Most people think travel agents or travel consultants ‘sell travel’. The fact is they do much more than this…
A great ‘travel consultant’ won’t just sell a holiday to their customer. Instead, they help customers get more for their money, help them to make better choices on where to stay, and navigate around obstacles.
For those considering starting a travel business, the question ‘why would someone not just book online?’ might come up.
In a fast-paced world where we all value time off and quality time away with our nearest and dearest, the booking of a holiday is one of the most important things to get right.
In fact, there are hundreds of reasons, many of which can be tailored by you, particularly if you focus on a ‘specialism’ as Ben and Toni do, or a destination like this retired couple did.
12 reasons why people choose to book holidays with travel consultants:
1 – Saving customers time and stress
Looking at pictures in books, magazines, and on social media is fun, but planning a trip can involve time and often hard work. Especially if it’s a multi-generational trip, a group booking, or a special occasion like a wedding.
Spending time researching and shopping around might not be the best use of people’s time, with demanding jobs, kids, and all the other balls that might be in the air.
With the industry knowledge we’ll teach you, with our holiday suppliers and ongoing training you’ll get access to, coupled with your own travel experience, you’ll save your customers stress and time, not only from planning the trip itself but across the whole booking experience.
2- Having their back if they need an advocate
Whether it is a natural disaster, a global pandemic, bad luck or just bad weather, not every single holiday booking goes to plan, no matter how amazing a Personal Travel Consultant is.
Whether there are problems getting the customer on the plane, getting them back home safe, having a Personal Travel Consultant to help steer the customer around things no one can control, is proving more valuable than ever before.
When you join you’ll get access to ongoing training including how to deal with customers, as well as be assigned a travel mentor who’s there to guide you through everything you’ll ever need. Having someone at the end of the phone is something customers often tell our franchisees is important to them.
3- The world is ever-changing
Has a Carribean destination recovered from a Hurricane? Is it safe to travel to the Middle East? Can you travel post COVID-19?
A great Travel Consultant is always up-to-date with the latest news, natural disasters, and hot topics. Without the need to search online, a Personal Travel Consultant’s customers will have someone to turn to.
Often before the news is shared online, the travel industry and tour operators are one step ahead. It’s our job to keep you informed, so you can keep your customers in the know. When you join you’ll get access to travel updates in real-time, our knowledge HUB, support Facebook groups, and trade news so you never miss a beat.
4 – Like any professional, they are expert in their industry
Like any professional who knows their sector best, a Personal Travel Consultant knows holidays best. Even if you’re relatively new to the world of travel, it’s like any trade, people gain experience and refine their skills over time.
Like most industries, the world of travel is an ever-moving target, it never sits still for very long. The options available, the recommended destinations for certain types of travel, the go-to hotels for that year never stay the same but a Personal Travel Consultant is always in the know.
Our talented team is living and breathing the travel industry every day, and knows it inside out, they’ll even provide you with the best offers out there to get the attention of your customers, as well as industry news and trending holiday blogs for your website. You will also be given a personal mentor which will be able to help you along the way should you ever get stuck.
5 – They are more convenient
A Personal Travel Consultant handles every aspect of their customers’ holiday or trip. From the flight to the booking of the hotel to the private transfer, the activities, any guided tours, airport parking, travel insurance, the list goes on.
Whatever the destination, size of the group, or preferences for the trip, you’ll have access to the knowledge to be the one-stop shop which makes it highly convenient for your customer whatever their preferences are.
6- The care factor
A Personal Travel Consultants business grows mainly via referrals and repeat business. Everyone knows this is the most effective way to generate new business.
All our Personal Travel Consultants have a passion for travel and genuinely care about their customers. Not all travel companies focus on referrals or repeat business, many of the online “volume websites” are based on new business. This is where a Personal Travel Consultant differentiates from the noise online.
You’ll join a network of travel consultants who all care about every single customer and booking. We can even do all the admin and paperwork bits for you, so you can just focus on the customer experience.
7- They have better and more access
Did you know a Personal Travel Consultant is able to book holidays and get offers that customers cannot find online?
Whether a customer is looking for a ticket to a sold-out show in New York, or for a private boat tour for an anniversary, or needs help with making the hotel room extra special for their honeymoon, a Personal Travel Consultant has the tools and connections to make it happen.
There are so many perks from working in the trade. When you join you’ll be able to try (not always guarantee) airport lounge tickets, VIP connections or upgrades added to the booking where possible. Giving that little extra to your customer can go a long way to making the trip special and is just another reason why customers will book with you.
8- Group bookings is no easy feat
Organising group trips is often a logistical nightmare for people. Coordinating arrival times, different departure times, organising transfers for everyone, is something a Personal Travel Consultant can take off their customers’ hands. To be the one point of contact for the whole group.
Whether it’s a big family, a hen party, a wedding party, a group of mates, a sports club, a business trip, a travel consultant is able to tie all the loose ends, connect the dots and make sure everyone has a great time away.
Our ‘Partners In Travel’ programme is something that makes group bookings even easier for you when you join. You can find out more about how this works here.
9- Getting customers more for their money
A Personal Travel Consultant is often able to save their customers money or drive more value for their money — that doesn’t mean they are always the cheapest.
Many tour operators and resorts are happy that Personal Travel Consultants send people their way, this means that they have access to discounts, perks, or are often made aware of something that a normal person (outside of the trade) would get access to.
When you join you’ll be able to recommend a hotel or destination to your customer, without them having to spend hours researching. This in itself will get them more for their money. This isn’t even considering all the perks, deals and add-ons you’ll be able to access for them.
10- Saved preferences for future travel
A Personal Travel Consultant has the opportunity to learn what type of holidays a particular friend, colleague, or customer likes/dislikes, what their bucket list experiences are, whether they like sitting in the aisle or window seat.
It’ll then be their job to make sure all their trips are tailor-made to them. This saves the customer not only time, as they won’t have to repeat themselves, but also means they can benefit from marrying their knowledge of travel with their preferences every time.
When you join you’ll become a part of a network of travel consultants who are already doing this. Our ongoing training will also show you how to look after customers and keep them happy. Meet Sarah Watts, David Walker, or The McCardies to get inspired today!
11- They can give recommendations
Whether it’s that authentic Caribbean seafront restaurant, or that New York city tour which just cannot be missed, a Personal Travel Consultant will be able to make recommendations so that the customer doesn’t miss a thing.
Even if you haven’t personally been to the destination or place yourself, we’ll know someone in our travel family who has and can advise, or you’ll be able to get inside knowledge from the supplier or simply listen to The Travel Podcast to get clued up fast.
12- They are always in the know
The world of travel never sits still for very long. Recent trends have been seen across train travel, dog-friendly trips, sustainable and responsible travel. Staycations are something that has boomed in recent months.
If there is a new exciting hotel in the Maldives or a refurbished dog-friendly Spa hotel in Cornwall which everyone is talking about, a Personal Travel Consultant is able to share this knowledge with their customers to help them make the best decision on where to spend their time away.
Whatever the trend or update, our marketing, trade, and sales team are always there to help you stay informed. Our marketing team regularly updates The Travel Podcast, the Company News and Blog sections on your website. They also provide already made holiday offers and deals ready to use.
