Your Advocate...The Travel Agent

We get a lot of clients who come to us for help in planning their vacations because they don't have time to do it themselves or they need help with a complicated itinerary or they just need help with a destination that they are just not that familiar with etc.  Some even come to us because they have read somewhere that travel agents can save you money.

Those are all great reasons for using the services of a travel professional, but one of the reasons that gets overlooked is that we are the client's advocate when things don't go according to plan.  While we all hope everything goes as scheduled and things are better than expected during the vacation, things can happen that are out of the control of the client as well as the travel professional.  And when things do come up that are unexpected and not as you hoped, you want someone in your corner who will fight for YOU, not the resort, or the cruise line or the airline etc.


Case in point.  Sandals Grande Antigua announced a few days ago (from the time of this writing) that they were closing the resort from Sept to December for "major repairs."  Well as you can imagine, vacationers who were looking forward to their tropical getaway during that timeframe just had their entire vacation uprooted.  Yes, Sandals is offering options to the guests who cannot change their travel dates etc, but so many are left with the question of, "what do we do next?"  I should say that the ones who did not use a travel professional are left with that question.

Our clients know exactly what their options are.  One such client didn't have to hear the news and panic because our consultant, Julia, had already heard and was putting together the options before the client had heard the news.  Within a day, the client was given an alternative that fit their schedule and fit what they were expecting for their vacation.   The client did not have to try to get in the phone queue with Sandals or with one of the online booking companies and spend their valuable time trying to figure things out on their own.  They did not have to spend hours of researching what was available to them for alternate resorts etc.  It was taken care of by their travel professional who interacted on their behalf with the tour operator and resort.

So hopefully you see that we do more than quote and book vacations.  We stand ready to assist our clients when assistance is needed and make sure their best interests are being represented when things come up before or during someone's well-deserved vacation.

All Inclusive vs European Plan

The all inclusive fad is in full swing.  So much so that we get a lot of requests for all inclusive resorts for destinations here in the U.S., even though there are basically none.  It seems everyone thinks all inclusive is the way to go.  Well is it really?  The answer to that question is no and also yes.  Let me explain.

Actually before I explain the no and yes answer, lets make sure everyone truly understands what an all inclusive resort is.  A resort that is truly all inclusive will include all meals, all beverages, room service and even whats in the minibar in the rooms. There are a few exceptions to this but 99% of all inclusive resorts will be offering all of your food and drink for one packaged price.   This is in contrast to resorts that are not all inclusive or European Plan (EP), as some are called.  EP simply means no food or drink are included with the exception of the occasional breakfast daily or a resort credit of some sort which are usually offered as promotional items at the time of booking.

So are we clear on the differences between the two?  All inclusive resorts allow you to pay one price for all of your food and drink AT the resort and resorts that are EP will be charging you for any food and drink that you consume onsite at their resort above and beyond the room rate you might have paid.

So some are probably reading this thinking, "why on earth would I want an EP plan when I can pay one price and get all of the food and drink included?  Well the answer depends on the type of traveler you are.  If you want a beach, some sun, and you really don't want to move yourself from the pool or ocean for your entire trip, then an all inclusive is a great option.  If you are not one who needs top cuisine or craft cocktails, then an all inclusive is a great option.  If you have children and you don't want to have to worry about what they are about to order off of a menu while on vacation, then an all inclusive is a great option.  If you fit into one of those 3 categories, my answer would be yes, an all inclusive is the way to go for you.

BUT...if you are not in those 3 categories, then here is why an all-inclusive may not be a great option for you.  First, all inclusive resorts tend to "dumb down" the food and drink quality.  What I mean by that is demand for non stop food and drink makes it hard for the resorts to keep up and the quality suffers.   They have gone the way of the cruise lines.  Cruises used to be known for excellent cuisine and pampered service.  Now, cruisers can't wait to get onboard so they can hurry to the buffet and eat as much as possible before then heading to their stateroom so they can get ready for more food at dinner to only be followed by a trip to the all night pizza or burger or cookie stations around the ship. The constant demand for food has created a situation where cruise lines have to cut down on quality just to keep up with the constant demand for more and more food.  Well, all inclusive resorts are now faced with the same issue.  They know that as long as they can keep food in plentiful supply 24/7, their average guest will be satisfied with their stay.   They can no longer afford the best of ingredients and the time needed to produce true gourmet cuisine.  So if you like to taste incredible dishes while on vacation, you may be better off at a resort that is not all inclusive and where you pay for the actual amount of food you consume.

Second, if you are a traveler that likes to get out and see and do and eat more of the food that the destination actually offers, then you may be better off by not doing an all inclusive.  If you pay for an all inclusive resort, you are paying for breakfast, lunch and dinner and all snacks.  If you were to venture off the property and come across a great place to eat, you would most likely not eat there because you realize you have already paid for all of your food while on vacation. Staying at a non-all-inclusive gives you the freedom to eat wherever you please including great options away from the resort.

And third, if you enjoy sitting in a wonderful lounge and enjoying a cocktail that was produced by a true mixologist, then all inclusive resorts are most likely not for you.  Again, because things have been dumbed down at all inclusives, top spirits and beer are not always available and please don't count on being wooed by anything a bartender may produce at an all inclusive.  Can they make a margarita or a mojito and it taste ok?  Sure!  But they are again producing drinks as fast as they possibly can because they have to keep up with those vacationers who like to have 2, 3 or 4 drinks in their hand at one time.

Now this sounds like I am poo pooing all over all inclusive resorts but really I am not. I am just making sure everyone sees and understands what you get for the price you pay.  Going on vacation with wrong expectations is usually why you see some really bad reviews on travel review sites.  Someone saw an all inclusive that was supposedly 4 star and thought they were going to get the same quality of food and drink as they would have at a real 4 star resort that is not all inclusive.

So before you jump on the all inclusive bandwagon, please talk to a travel professional and let them explain to you the pros and cons before you spend your hard earned money on your next vacation.

The Modern Travel Agent (Part 2)

Awhile back I had written a post with the intent of answering a lot of questions that we receive frequently which really boil down to this one..."what is the difference between using you or going on the internet and doing it myself?"  I focused that post on explaining who we are as modern day travel agents.  Please feel free to go back and revisit that article at your leisure.  But I feel a part 2 is required because we still get asked a lot of questions that lead me to believe that a lot of potential customers have no real idea of what we do and how we work & benefit them when it comes to travel planning.

So instead of focusing again on who we are, lets focus this article and who we are NOT.

1.  We are NOT cyber robots.  That seems obvious but when people compare us living and breathing professional travel consultants to the likes of Booking.goodluckwithgettingwhatyouthoughtyoupaidfor and cyber gnomes, it makes me think the obvious is not so obvious.  When you call or email or text or do a face to face visit with us, you are speaking to real people who have real families and live in real homes just like you do.

2.  We are NOT order takers.  We do not encourage our clients to do all the work and all the research and spend countless hours on hoards of websites perusing scores of travel options and then simply take what they want and hit the "book it" button.  Instead, we do all of the work, spend our time and energy scouring the resources we use, as professionals, to find that perfect vacation that fits what our clients told us they wanted out of that perfect vacation and then we send that perfect option to the client for their final approval before anything is ever booked.

3.  We are NOT the cheapest option.  Many will come to talk to us only because they think or they have heard that travel agents are cheaper than the internet.  While some travel agents attempt to buy a client's loyalty by offering kickbacks or huge discounts, we are not that agency.  We offer the best value.  Value is very different than cheap.  If someone is looking for the cheapest option, then there are countless websites saying they are the cheapest which means no one will really know if they received the cheapest price.  Do you pick your Dr's based on them being the cheapest?  Do you pick your lawyers or financial planners because they said they were guaranteeing to be the cheapest?  We don't expect you to choose to work with us because we are the cheapest either.

Modern travel agents are again thriving because of the things we are as well as the things we are not. Clients are coming to us because we save time and energy.  They are coming to us because they trust our knowledge and experience and can offer ideas that they may never have thought of.  They are coming to us because they appreciate our service and love knowing we are THEIR agents, not the resort's or the cruise line's or the tour operator's etc.

So are you wanting to take a dream vacation and don't know where to begin with the search process or can't seem to pull the trigger because you are overwhelmed with countless options and opinions from friends and online reviewers?  Search out a professional travel consultant (i.e. us here at H&K) and let us show you why you will never want to try to book a vacation without our
help again.

Are We Earmarked?

Are you an earmarked agency? We, as professional travel planners, get that question a lot from potential Disney-bound vacationers.  New clients, who are out perusing the internet for "sound advice" when it comes to their future WDW getaway, get all sorts of recommendations when it comes to what to do or what not to do.  But one of the bits of advice we witness a lot is, "only work with an authorized Disney vacation planner."  When an agent or agency touts that they are an "authorized Disney vacation planner," they are saying that they are also a "Disney earmarked" agency.

Disney gives that status to agencies that produce over a certain amount of dollar volume in a given period of time.  Disney does not announce what that volume is, but once you hit it, Disney may then reach out to that agency and invite them to be earmarked.  For some agencies, it is their goal to become earmarked because it then gives them the right to officially claim themselves to be "authorized" by Disney to sell Disney vacations.  But therein lies the confusion to the general public.

An agency that is not earmarked is NOT selling Disney illegally etc., yet the term "authorized" carries with it a certain connotation that anyone not earmarked should not be selling "official Disney vacations."  As it is with most of my posts, I try to cut through the double-talk, fluffy, mamajahambo and speak clearly and honest.  And just so you don't think this is some self-serving post, I want you to know that I am speaking on behalf of a lot of travel agencies that are great at what they do and who sell Disney vacations frequently, yet are not "earmarked."  A good travel consultant who sells Disney vacations will have done two or more of the following:

1) They will have taken and passed Disney's specialist training that every earmarked AND non-earmarked agency has access to.  I and a lot of other agents and agency owners have multiple certificates showing completion of that course from year to year hanging somewhere in our offices. 
2) They will have visited one or more of the Disney destinations (i.e. WDW and DL) personally on their own vacation time.
3) They will have taken a Disney cruise at some point along the way
4) They will have stayed at every level of resort that there is at WDW and/or DL (Value, Moderate, Deluxe etc).

What I mentioned above is what any travel professional can do in order to properly equip themselves to plan and sell Disney vacations to their clients, regardless of being earmarked or not.

So let me repeat again, assuming someone does two or more of the above, the difference between an "authorized" (earmarked) Disney vacation planning agency and any other professional agency is the volume of sales that agency produces for Disney.

My agency is an earmarked agency.  But we focus our expertise on a broader range of destinations than just Disney.  I like it that way and will keep it that way.  I like to be able to help clients with destinations such as Universal Orlando, Mexico, the Caymans, Japan, Hawaii etc in addition to helping plan Disney-related vacations.  But I am also proud of the fact that I have a team of agents who rival any agency's Disney experience and knowledge. We collectively have stayed at every onsite resort.  we have collectively ate at every onsite restaurant.  We have sailed on the Disney Dream, Fantasy, Wonder and Magic.  I don't care how many conferences someone attends, nothing replaces first hand experience when it comes to Disney vacation planning.  Are we experts at planning Disney vacations? Yep.  And so are a lot more agencies out there who may or may not be "earmarked."

So when choosing a professional vacation planner for your next Disney vacation, don't let fluff and titles make up your mind of whom you should use.  Simply ask if they know a lot about Disney and if they have personally been before and then go with the person that you know, like and trust.

Questions?  Comments?

When To Buy Your Airfare

This article may NOT contain the answer you are looking for, but I do hope it clears up some of the confusion and misinformation that is floating out in cyberspace when it comes to the best days and times to buy airfare for your upcoming dream vacation.

First, here is a fact about airfare prices,  they fluctuate on almost a minute by minute basis.  The fluctuation is due to computer algorithms that set prices based on the number of seats still available on a certain flight.  As seats sell, prices change.  Its good ole supply and demand, plain and simple.  There are a lot of detailed articles out there trying to give more detail into why prices are so different for the same flight on any given day, but it all boils down to economics.  If a flight is a popular route, you can count on the fact that prices will reflect it (i.e. supply and demand) and that won't matter if it is on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc.

Second, we get asked all the time whether it is cheaper to fly on a Tuesday vs a Friday etc.  The answer still goes back to supply and demand.  It very well may be cheaper because a lot of business travelers leave out on Sundays and Mondays and come back on Fridays or Saturdays.  But keep in mind that airlines know this and the number of flights reflect the busier days and routes which brings up the issue of availability and the number of connections.

Third, what you see when it comes to the published fare may not be the real cost of flight.  For example, you bought a ticket on "ABC Airlines."  Then when you went to choose your seat, the only available seat for the price was a middle seat near the back bathroom.  So you see that the seat is in an awful location but you also see there are other seats that you can upgrade to for the everyday low price of $60.   So you waited until Tuesday to buy that airfare that was $30 lower but ended up paying $60 more for a seat you actually want to sit in.

So with all of this said, here are the factors that should play into your decision of when you want to buy your airfare:

1) How committed are you to the trip?  If your trip dates are set due to vacation schedules and you are set to a certain departure and return date, you should consider buying your airfare as soon as you can. I say that because if your vacation destination is a popular one, the good flights (good times and connections) can sell out while you wait to see if the fare is going to drop $20 to $50.

2) Single vs multiple connection flights.  Let's assume there are no direct flights between where you are and your destination so you will have at least one connection.  You need to weigh the importance of the number of connections as well as the layover time.  Waiting to buy on a certain day of the week and at a certain number of days before your trip can put at risk losing the best connection and layover times. Was it worth the difference in airfare if you now have to stop at 2 different airports before reaching your final destination?  Each connection carries its own risks such as the chance for bags to get lost or issues with weather or airplane equipment.  The money you might save may seem insignificant if you spend the first two days of your vacation in the same clothes you started in.

3) Time of year.  if you are flying to a destination that is popular during a certain time of year (i.e flying to Europe in June or July), the prices will not only change rapidly, but again, flights can literally sell out.  The direct flight you wanted from Chicago to Rome not only could be sold out, but the longer connecting flight may also now cost more because you waited.

Let me summarize by telling you how we consult our clients when it comes to purchasing their airfare.  If we know that the client's dates are set and we know that destination is a popular one for that time of year, we always encourage them to buy as soon as possible with only a few exceptions.  We advise them to consider the single vs multiple connection.  We help them see that taking the last flight out may appear cheaper but it may not be worth it if that flight is canceled and there are no longer anymore options out that night.  We make sure sure our clients see that the cheaper flight may have a layover until the next morning which means there will be an overnight hotel stay which also now adds to the cost.  We make sure our clients know that if it is important that they are seated together, then we need to grab the flights and seats when we can to make sure that happens.

So do you see that waiting to buy airfare on a certain day or picking days of the week that you think will be cheaper may not be the best choice?  Its not a simple answer of "always buy on Tuesday because its cheaper."  Let professionals help you understand the pros and cons of waiting or not waiting.

Taking a Bite Out of the Big Apple

As a first timer to New York City, I wasn’t sure what to expect…I mean sure I have heard plenty about it and my husband has been several times and LOVES it.  But this mountain loving open space seeking girl isn’t exactly super excited about all the tall buildings and city life.  So to say I was a bit worried I might not love it is an understatement.  BUT, it was truly fabulous!  There are so many fascinating things such as the sheer number of Starbucks in a 10 block radius, or the number foreign languages I heard…but what stood out the most is the number of people ALWAYS around…not matter what part of town you are in or what time of day…there are so many people.  In a good way – mostly.  ;-)

When starting to plan our trip I did what any good travel consultant does…research.

When it came to trying to figure out where to stay, there were so many great choices of course.  But we landed on a new hotel that has a totally different approach to hotel living.  We stayed at the EVEN Hotel near Penn Station.  The reason I wanted to check it out is because it has a unique opportunity for the hotel guests.  Each room has a workout space in it equipped with an exercise ball, yoga mat, exercise bands and loads of workout options from a booklet to multiple workout channels for you to  turn on.  From the catchy slogans on their signs to the water bottle for us (to be more green) this place impressed me the most by their outstanding service.  Some of the best service I have ever had at a hotel to be honest.  They have a healthy option restaurant, Cork and Kale, for breakfast, dinner and on the go meals.  Of course this type of hotel wouldn’t be complete with a 24 hour fitness center with more equipment for you to use to make certain you can stay healthy while traveling!

Since we chose to stay there, I made sure to get over to a couple other hotels so that I can see which room I will stay in next time I visit.  The first stop was the JW Marriott Essex House.  WOW.  What can I say?  Luxury feel, fabulous location, amazing views of Central Park and the city, great restaurant and bar, the list is long.  What stood out the most you might wonder?  The size of the rooms!   Even the standard room is quite big for New York hotels.  Plenty of space to move around, ample storage for your luggage - you don’t ever feel cramped.  The overall vibe of the hotel was really nice, not pretentious, but rather a pretty affordable luxury hotel.   The ballroom is remarkable for your next wedding or other event  - where you will always be the ONLY event going on in that space, not matter how big or small.  We dined in the restaurant and were impressed by the food and wine selection as well the ambiance.  If you want to buy a table for breakfast the morning of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you can enjoy a fabulous meal while watching the parade cruise by your table.  You will even have street access if you prefer that.  It would definitely be great to go back there for that event.  To sum it up, you just can’t go wrong with this luxury hotel.  The JW Marriott Essex House – a must!

One other hotel I wanted to check out was the Lotte New York Palace Hotel – it is right across from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Another fabulous location with great city views as well as views of the famous historical St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  This luxury hotel is another gem of New York City.  The attention to detail and the thought behind each finish is truly amazing.  The standard rooms and suites are also quite large with several great options for families or multifamily travel.  There are a few options to have a cocktail at, a breakfast lunch/coffee place, and a restaurant that will be serving breakfast only soon with lunch and dinner to come in the months ahead.  The most interesting place to get a drink there is Rarities.  This place is essentially a drinkable museum.  You must have a reservation to get in, but once you are in, you can try liquors and wines that have some amazing story behind them and were likely purchased at an auction.  It truly is a “rare” find.  You do not have to stay at the hotel to have a drink there…just be sure you get your reservation made in advance!  My absolute favorite place in the hotel though is the Jewel Suite.  A 3 story room with your own personal elevator, outdoor patio with fireplace and hot tub as well as plenty of tables and chairs to sit around while enjoying the stunning view of the city.  Jewelry designer Martin Katz helped create this stunning room with his jewels showcased in the room for you to enjoy.  This room has multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, an office that is too pretty to work in really, and the most amazing gathering area with the 3 story windows for you to take it all in.  This suite is only matched by one other suite in town – and happens to be right next door in the Champagne Suite.  A much more masculine room, but the same amazing views and features, the completely different décor including much darker wood finishes.  This suite will not disappoint the Dom Perignon lover with the displays of Dom around the room and the glass chandelier that was made to look like champagne bubbles in your glass.  Yes, the attention to detail is unmatched.

So many things to do and see in NYC and too many to try to list here in this blog.  One of the most unexpectedly interesting things we did was the Rockefeller Center Tour.  I had no idea it was going to be mostly outside and all about the 19 buildings that make up Rockefeller Center.  Who knew?  Our tour guide was amazing and just the right amount funny!  We learned a ton and were in awe most of the 75-minute tour.  It is worth it if you haven’t done it.  Some must-do’s in my opinion would be to visit the 911 Memorial, walk the financial district, get to the Top of the Rock and for the romantics out there, take a carriage ride with your sweetheart through Central Park.  That is just the beginning of things to do over a long weekend in the city that never sleeps.

 New York is known for great food…and it did not disappoint.  We had dinner at Minetta Tavern – a great spot in Greenwhich Village that seemed filled will locals.  It’s been around since 1937 and for good reason.  They are known for their Black Label Burger, but have a wide range of options from Roasted Bone Marrow to King Salmon and so much more.  Great wine list, excellent Martini, and impeccable service.  If you decide to go, be sure to make reservations a few weeks in advance!

We also hit David Burke Kitchen in SoHo.  My husband has been there for dinner a few times so we had planned to have brunch there, but ended up doing breakfast, which was amazing!  Best French Toast I have ever had!  Most unique Bloody Mary we have come across – but the hubs says it was amazing!  You can’t go wrong with anything you order any time of day!  Reservations are ideal.

Of course we hit the random pizza joint on the street to grab a slice and it was great! 

One more place to note that we hadn’t planned on going to but SO glad we did is Patsy’s Italian Restaurant New York.  It is a family run restaurant that has been there since 1944 in the Theater District in Midtown Manhattan.  From the moment you walk in the door you are greeted with fabulous service and likely to see at least one of the family members.  They have only had 3 chefs – the late Patsy himself, his son Joe, or Joe’s son Sal (who has been running the kitchen for the past 29 years).  The best service we have ever had, some amazing Italian food and we even got to see Tony Danza dining at his regular table.  And yes, we made eye contact but I did not bother him.  ;-)  This restaurant is a must!  And you will want to have a reservation there also!     

If you have the opportunity to go to the Big Apple for the first time or your 10^th time, there is always something new to see or a restaurant you haven’t hit.  Needless to say, his first time visitor will be back!

(Article contributed by Jamie Eldridge, H&K's adventure travel expert.  You can see her profile by clicking on this link H&K Luxury Travel)

The Other Side of Mexico

So many travelers seem to think Cancun encompasses all of Mexico.  When someone says, "we want to go to Mexico," they usually mean Cancun.  Well I am here to officially inform you that Mexico is a great, big, incredible Country and extends well beyond the areas of Cancun.   In fact...let me introduce you to the other side of Mexico...the Pacific side.

Now that I have personally been to the Pacific side 3 times (and a 4th visit is planned), I can say without a doubt that it is my favorite side.  In my humbled opinion, it has so much more to offer than the Caribbean side of Mexico.  Yes the Caribbean side has white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.  So if you are a water person, you may be very content with only seeing the Caribbean side.  But if you want culture, history and adventure as well as beautiful sunsets and a laid back atmosphere, then you must plan a visit to the Pacific side asap.

For example, San Jose del Cabo has the historic Mission de San Jose del Cabo dating back to 1730AD.  You can participate in the art walk in San Jose del Cabo every Thursday night between June and November.  Or visit Los Cabos during the winter and enjoy seeing humpback whales breech the water as you sip your morning coffee on your oceanfront balcony.

Or you can enjoy a walk through downtown Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and eat at one of the 5-star dining venues that has made PVR a foodies paradise.  Wine connoisseur?  Plan a trip to PVR in March and enjoy their annual wine fest.

Visitors to Zihuatanejo get taken back in time when it was small fishing village and life went by at a much slower pace.  You can still go back in time as you walk the cobblestone streets.  Maybe you enjoy museum visits when traveling abroad.  If you do, then plan a visit to the Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande.

And we can't talk about the Pacific side of Mexico without talking about Acapulco. It is the original Mexico Riviera.  It has been the home of the rich and famous for decades and still is.  It is the "Vegas" of Mexico.  Nightlife abounds along with the abundance of tours up into the rain forest or out and about on the blue waters of the Pacific.  From Acapulco, you can plan a side trip up into the historic silver mining town of Taxco and still see Mexico as it was back during the colonial periods of its history.

So much to do...so much to see.  It is worth every minute of extra time that it might take you to fly into the cities I just mentioned.  And I have not even touched on the geographical differences vs what pretty much all of Cancun and the Riviera Maya area looks like.

In the Los Cabos area, you have the beautiful and rugged desert mountains that look like they literally plunge down into the Sea of Cortez & Pacific Ocean.  That is contrasted with the lush, green rain forests and palm-lined beaches of Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo.

So much diversity in every aspect of travel when you venture over to the Pacific side of Mexico.  Please please don't overlook that part of Mexico when it comes to planning your next adventure.  You will not be disappointed.

To Fee or Not to Fee...

That is the number one prevailing question in the travel agency industry right now. Do we deserve to get paid for our time and expertise? Or should the general public expect us to give our consulting skills away for free?

Let's roll the clock back about 9 to 10 years ago. Some folks came into the travel planning industry and touted the idea that you should never have to pay any fees for booking hotels, airfare, car rentals etc. These new companies made it sound like you had been getting ripped off for years because you were walking into a travel agency office and sitting down with a real person, asking them questions, hearing their professional opinions and ideas and actually paying them a fee for that experience. Those new companies are what we refer to as OTA's in our industry. That stands for "Online Travel Agencies." The more famous OTA's are companies such as Expedia, Hotwire, Priceline and Orbitz.  These OTA's made it sound like you didn't ever need anyone's professional advice because you could go to their site, see every hotel in every part of the world (or at least they want you to believe you can), see the lowest price and simply book it yourself and save a lot of money. This basically lumped everything every professional travel person had done for years into this idea that they were nothing but middle men/women and order takers. So you could now avoid the middle person and place the "travel order" yourself.

These OTA's did a great job at marketing. Their "no fee" ads were causing hoards of travelers to run from professionals and turn to their one-stop shop for booking vacations, business trips etc. Mom and pop travel agencies were closing right and left because fees were needed to maintain employees, pay for office overhead etc.

A new breed of travel professional was born out of the ashes and I am not sure the big OTA's saw what was coming. Professional travel agents were learning to evolve with the change in market and many changed their work environment to where they too could operate without passing along fees and just live on whatever hotels, car companies and tour operators were willing to pay in the way of commissions. That's correct...hotels, car companies and tour operators pay travel agents commission as a thank you for bringing clients their way. And guess what...the large OTA's get commissions too.  They wanted you to think they were not a travel agent and you were cutting out the agent and therefore saving money, but guess what, they are middle people too and they get commissions and in many cases brow beat hotels and other travel related companies to give them even more than what most professionals would have ever received and then they turn around and kick some of it back to the consumer and call it "savings." You can imagine what that is doing to their relationship with hotels, resorts etc. But that is a story for another time.

Here we are now 9 to 10 years later and our industry is back stronger than ever and more and more travelers are turning to agents again because they are hearing that we no longer charge fees and they can still take advantage of our expertise, our experience and our relationships with key companies in the travel industry. And many have learned that when going through an OTA, you are taking on the role of the professional agent because YOU are selecting that hotel and YOU are choosing those flights and YOU are doing all of the research and YOU are left to deal with issues on YOUR own when you hit the "book now" button on their site.

So let's be clear of the difference between a professional and an OTA. A professional travel agent offers destination advice. They offer destination experience. They offer resorts that are vetted. They offer flights that actually exist with connections that make a vacation that much better. They offer great vacation value and experiences that make vacations memorable. They are trained and skilled in the art of travel planning. They are professional. OTA's are none of those...none.

And guess what...reading stuff on the internet no more makes you a professional travel consultant than does sleeping in a Holiday Inn Express. Reading things on the internet does not make someone a professional wedding planner or a professional interior designer or a professional style consultant etc.  And almost every person understands that going to a professional and seeking consultation or help will most likely result in a fee to cover their time.

So again..yes, we get commission from companies, resorts, hotels, car companies and tour operators that we sell. But we don't make a dime when offering professional travel advice to someone who then takes our advice and goes and books things themselves. Not a dime...until now. That is officially changing as of the posting of this blog. My agents and I love what we do. We love planning awesome vacations for families and clients and seeing their pictures and hearing their awesome stories. But we can't spend the time and energy we need on our valued current clients when we are chasing down info for those possible new clients who just want our free advice and have no intention of booking through our agency. We can't afford to work pro bono. So any new client coming to us as of now will be paying a "plan to book fee" that will be discussed with the possible client upfront. Many agencies in our industry have already been charging for their skill and expertise and it is time every professional agent is recognized as being a professional.  Professionals deserve compensation for their time.

Again...can someone go online and hit a "book now" button and do things themselves? Sure. Many do and will continue to do so. And they are on their own if things go wrong and if they made a poor vacation choice. But again, no one goes to a wedding planner and expects them to work for free and no one hires an interior designer and expects their advice and help for free. And so it is with us. No one should expect to call a travel agent and expect them to work for free. If you come to us and book your trip...we will discuss with you how that fee is applied, but coming to us and picking our brains for ideas and plans will cost you something if you take that advice and walk away with it.

So to fee or not to fee...that is no longer a question with my agents and agency.

Google Flights...What You Should Know

There seems to be a lot of hubbub these days when it comes to Google and their dabble into the travel arena.  Some are saying it will transform our industry yet again while at the same time giving Google and particularly their new flight search site Google.com/flights way too many props for being some form of ingenious new way to book your airfare.  One recent travel writer made a claim that Google flights is even better than a travel agent.  So what I thought I would do is simply show what it does and explain how I even use it as a tool when looking for the best airfare for my clients.   Then you be the judge whether or not you think it is the best thing since sliced bread and professional advice from a experienced travel consultant.

First...let's be clear.  Google.com/flights is simply an airfare search page.  That is all it is.  It is not a vacation package booking engine.  It is not even an airfare booking engine.  It is simply a search site. Let me show you how it works and how I use it.  Let's assume you want to fly from good ole Nashvegas (that's Nashville to you lay-people) to Los Angeles during May of this year.  Let's even assume that your dates are flexible.  For the most part, regardless of advertising gimmicks, travelers and their schedules are usually not that flexible due to vacation times at work, school etc. But let's assume you ARE flexible and can travel at any point in May.

Here is what the search page would look like as you enter the originating airport, your destination airport and the dates of travel...

You can see that $322 round trip looks to be the best looking fare for the entire month of May.  So if I click on May 1st and then click on May 16th for my return...it shows me the following options for my outbound flight...

So after choosing the 6:00am departure...it shows me more details of that segment of the trip...

So in case you were unsure of what IAH stood for on the previous screen, you now know that your flight is connecting through Houston and has a 3+hour layover.   So then I went to the next step which was to select my return flight option.  To keep it in that $322 range, I decided to come home on the 1:30pm flight which connects through Chicago.

Now here is what I want you to notice.  I have the flights I want and it appears that the price is going to be $322 round trip for these flights.  So what is my next step?  Book them right here on the Google site? Is Google now also my booking engine? No, not at all.  In order to book this flight, Google is directing me to "book with United."  United's website is where I would actually go to book the flights.  So Google did a good job of showing prices and flights associated with those prices.  But did it offer advice on which airport is the easiest to connect through?  Did it tell you that a 48 min layover may not be enough time to make a connection through Chicago's O'hare Airport?  Did it advise you that taking the latest flight out leaves virtually no options in case a delay were to happen due to weather or mechanical trouble with an aircraft?   Did Google.com/flights offer any sound travel advice other than providing you with times and prices?

So does this new search site mark the end of the need for sound professional travel agent advice?  What is it doing that some search sites have not already done?  Is it neatly arranged and easy to navigate?  Yes!  That is why I use it to see which airline may be offering the best prices for a given destination during a given time.  I then take that info and head straight to the airline itself to book for my clients.  And here is something to keep in mind...it is not offering any better price than what you are going to get straight from the airline.  It is not a cost saver in that way...it is a search time saver.  So do I, a professional travel consultant, use Google.com/flights?  I sure do.  But let's not make it out to be more than it really is.