WHY TRAVEL AGENTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER …
Article authored by Kerri Page.
“Keeping up with this ever changing world can be over whelming and exciting all at the same time. One thing everyone seems to agree on is that money is hard to come by and is getting harder and harder to get ahead. Travel is a luxury item. There is a saying that says Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. We all have different travelling styles and we all have different travelling budgets. Whether or not you are travelling on a shoe string, or if you are wanting fully inclusive luxury, the dollars are hard to come by. With this in mind, why would you trust your savings with someone you have never met, or can’t even see?
Yes, we all have access to the internet and the world wide web can be a great source for research. Unless you know exactly what you want and you have the experience to know all that can go wrong, it seems questionable that you would give your dollars to a computer.
Travel agents are accountable. They are a real person that can ask you specific questions to plan a holiday that is tailor made for you and your budget, and experience counts. We are not just selling one product and we can explain the differences between tours and hotels as we sell all products.
Many people come to us to ask as questions about their bargain airfare that they purchased online … Isn’t it a bit late to ask questions after you have made the purchase? Some people don’t even realise that the ticket they have purchased has many stops and is in fact requiring overnight accommodation. There are also issues with not understanding the luggage restrictions and more importantly the logistics of knowing how much time is needed to claim and recheck luggage between flights, if they have not been sold on the same ticket.
Knowledge is the key and at Helloworld Buderim each of our consultants has a minimum of 20 years travel experience. Between us all, we have visited every continent and rather than deciding where to go based on an anonymous online comment or website, our girls can speak from our own, and our customer’s, first hand experiences. We do travel for a living, so we know what we are talking about.
Travel agents can make sure that you get the best out of your travel dollar. We can give you tips on moving around a particular city and make sure that you put your money into attractions and sights that are of interest to you. We know where to go and when.
A lot of people like the idea of simply “winging it” whilst on a holiday. That is all well and good if time is not an issue, and you have an unlimited budget. As travel agents, we are able to give you a clear schedule on a day to day basis so that you know in advance if you need to allow more time in a particular destination, and if in fact your wish list will work with your budget.
There is also the non exciting components of a holiday that you can simply not ignore – visas and travel insurance. If you can’t afford travel insurance, you shouldn’t be travelling overseas. Things can happen and they do. While there are plenty of cheap travel insurance policies out there, you do get what you pay for, and there are many traps that you must consider. The small print is there for a reason and subtle differences can be not- so-subtle if the worst was to occur.
Visas too are a minefield. We have had many people tell us that they purchased their visa online, only to let them know that they paid more than they needed to, as they went on the wrong website. Unfortunately there are so many opportunists online that are just waiting to scam you.”
AUTHOR: Kerri Page – Manager, helloworld Buderim & Global Achievers National Cruise Consultant 2015.
Kerri is helloworld Buderim’s most experienced Senior Travel & Cruise Specialist, with over 27 years in the industry arranging beautiful itineraries for leisure holidays, business trips, groups and special interest pursuits.
helloworld buderim 