Ep 38 Travel Advisors & Budgets

I want to touch base on a few different topics today…

1.    Why you should use a travel advisor

2.    Creating your budget for you trip…and I don’t like to call it budget

3.    All inclusive resorts…what is and isn’t included 

So first I am going to chat about travel advisors.  I run into so many people today that ask me how much do you charge?  My answer is always…nothing. People are amazed.  So, I now have a question for all of you.  Why then aren’t you using a travel advisor?  Sure, I hear well I can find it myself on the internet.  

But do you really want to spend that much time surfing the web.  Trying to find just the right vacation and vacation package and then if you are going with a family reunion… tracking down everyone and entering all their stats and taking payment and ….and…and… whew….  I know that when I am going on vacation, I don’t want to have to worry about anything I just want to pack my bag grab my passport and go.  

Do you know that most travel advisors are always learning.  They work with vendors to find out all about each one of them and what each one offers.  They get emails everyday with updates and specials and sometimes these offers are only offered through the travel advisor. 

  Travel advisors can sit down with you and find out just what you are looking for and then they go to work.  Matching you up with just the right vacation.
 What about if you want to go on a vacation and you don’t know where you want to go.  A travel advisor can do just that.  Advise you of the many opportunities that are out there that you would like.  And they do this all for free…. Now I am not going to lie to you.  

Some travel advisors do charge for their services…Why?  Well I will tell you.  There are few reasons…one is.  Clients will call get the TA to do all the foot work and then turn around and book it themselves.  That’s not very nice.  Also, if the TA goes above and beyond the call of duty…for instance…Visa research and paper follow up.  Something that should be handled by the traveler.  

Travel advisors also go on trips to research some of these places and sailings and hotels.  They can actually speak from experience.  I do the same things.  Like sailing on Virgin Voyages etc.  I love this adage “been there, done that” 

You here me all the time saying I know a TA that went there.  TA’s also talk with each other.  Yes we actually communicate with one another to find out information about certain places. This way we can give you first hand experience of the place you are planning on going to.  Sometimes and this is rare but sometimes.  If you call your Travel Advisor…and they know absolutely nothing about a certain vacation, they will call their TA friend who handles that, and they help.  Yes.  TA’s help each other.

Vendors work closely with TA’s because they want the TA’s selling their product.  So they to make sure it’s all good.

Now the next thing I want to bring up is Budget…. I don’t like the word budget.  I know everyone has one.  But its not really budget…its what is this trip worth to you.  Are you celebrating a special anniversary.  Or is it the first time you are doing a multi-generation trip.  It may be the last time great grandma gets to go along.  These things are priceless.  So here are a few things you should ask of yourself. 

What do I expect from this vacation

What do I want to experience

Who will be coming along

Are we celebrating anything…. (any milestone…college graduation/high school graduation/made it through Chemo…50th wedding anniversary)

What do I want to do on this trip.  Sky diving/kayaking/see penguins or polar bears/