many of them had already migrated long before the war even began.
Julia Vergiles founded Vergiles Travel in 2013. In 2022, the war forced her to relocate to Budapest, Hungary.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, more than 13,000 civilians have been killed, and over 30,000 have been injured in the conflict. A total of 6.9 million people are considered war refugees. The damage to property and infrastructure is estimated at 176 billion US dollars, while the economic loss is significantly higher: experts estimate a total of 589 billion US dollars.
Source: Statista
"I have experienced nothing but ongoing support and understanding from industry partners."
LuxuryWise: What's in high demand with your clients at the moment? Vergiles: I specialize in family travel, which means I’m always on the lookout for suitable accommodations for families and small groups. This season has brought some interesting trends: my clients are increasingly drawn to destinations like Mallorca, Croatia, and the UAE for their winter getaways. Yachts are also in high demand. Turkey, once a favorite among Ukrainian travelers, is currently less popular. I suspect this is partly due to the high number of Russian tourists vacationing there. Another reason may be that Ukrainians who now live in Europe are taking advantage of their new proximity to other countries and are eager to explore destinations they couldn’t easily access before.
LuxuryWise: What’s the most significant change in your working day routine since relocating to Budapest? Vergiles: Since my business is registered in Ukraine, I’ve always been able to offer my clients a wide range of payment options. Many Ukrainians still prefer to pay in cash – even when it involves fairly large sums. However, Ukrainian law requires that cash payments be deposited into a Ukrainian bank account within just a few days –something I obviously can’t do from abroad. That’s why I’ve had to find alternative solutions that my clients feel comfortable with. My biggest surprise – and also my biggest challenge – has actually been the flights: there are very few direct connections from Hungary. Back in Ukraine, we had plenty of flights to popular travel destinations during high season.
LuxuryWise: Do you still attend travel trade shows and/or fam trips? Vergiles: Yes, but not as often as I used to before the war. Back in Ukraine, I received many invitations – including those for industry events. That happens far less often here in Budapest. My entire way of life changed after the move. I now have to manage everything on my own, without the support of my family. At times, there’s also a language barrier, which makes things even more challenging. As a result, I’ve had fewer opportunities to travel in recent years. But I do have plans: this fall, I’m planning to go on a fam trip to Thailand, and in November, I’d like to attend the Deluxe Travel Market in Turkey.
LuxuryWise: Do you have the impression that the reputation of Ukrainian travel agents has changed within the industry? Vergiles: No, I don’t think so. To me, the travel industry has always felt like a space where things like nationality fade into the background. What I’ve experienced instead is ongoing support, understanding, and genuine passion from industry partners. In fact, the challenges have only made Ukrainian travel professionals stronger. Those who continue to work from within Ukraine are doing so under incredibly difficult circumstances – sometimes without electricity, sometimes without internet or other basic infrastructure. Compared to that, I’m in a much easier situation because I live in physical safety.
LuxuryWise: Do you see anything positive at all for your business that happened because of the war? Vergiles: Yes, definitely. Problems always provoke development. When people are forced to find solutions, they often come up with the most remarkable ideas. And that’s exactly why I’m seeing a great deal of progress and innovation in the Ukrainian travel industry right now. My client base has also grown significantly, as expats tend to rely heavily on personal recommendations. I’ve also noticed a shift in mindset: people have become much more patient. Ukrainians traditionally expect things to happen immediately and are often reluctant to accept alternatives when their first choice – like a fully booked hotel – isn’t available. But Europe doesn’t always work that way, and I feel they’re beginning to adapt.
LuxuryWise: Please allow us one last question: If the war would end tomorrow, would you move back to Ukraine? Vergiles: This question gives me goosebumps. To be honest: I don't know. It depends on how safe Ukraine will actually be – just because the war ends doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a safe place. The country will also face new challenges in the aftermath. And then there’s my 11-year-old daughter, who is here with me and already attending an international school. So no, I won’t be packing my suitcase right away. That step will likely take time.
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The interview was conducted by LuxuryWise Editor-in-Chief Iris M. Köpke.
