When planning a holiday it is always advisable to contact a travel agency, who can help you with all the elements of your holiday. It is essential to find the right agent for you and your family’s needs as they will have extensive knowledge of the many destinations on offer and can provide expert suggestions on what to do, what to avoid and how to get around.
A travel agent’s job is to ensure that their clients have a great experience while travelling. This is achieved by researching various destinations and making recommendations based on their own experiences. They can also arrange accommodation, transportation and tours for their clients. Travel agents also work closely with tour operators, resorts and cruise lines to secure the best rates for their clients. In addition, they are on the lookout for any special offers that may be available.
Most travel agencies are members of ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and ATOL (Agency Tour Operators’ Licence). This means that when they sell you a package holiday they have contracts in place with the suppliers – ie the hoteliers, tour operators etc. These agreements mean that in the event of insolvency, your holiday arrangements will be safeguarded as they are covered by a scheme which guarantees your money.
In addition to researching their trade publications, travel agents also use the internet and communicate directly with airlines, hotels, resorts and car rental companies to obtain information about their products and services and to make reservations for their clients. They also keep up to date with travel advisories and safety information, relaying this on to their clients.
For those clients who have a very specific idea of their dream holiday, travel agents can create bespoke packages to suit. This is often done by combining elements of different packages or using their relationships with various tour operators to secure special deals that are not available online.
If you are looking for a villa in the Caribbean, for example, finding an agent who specialises in this destination will give you access to their connections with local operators and ensure that you get the best possible deal.
Travel agents can also save you time by comparing prices for the same service between different suppliers. They can also assist with sourcing airline tickets, rail tickets and car hire, as well as arranging visas if needed.
Pacific Holidays is a member of ASTA’s TOP (Tour Operator Program) and adheres to their code of ethics, which includes maintaining a $1 million errors and omissions policy that names travel agents as additional insureds. We believe this level of transparency is essential in creating trusting relationships with our valued travel agents. This is why we have won a number of awards including the TravelAge West Editor’s Pick and a WAVE Award for the Best Tour Operator, Asia. In addition, our agents can access a special section of the website with detailed product information and regular updates on new tour itineraries and specials.