Questions to Ask Your Travel Agent
Travel Agents aren’t for everyone. Some people like to spend the time researching a destination and finding the best places to stay or things to do. I am one of those people! But if you want assistance planning your trip and think an expert will benefit you then you will want to pick the right one for you and your needs. Here are a few questions to ask a Travel Agent to ensure you make a great fit.
A great way to start the conversation with the Travel Agent is to simply ask, Can you tell me about your business? Visas and Vistas Travel has been in business since 2018. Prior to that Anne worked in the corporate world as an Auditor and CPA. She took a year off from her corporate job to travel to as many destination she could learning about the world. When she returned she decided to put that knowledge to use and opened her own Travel Agency. We are a home based business (no storefront) that operates in both Tampa, FL and in Northwest Ohio, but our clients are from all over the United States. We generally work a flexible work week with a few hours in the evening or weekends when our clients need us. It is pretty common for us to take evening calls, dinners, or weekend coffee meet ups to discuss trip options.
To stand out from other Travel Agents, most agencies will have a niche. By having a niche, the Travel Agent can become an expert in that area offering the best products and services to interested clients. Ask the Travel Agent, What is your area of expertise? Visas and Vistas Travel specializes in International travel to include the Caribbean.
If you are thinking about traveling overseas, it’s best to have a Travel Agent that has travelled internationally. So always ask, Have you been to or booked trips to this destination? Have we been everywhere? Not even close. But we have been to some of the biggest tourist areas in the world. If we haven’t been to where you want to go, we most likely know a travel partner who has been there that are more than happy to assist Anne in the planning.
You should always know where your money is going. Make sure you ask, Am I paying your agency or does my money go directly to the vendor I am using for my trip? We have all read the articles about the Travel Agent that ran away with your money and didn’t book your trip. We never touch your money. At Visas and Vistas Travel we always provide you with our invoice showing payment plus the invoice of the vendor showing that the payment amount was applied. If you review your credit card statement you will see a charge from the vendor and not from Visas and Vistas Travel.
Travel Agencies set their hours just like any other business. Find one that will work during the hours you need them. Ask them, What if I have a travel emergency, do you work after hours? When clients are traveling we don’t leave home without our phone and laptop. You can always reach us by phone, text, email, or facebook.
Do I need travel protection? Yes. The answer is always yes. We highly recommend travel protection to all of our clients for all trips. You never know what will come up at the last minute that could ruin your vacation and the investment you made. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to decide what type of travel protection you need or if you want to decline it.
This day in age most people haven’t ever used a Travel Agent. They have no idea how much it costs to use a Travel Agent. Some Agencies charge a booking fee. Ask your Travel agent, Do you charge a booking/planning fee and what does that fee pay for? At Visas and Vistas Travel we do not charge a planning or booking fee for most trips. For more complicate individualized trips, there may be a planning fee. This is discussed up front before any work is performed. We ask that you respect us and our time when requesting a quote. We want you to be serious about planning a trip and have the intention of booking the trip with us when it comes time. We ask a lot of questions to make sure we provide you what you request in the budget you approve of.
Another question we get a lot, that might not be the most appropriate question to ask, is How do you make money? We get that people are curious and we don’t mind sharing the answer. The vendor we select to purchase your vacation will pay us a commission. The commission percentage amount is based on the sales volume our partnering travel agencies brings in. Generally, we don’t get paid commission until you travel on a trip you booked through us. This means we work for free until you return from your trip. Keep in mind, when you take one of our quotes to another agency or book online with expedia, we see no commission. Always give us a chance if you find a better deal somewhere else.
Every Travel Agent is different. Some have store fronts, some are home based. Remember a Travel Agent is suppose to make the process easier for you. Find out more about them before you get started to ensure you are a good fit.
