Red Parrot Travel & Honeymoons

Cruises, Destination Weddings, Family Vacation, Group Travel / Tours, Honeymoons, Luxury Vacation

Africa, Alaska, Asia, Asia Pacific Islands, Australia / New Zealand, Hawaii, Mexico, Middle East, South America

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Yes

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Why Use a Travel Agent for my Honeymoon or Destination Wedding

After more than 30 years in travel and tourism I’ve seen many changes in how people travel. Many, many more destinations are open and available to everyone around the world. The availability of travel information can become daunting and overwhelming to all of us. There are over a BILLION websites on travel alone.

This information overload can be mind boggling but there is a resource that is available to anyone and many people do not take advantage. That is a Travel Professional (agent, counselor, or specialist). Travel agents (TA's) can be a wealth of knowledge and experience that in many cases is FREE to you!

In this technology age, I’m sure you may still be asking “Why use a travel professional?” To help you answer that question, here are some of my favorite reasons:

1. Who Ya Gonna Call?
Well it’s not Ghostbusters. What do you do if the hotel gives you the wrong room category or your transfer doesn’t show up or your cruise ship is diverted to a different port than you started from? Specifically, who are you going to call? Who's going to help you? The hotel? The transfer company? The purser on the ship? Are you going to find someone that cares about you? You're just one person. Losing you as a guest or a customer is no big deal. You are just one reservation to the hotel or the transfer company or cruise line. Basically, you are on your own. If you have a problem during your trip, a travel agent (TA) will act on your behalf.

If you book through a TA, all you have to do is make one simple phone call and your TA and will address your problems for you. Why, you ask? Travel Agents have the potential to send either hundreds of guest or no guests at all to the hotel or transfer or any other travel venue. From a purely business perspective a TA can send thousands of dollars and guest to their businesses or none at all…

2. It is not just about price!
We ask a lot of questions because no two customers are alike. You look to travel agents to provide the best overall solution to your individual travel needs. By asking tons of questions up front, a TA can provide a “relevant needs assessment.” This can include dates, quality or location of accommodation or stateroom, cancellation policy, recreational amenities, the ease of doing business, etc. We want to get to know you, what you are looking for so we can find the BEST options for you!

3. Show me the Money.
Saving money is not just cheap. It is more about value! If you want cheap, then sure, hit the web and take risks. In life and especially in travel, you get what you pay for. TA’s help you stretch your honeymoon dollars. We have access to all sorts of deals that would take you hours or days to find, if you ever could.

4. I already have a Job!
You can spend an enormous amount of time researching your honeymoon. If you have a TA that you trust, then you don't need to spend what little free time you have, scouring the web, trying to piece everything together-- flights, cars, transfers, rooms, cabin, sightseeing, dining, etc. It’s one stop honeymoon shopping.

5. Updated Travel Information
A TA communicates regularly with everyone in the travel community. This includes the airlines, tour operators, resorts, travel agencies, home-based travel agent association, consortia and others. We receive hundreds of emails a day from special savings to travel alerts.

6. Travel Documentation “Do I need a passport for my honeymoon?”
When was the last time you traveled outside the country? Is there a new rule with TSA? Do you really need a passport to go on a cruise? A professional TA can help you to prepare the myriad of documents that might be required. Passports, visas, health certificates, vaccinations; there’s a lot to know!

7. Education
TA’s aren’t just born, they are educated. Becoming a good TA takes study, research, training and experience. Many TA’s spend countless hours to become experts in the industry, a destination or product. Look for a TA with CTC at the end of their name. The CTC certification has represented the pinnacle of travel industry professionalism for more than forty years. What does this mean to you? At least five years of full-time professional experience, completion of a comprehensive travel business course and research and writing of 3000 word White Paper on travel. This isn’t just a part-time job to a CTC, travel is a career.

Additionally many TA’s will specialize in destinations, activities or products. These DS classifications include education, course study and travel experience to become a Destination Specialist. Benefits to you are if you are looking to honeymoon in the Caribbean you can look for a Travel Agent that is a Caribbean Destination Specialist. Or thinking about a destination wedding, look for a TA that is a Destination Wedding Specialist.

It doesn’t stop there. TA’s regularly attend classes, seminars, webinars and actual travel to keep current on this every changing industry.

8. Travel Expertise
Everyone wants to be a travel agent and people think being a travel agent is easy. TA’s are experts / specialists in all sorts of destinations and travel types. A good TA, a real travel specialist can put together an awesome unique itinerary that most consumers couldn’t even dream about. At the end of the day, you don’t need some random travel agent, you need a travel specialist and many are considered experts in the destination to where you are traveling and/or the type of trip you’re contemplating. Wouldn’t you rather have someone who has actually studied and traveled to the country you plan on visiting? Wouldn’t you rather put your honeymoon in the hands of an expert?

I hope the next time you are planning a trip you’ll think about the benefits of using a travel professional. We’re here to make your travels much easier! Safe journeys and adventures!

Tammy Shamblin Renie, CTC
All Rights Reserved
06/19/2009