International Accents Travel

Travel Agent Myth Buster

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 | BLOG, Travel Tips | No Comments

Do you use a travel agent when booking your vacation?

Most people think that their trip will cost more if they use a professional so they do it themselves by looking at a few brochures, reading an article in a magazine or seeing someplace really cool on television and then going online.
Do they save money? Maybe a little bit.
Do they get the most for their money? Probably not.
Travel agents usually do not charge any fees for their services. They work on commission from hotels, car rental agencies, tour operators, etc. They also can sometimes get perks for you that are not available to the general public, like upgrades, cruise or resort credits and such. Think of the travel agent as an outside reservation agent, sort of like theonline booking engines, only we’re real people.

Is it better to use a larger company than an independent travel agent?

No. In some instances it might be better to go with an independent. Most larger companies have preferred vendors and only use them, so they may not actually get the best offer for you while the independent has no obligations to use specific vendors so they can research more options for you. The indepent agent works for you, not the supplier. On the other hand, sometimes the larger company may have more leeway since they sell volume travel, unlike the smaller agencies. This does not always represent the best value for your money, but if lower cost is more important than quality, then that would be best for you.

Can you get a better deal on the internet?

Maybe a lower price, but again, take a good look at what you’re getting. Is your cruise stateroom the smallest darkest lowest cabin on the entire ship? Are transfers included? Is your lovely resort suite overlooking the parking lot or delivery area at the back of the hotel? Did they tell you about the extra per person daily resort fee and taxes that are not included? Your all-inclusive resort was a bargain until you learned that you are limited to local liquor only and all meals are at the one buffet and do not include any of the sit down restaurants. Those cost extra as do the steak and seafood dinners. They specified free wi-fi in the room, but when you arrive you discover that it is DSL and you don’t have a cable but can rent one for a mere $10 per day or use the computer in their business center for $25 dollars a day. If there is a problem, will this online company be there to help rectify the problem for you? Well if you used a travel agent, all it takes is a phone call and your agent will handle any of these problems while you enjoy your vacation.

When you talk or “chat” online with a discount internet travel company, do you ask the agent your working with where they have traveled?

Perhaps they have seen several of the resorts you’re interested in and can give you recommendations based on personal experience or tell you some neat places to visit on your European vacation or a great tour to take while on your cruise. What?! they haven’t been anywhere outside the windowless office where they answer calls and take orders? Where is their office located anyway? These are good questions to ask any travel agent. Nothing is better than having a professional with personal experience who knows the right questions to ask you before you take out the old credit card and put a big chunk of money down on a non-refundable vacation that turns out to be the worst vacation ever. Find a travel agent that is interested in you and not what they want to sell to you. Tell them what you like to do and what you expect on a wonderful vacation. Let the professional suggest some things that you may not even know about. If the travel agent asks for a small deposit up front that goes toward your final payment, then you know they are truly going to spend quality time searching for just the right trip for you and your budget. This is a sign of a true professional. After all, you don’t see other professional doing intense research without at least a small amount of “earnest” money upfront to assure that you are truly interested as well.

How can you not feel more secure in planning something as special as your vacation, honeymoon, family reunion, etc. etc. by going to an experienced travel professional? Going online is for amateurs who don’t know the difference in quality and quantity and that you can have both. So do yourself a big favor and call a travel professional the next time your have travel plans. Save time, headaches and money and just enjoy the trip. You deserve it!

Tags: all-inclusive, Beaches, cheap travel, discount travel, honeymoon, travel tips, Vacation

Planning Your Vacation

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 | BLOG, Helpful Travel Planning Info, Travel Tips | No Comments

Are you looking for cheap travel? Well, you have gone to the wrong site. At International Accents Travel, we sell quality and value but never CHEAP.

With more than 35 years in the travel industry we offer personal travel experience as well as professional service. Anyone can sell you a cheap vacation, but do they give you service and ensure that you are getting the best value for your money? How much training have they had? Have they actually traveled to this destination? Do they have partnerships and affiliates worldwide or are they just “booking” a trip for you? What other amenities come with your booking? Are they there with you when you’re planning your trip and then gone, or are they behind you 100% until you are back safely home?

These are important questions to ask before booking with anyone, whether on the phone, in an office or online. Even the biggest online booking engines do not have educated “order takers” on the other end of the connection with you. At International Accents Travel you have a personal travel planner that will consult with you and is fully qualified to ensure that your vacation is the very best it can be. Does this cost you anything? NO. Your first two hours of consultation is included and then there is a fee of $50 that is deducted from your balance when you book you trip. There are no hidden fees, such as handling and booking fees like the online booking engines that add these fees after you book and fill out all your credit card information. And to top it all off, we can offer competitive pricing for travel insurance. Our insurance covers everything, not just your flight or cruise, but everything including your health.

Why would you trust something as important as your vacation to a CHEAP booking engine with absolutely no guarantees? Isn’t it much wiser to plan your vacation with someone you can trust and know will be there all the way for you, someone with reputable reliable affiliates instead of an unknown entity? Now, let’s look at the bottom line. Did our hotel cost $5.00 a night more or the flight was $20 more? Maybe, but the hotel is a 4 star in a reputable area instead of a backpacker hotel in a questionable area and the flight has no layovers longer than 2 hours instead of 5 and 6 hour layovers. Now, how about all the travel information with suggested sightseeing and travel routes or city orientation tours and maps that are included with your package? You may even have some insight to a little off the beaten track village or small local restaurant that even Rick Steves doesn’t know about. And last, but definitely not least, how much of your valuable time was spent doing research? Isn’t it nice to have someone to do this for you and then just check out what is available? And all this is specially designed just for you. We offer concierge travel planning at it’s best and all within your budget. So don’t sell yourself short by booking a cheap vacation, plan a value packed quality vacation instead. We’ll do all the work and all you have to do is enjoy.

Tags: cheap trips, discount travel, Travel, Trips, Vacation