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Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Modern Travel Consultant

First let's make the statement that should be an obvious one since I am a travel consultant myself...we exist.  Yep.  Surprise surprise.  Travel consultants still exist and in fact, we are thriving.  We are thriving because we are not what so many travelers out there picture we are.  And when I say we, I am referring to the more modern travel consultant.  This is not an all-encompassing rule because there are still exceptions to what I am about to say.

We are not order takers.  We don't sit there and listen to what you want us to book and then simply type it all up, take your money and then book the trip.

We are not the same as the internet.  We are living, breathing, creative-thinking people who you can actually text, snapchat, call, see in person or video chat with.  The internet cannot give you personal recommendations.  We can.  The internet cannot act on your behalf when problems occasionally arise.  We can.

We are not the "cheapest" vacation planning option.  The internet has made people think that cheap is somehow always a good thing.

We are not a "Costco-type" travel agency.  Our motto is not "book a ton of business and give away the farm in the way of kickbacks so we can get more business."

We are not amateurs.  The internet is full of those who may have traveled once or twice and think their reviews and opinions are the same as those who do this for a living.  Sites like TripAdvisor make everyone think they are a travel professional.

So those are things that we are not.  And here is what we are.

We ARE consultants.  We use our knowledge and experience to help our clients find the best vacation options possible.  We consult when it comes to true budgets needed for destinations of interest.

We ARE value oriented.  We provide vacation options that are the best value for our clients.  Big difference between value and cheap. The best value may be the upgraded room category coupled with great flight times and connections.  The best value may be the resort that is known for better food and beverage.  The best value may be using a supplier that we have a great relationship with knowing that our clients will get special treatment upon arrival.

We ARE a small, service oriented agency dedicated to making sure every client of ours knows how important they are to the success of our business.  Our clients know that we are there to help when needed.

We ARE technology savvy.  We communicate with whatever the best method is for our clients and their schedules.  As previously mentioned, we text, snapchat, vid chat, and utilize the technology needed to stay in communication with our clients even while they are on vacation.

We ARE professionals.  We spend time and money on training to make sure we are current when it comes to up and coming destinations, hotel trends, travel alerts etc.  We have the experience needed to be able to provide real reviews of hotels and resorts.

That is a glimpse into the modern travel consultant.  We are real, tangible people with real professional travel experience. We are highly trained.  We are your advocate and advisor.  We don't hide behind a desk.  We get out and see the destinations and work hard at establishing key relationships with those staff members that can make your vacation even more special.  We will give you our professional opinions because it is our job as consultants to do so.  This is who we are.  Let a modern day travel consultant show you the real value in using a professional help you in planning your next dream getaway.

Want to see what real breathing travel consultants look like?  Click on this link to visit our "About Us" page.  H&K Luxury Travel