The benefits of using a travel agent
A lot of you make all of your travel arrangements, yourselves, these days, using online booking engines to purchase flight tickets and reserving tours on tour companies’ websites, but we wanted to hear from any of our subscribers who prefer to let a travel agent do the work or who have had a positive experience using one recently. We asked you to include the following details.
For a trip to what place(s) outside of the US that took place approximately when, what have you had a travel agent do for you? What have you found to be some of the particular benefits of using an agent? Did an agent (or a tour operator representative) arrange something that you may not have been able to do without expending a lot more time, money or effort? Did one come through for you recently when you were in a pinch or accomplish something that you could not have done otherwise? If there is a particular agency that you rely on or a certain agent whom you trust, tell us the agency’s or agent’s name and their contact information.
Many of you wrote in, and some of the responses appear below. More will be printed. Add your voice by writing to Appreciating Travel Agents, c/o ITN, 2116 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or email editor@intltravelnews.com. Include the address at which you receive ITN. Photos are welcome.
I’ve used travel agents over the years and have also done the hard work, myself, as more and more options have come directly to us via the Net. Whether I will rely on someone else to plan my travel is not just a question of what travel agents can do for me but whether I have the right travel agent.
I get absolutely world-class service from someone who lives in my community, although she has customers from around the world. My travel agent is Martha Park of Wishbone Travel (1569 Harbour Club Dr., Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082; 800/785-8324, www.wishbonetravel.com).
Do I pay more for this level of service than I would if I booked everything, myself? Absolutely not! I do my research as I develop my travel plans, and Martha almost always gets me a better deal and/or more amenities than I could get for myself.
She works with suppliers worldwide and has access to a network of like-minded agents for sharing ideas, experiences and feedback. She is also an affiliate of a consortium that allows her to give her customers access to unique advantages.
I’ve been a happy customer of Martha and Wishbone Travel since 2006. It started when I had frequent-flyer seats to Greece for a tour that no longer met my needs. I didn’t want to lose my coveted business-class seats, and I really wanted to go to Greece. Having no flexibility as to dates of travel, I called Martha for the first time. It was the best travel decision I ever made. Not only did she find a perfect tour to fit my time constraints, she filled the extra days I’d be in Athens before and after the tour.
Having never been to Greece and planning on going alone, I truly needed her expertise to find the right operator, create an independent itinerary and ensure my comfort and safety. She did all of that and more, arranging for a 7-day round-trip cruise from Athens with Louis Lines; a hotel in Athens for six nights (five before and one after the cruise); private transfers; a half-day tour of Athens, and a full-day tour of Delphi.
My trip was already set when a travel buddy said she wanted to go, too. Martha took care of her arrangements as well, but the best part of having Martha handling things was yet to come.
I arrived in Athens late and my luggage was not on the plane. When I left the arrivals hall, my travel buddy wasn’t waiting for me, despite the fact that she was due in an hour before me. The tour company with whom Martha booked us helped me coordinate the lost-luggage issue, but they were not privy to information on my buddy’s flights.
As soon as I got to my hotel that Saturday afternoon, I called Martha, knowing that she works from home. She called me back in a few minutes, after finding out what had happened, and told me when my friend would arrive (9 p.m.). That was when I truly appreciated what it means to have a travel agent on my side and, even more, one who works from home and is available 24 hours a day.
With smartphones, today, a similar travel issue might not be as onerous as it was in 2006, however Martha’s level of service hasn’t changed. Since that Greek adventure, I have relied on Martha for at least eight trips.
For two cruises with my 94-year-old mother in 2013, Martha not only booked the cruises but arranged for wheelchairs, elevated toilet seats and other disability aids, and she ensured everything would be in place at our hotels and on the ships. To say we could not have taken these cruises without her expertise, attention to detail and diligent follow-up is not an exaggeration.
Martha makes it her job to ensure that travel is as seamless as possible, and I always know she has my back.
Barbara Danzig
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
For our first trip to Australia, 3½ weeks in March 2014, we had the invaluable assistance of Lindsey Neale-Rozga, who owns Australia & New Zealand — Unique & Unusual (San Diego, CA; 858/550-9622 or email anzlindsey@earthlink.net). She works in conjunction with Travel Arrangements Ltd. (37136 Mojave Sage St., Palm Desert, CA 92211) and was recommended by an ITN subscriber (April ’13, pg. 4). They also advertise in ITN’s Mart classifieds.
Lindsey planned our itinerary, made all our reservations, booked our tours and shuttle services, and made sure the events we chose were scheduled at the best times each day with outstanding professional guides. It was a pleasure to work with her. We felt that our personal preferences were recognized, and we had the assurance that our money was well spent.
Excellent in every way, Lindsey’s services saved me countless hours on the Internet and telephone trying to confirm reservations made months in advance. We had 13 flight legs, seven hotel stays in six cities, one timeshare week with a rental car, 14 local tours and 15 airport/hotel shuttles, all of which were efficient and enjoyable.
Her help allowed us to use our time wisely as “independent travelers” and enjoy each day, without worrying about the next day’s reservations. All in all, a great trip!
I highly recommend Travel Arrangements Ltd. to anyone planning a trip to Australia or New Zealand.
Patricia Kriz
El Dorado Hills, CA
We were at sea on a Baltic cruise in August 2012 when we learned that, upon our disembarking in Copenhagen two days later, our ship would not clear Customs and unload our luggage in time for us to catch our flight home.
Even though we had booked our flights online, ourselves, we emailed our travel agent, Kathy Holland of CruiseCenter (4801 Woodway, Ste. 400W, Houston, TX 77056; 800/497-8799, www.cruisecenter.com). She rebooked our flight for one day later and got us a hotel for the night.
We were in a pinch and could not have made these alternative arrangements by ourselves from the ship.
Jim & Lindy McLellan
The Woodlands, TX
My wife, Joy, and I have traveled the world together for over 50 years. We pretty much gave up on travel agents long ago after several costly and inconvenient errors were made. We prefer to learn from our own mistakes. However, we have gone back to agents a couple of times.
We used an agent to book a ’round-the-world cruise in 1999. Robin Matthews of Cruises Inc. (1201 W. Cypress Creek Rd., Ste. 100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309; 888/282-1249, www.cruisesinc.com) offered us a $500 discount off the straightforward fare — a no-brainer we could not pass up.
She also sent an excellent pair of binoculars that I have used on every trip we have taken since, and she had a bottle of wine waiting for us when we boarded the ship in Athens. Beats DIY!
In February 2010 we planned a complex tour of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia that involved flights with Sky Airline, whose tickets carried a 100% up-charge if purchased from the US. We found an independent agent, Jackie Rosser, in Santiago. She bought our tickets locally for a very substantial savings. (Bad luck for other travelers — Jackie Rosser returned to Australia as a newlywed and, to my knowledge, is no longer working with travelers to South America.)
So an agent can sometimes have tricks, or cash, up their sleeves to share with clients. We remain open-minded about the opportunities.
Ron Carlson, Lakeland, MN
My husband, Ron, is a Rotarian of long standing. When he retired and joined our local Rotary, we met our travel agent, Carol Kennedy of Travel in Style (1725 Calle Catalina, San Dimas, CA 91773; 714/792-0998 or email carol@travel-in-style.net).
It’s been great knowing Carol and relying on her expertise for many of our travel needs. She has made cruise and plane reservations for us.
While planning to attend the Rotary International Convention in Lisbon in June 2013, we knew we wanted to see some of the countryside on our own with our Placentia friends. Carol found an amazing tour guide, who provided us with a day filled with interesting sights, knowledgeable information and tasty food. I’m convinced that we would not have found this man without Carol’s connections.
Another trip on which Carol was instrumental to our welfare was Uniworld’s “Tulips & Windmills” river cruise from Amsterdam to Belgium, which another couple and we took in April 2010. The trip was delightful, with tulips and windmills galore; however, the eruption of the volcano in Iceland interfered with our return travel plans.
Once we knew that we would not be able to fly home on our designated flight, I contacted Carol. She and her daughter and partner, Kelly, found us a lovely apartment in Brussels’ Old Town and made arrangements with the management for us to have the apartment for as long as we needed.
United rebooked our flight for one week later, but Carol was able to get all four of us seats on a flight only three days later. She worked her magic for us and for our dear friends whom she had never met. We never had to call the airlines or wait in standby lines at the airport as many travelers did.
With our accommodations set and travel plans made, the four of us were able to totally enjoy our serendipitous 3-day stay in beautiful Brussels. What started out as a very stressful situation turned into one of the best three days with our friends that we have had. I credit all of this to our travel agents. I have no idea what we would have done without their help.
Ron and I are confident that Carol and Kelly will always have our best interests in mind as they work with us to plan memorable vacations.
Susan White, Placentia, CA
What’s the difference between a travel agent and a tour operator?
Travel agencies and tour companies provide some of the same services, but certain functions are specific to each, thus the following definitions are being provided.
A TRAVEL AGENT is a consultant who may offer informed advice to a client regarding where and when to travel, based on the traveler’s interests. The agent can book as little or as much of the trip as the traveler requests, including accommodations, flights, tours and travel insurance, handling the processing of payments and any necessary paperwork in addition to keeping the client informed of any changes. Agents may charge the traveler a service fee for bookings (the average fee is from $25 to $100), while making the bulk of their money from commissions paid by tour operators, cruise companies or hotels used.
A TOUR OPERATOR designs and manages tours and/or travel packages, contracting with tour operators local to the destination as well as guides and/or hotels, to provide a set-price package to the traveler (which can include accommodations, touring, meals and, sometimes, flights). Some tour operators may specialize in a particular destination or type of travel (i.e., focusing on senior, food-based or biking tours), and most do not cover the broader range of travel services handled by travel agents. Often, a company representative will accompany travelers throughout their journey.
In the US, there is no legal difference between a travel agent and a tour operator. Both can and often do rely on third parties (day-tour operators, independent driver/guides, etc.) to fulfill someone’s travel wishes, which can include any combination of transportation, tours, accommodation, meals, etc. Incidentally, neither a travel agent nor a tour operator bears any responsibility to the traveler once the agent or operator has sold a travel package to him, unless the seller is the sole provider of the purchased itinerary/services (i.e., there are no third parties involved).