You’ve found the perfect travel advisor, and now’s the time to put them to work on your dream trip! If you’re new to working with a travel advisor, here are a few things that you can do to help make the process run smoothly.
Having been described as the travel industry’s ‘matchmakers’, a great client-travel advisor relationship is worth its weight in gold. From personalized attention everywhere you go. Perks and upgrades that only come with being the client of an esteemed advisor. The benefits of using a travel advisor are significant, but how do you go about building that valued relationship?
Be Honest About Budget
Of course, you want your dream trip, with all of the bells and whistles. However, it does both you and your travel advisor an enormous disservice to not be upfront about your actual budget.
Going one step further, once you establish your budget, identify what’s high on your priority list. Perhaps you aren’t as focused on your accommodations. You would prefer to have mind-blowing travel experiences in every destination you’re visiting. You may also discuss with your travel advisor your transportation preferences such as an airplane charter or car rental. This helps your travel advisor not only build your dream trip but decide how and where to allocate your budget.
Trust Their Expertise
A travel advisor’s job is just that – travel. While the photos on a hotel website may have you ready to book, your advisor may know that it’s on a congested motorway or next to noisy construction. Trust them.
Great travel advisors go out of their way to familiarize themselves with destinations. Know the properties, and various tourism suppliers the world over. It’s our job to get to know you and match you with suitable experiences that just fit.
Collaborate
As a travel advisor, I am here to save you time. If you have a dream destination, experience, or property in mind – tell me! A great trip is a collaboration between enthusiastic clients and a knowledgeable travel advisor.
In the vein of saving time and collaborating, don’t be afraid to ask that I look into a particular property. Research specific activities for your family, or even work on restaurant reservations. At the end of the day, I am working for you!
Accept Advocacy
For those of us with can-do self-sufficient attitudes, this can often be a hard pill to swallow. As your travel advisor, I am your advocate, especially when you’re traveling on the journey that I built for you.
If something goes wrong, accept help and grant me the opportunity to fix it. This may mean biting your tongue at the hotel manager if something goes wrong, and waiting on your trusted travel advisor to work some magic. It will be worth it in the end. Try to remember, travel advisors have valued relationships with hotels and tourism suppliers. You can request to stay at your preferred Flagstaff hotels.
Build Your Relationship
Let your travel advisor get to know you. The more that you and your advisor connect on a personal level the better your trip can be tailored precisely to you.
Unique, personalized trips are where travel advisors shine. By opening yourself up and sharing parts of you (and your family) with your travel advisor, you’re only improving the chances for a beautiful, custom-made journey. Remember, the best relationships only get better with age. A long-term travel advisor is someone you will want in your corner for years to come.
