Many people will turn to a travel agency when planning a destination wedding or dream vacation. When you work with a professional travel agent, you gain access to a wealth of expertise, information, and resources that you can use to create your itinerary. You also get to sit back and let the experts do the planning as you wait to enjoy your trip. But while this is great news, it also means that you should hire the best of the best to plan your trip. Here are 4 factors to consider when looking for a travel agent:
- Certification and Accreditation
The first thing you want to check is that your travel agent has the required accreditation and certification to offer their services. Start by ensuring that they work for a Host or Travel Agency that is certified by IATA. If applicable, you can also confirm that they have the legal accreditations required by the local authorities in your state.
- Background
If the travel agent is certified and accredited, it is time to research their background. You can do this by visiting their website to find out the services they offer, the amount of experience they have, and what previous customers think about them. If a travel agent doesn’t have a reputable website or information outlet through which you can learn about them, they might not be right for you.
- Personal Experience
While you should not discount a travel agent simply because they haven’t been to a destination themselves, an agent with personal experience is a bonus. This is because they have firsthand experience about what to do, where to visit, where to eat, etc., in a given destination.
- Communication Skills
Lastly, only work with a travel agent with good communication skills. You can test this by checking how long an agent takes to reply to your emails or return your calls. Additionally, are they providing you with valuable information when they contact you?