When you search “travel agents near me” to plan a family, group, solo or couples vacation, how do you know which travel agent can fulfill your unique needs for the experience you crave, the sense of true adventure, the TRANSFORMATION you can obtain?
Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash
Who can create a custom travel itinerary that lets you go on your dream journey, and is there for you when you need them before, during and after your trip?
And, who is going to make sure your travel not only gives you the most un-Googleable authentic experiences while ensuring that the places you visit benefit from you being there through sustainability?
6 Questions to Ask as You Search for Travel Agents Near Me
#1 What is Your Goal of Working with a Travel Agent?
There is a reason for why you search for “best travel agents near me” and you are seeking to work with a travel agent. Maybe you are traveling to an unknown destination. Perhaps your goal is to make the trip unique for all family members. You could be looking for a trip that will give you both safety AND the cultural deep dive you desire.
And let’s not forget about the fact that you’d like to save TIME!
The fact is, any time you want the best outcome from your travels, you should work with a travel agent who will take the time to know you and possess the knowledge and reach to get you want you want.
Make sure to share with your travel agent what you expect of working together and the outcome you anticipate. Only if he or she knows your goals can they fulfill them.
Check out why working with a travel agent – or better, a luxury Travel Advisor is in your best interests for the best vacation experience.
#2 How Will I Know if a Travel Agent is My Right Fit?
You won’t know this by only googling “travel agents near me” and then expect that the first travel agent you find will automatically fit your needs.
Finding the best luxury travel company mostly depends on your expectations.
- Do you want to work with somebody you can trust, who helps through the planning process, and from your journey’s beginning to end (and even long after you arrived home)?
- Do you prefer somebody who really finds out what your vision of your dream vacation is and also what needs, desires, and wants are hidden behind this?
- Do you want someone who knows your destination, or knows the perfect destination for your travel dream?
- Do you want to work with someone who will be an advisor, to council you through the decision process, to suggest things you didn’t know you could have?
- Would you like to have seamless travel where all details are taken care of, where all fixes are someone else’s responsibility so that you can relax and enjoy your journey?
#3 Does Your Travel Agent’s Location Matter?
In the age of the internet, where you can communicate with your travel agent and “see” them on Facetime or in Skype, location matters less than personal and customized service. What we experienced as one-on-one 10 or 20 years ago moved over to our digital life and a video chat is now felt as “real”.
The more important question is: Where does a travel agent’s expertise lie?
#4 How Do I Know if the Agent is a Real Travel Expert?
Ask questions, many. Only by asking the questions you have and listening to the answers will you get a first feeling if the travel agent you speak with is a real travel expert or not. Ask if they have been there (or if they have connections there personally beyond group or bus tours.) Ask about their sources and consortium. You want to get a sense of their “reach”. If he or she tells you don’t worry and that they have everything under control, move on and check out the next one. Overall, planning your dream vacation is team work.
Click HERE for more ideas on what to look for in your travel agent.
#5 How Do I Know if the Travel Agent Provides Me the Best Offer?
If you work with an experienced travel agent who has great knowledge about travel destinations, you want to focus on receiving the best value for your travel bucks, not the cheapest price. The travel expert wants to create an experience for you which is priceless on its own. He won’t be focused on making it the cheapest for you but how you get the most experiences you are seeking out of your vacation. Naturally, you should provide your travel agent a budget; then she or he will be in the best position to offer advice on what you can have for that amount while working to pack the most value into that structure.
With an adequate budget, your well-connected travel agent should be able to add things into your travels that you cannot get for yourself. Remember, a price deal only focuses on cost, not value.
#6 Do Other Nearby Travel Agents Provide Similar Pricing?
If you refer to an all inclusive package, yes. But if you are seeking a custom travel itinerary, then every tailor-made travel itinerary will display the pricing for the value you’ll receive. Hopefully, you want your trip to be unique to you, so there is not an apples-to-apples price comparison with anyone else.
If you want the cheapest vacation you can book in 5 minutes, then you can just go online and Google “cheapest all inclusive in the Caribbean”. But if you search for “travel agents near me” because you are looking for a travel expert who can create for you the vacation of your (and your family’s or friends’) lifetime then you want to work with a travel advisor you can trust, has credibility, expertise, and the knowledge to not only create the custom travel itinerary for you but also is your companion through your trip, and afterwards if needed.
If you’d like to have more ease in your travel planning, I’d love to help!
You can stay informed and inspired in planning your travel in 2018 by reading more of my blogs. You can also follow me on Facebook. Twitter @enlitndjrntrvl, and Instagram @enlightenedjourneystravel. Sign up to receive the blogs and a newsletter filled with more insights and offers so you don’t miss a thing.
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