| In this day of online trip booking and
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| | and the Association of Retail Travel
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| lowest price airfare searches, do you
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| | Agents (ARTA).
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| still need a travel agent? According to
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| | 6. What questions is the agent asking me?
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| the ASTA (American Society of Travel
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| | One of the most important qualifications
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| Agents) and most travelers, the answer is
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| | for a travel agent is an awareness of and
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| a resounding yes. Travel agents still
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| | sensitivity to your needs. The agent
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| book nearly 90% of all cruises and over
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| | you're working with should be full of
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| 80% of all tours and packages. A
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| | questions aimed at learning as much as
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| consumer-conscious travel agent will work
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| | possible about your needs. A good travel
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| hard to find you the best possible
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| | agent will be focused on you and your
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| combination of price and features to make
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| | needs, not just on the products they are
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| your tour a dream vacation. Here are some
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| | selling you.
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| questions to ask that will help you
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| | 7. Do you have any specialist knowledge?
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| evaluate travel agents and be sure that
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| | Some agencies and agents specialize in a
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| you find the best one for your booking
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| | particular type of trip. If you have
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| and travel needs.
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| | special needs or are seeking a unique
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| 1. Do you know a good travel agent?
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| | type of vacation - like the new and very
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| Yes, start by asking around. A good
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| | popular eco-tours - you may do far better
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| travel agent will build a good
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| | with an agent who is experienced in that
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| reputation. If you have friends and
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| | special field. Other specialties may
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| associates who travel often, ask them for
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| | include booking tours and trips for
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| their recommendations. Those will be a
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| | people with limitations and/or
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| good starting point for your own search.
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| | disabilities, booking adventure tours, or
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| 2. How long have you been doing this?
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| | booking trips to a specific destination.
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| Look for an agent that has been in
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| | 8. How do you find me the best deals?
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| business for five years or longer. While
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| | You can ask more specific questions, but
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| length of time in business is no
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| | you're really trying to find out how
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| guarantee of commitment or knowledge,
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| | well-connected your travel agent is
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| experience is a great teacher.
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| | within the industry, and how current they
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| 3. What are your qualifications as a
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| | are with the latest technologies and
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| travel agent?
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| | developments. You're looking for answers
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| There are a number of professional
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| | like, "we have preferred supplier
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| training courses that your agent may have
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| | arrangements with these travel companies"
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| taken. The highest certification for a
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| | and "I subscribe to these databases of
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| travel agent is a Certified Travel
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| | travel offers" - answers that make it
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| Consultant, which requires five years of
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| | clear your travel agent uses all the
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| full time travel industry experience and
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| | resources available to find you the best
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| the completion of twelve courses. Other
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| | possible trip.
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| certificates include Certified Travel
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| | 9. What will happen if I have an overseas
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| Associate, and Destination Specialist.
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| | emergency while your agency is closed?
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| While it is not necessary for a travel
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| | Your travel agent can and should be your
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| agent to hold any of these
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| | strongest advocate before, during and
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| qualifications, they do provide proof of
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| | after your trip. Being able to contact
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| commitment and knowledge in the industry.
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| | your agency during their off hours can
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| 4. Are you affiliated with an agency?
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| | mean the difference between sitting in a
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| On the other hand, even a younger, newer
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| | hotel lobby waiting until the office
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| agent who is affiliated with an
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| | reopens. The answer you want is: "There
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| established agency has access to the
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| | is always an agent on call to resolve
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| resources and information of the entire
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| | problems that might arise even when we're
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| agency. That's not to say that outside
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| | closed."
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| agents - those who work outside an agency
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| | 10. Do I like this person and feel
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| - are not as good. An outside agent has
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| | comfortable with them?
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| the advantage of flexibility in booking
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| | While it's not necessary to like someone
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| trips that are not part of their agency's
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| | in order to do business with them, it's a
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| offered products.
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| | very good gauge of how well they're
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| 5. Are you affiliated with any
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| | relating to you. You'll get the best
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| professional organizations?
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| | service and vacation experience from a
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| U.S. travel agents are not generally
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| | travel agent who is focused on you, your
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| regulated or held to uniform standards,
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| | companions and helping you arrange the
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| but there are two major professional
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| | vacation of a lifetime. After all, a good
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| bodies to which they may belong, the
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| | agent isn't looking for a sale - they're
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| American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
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| | looking for a long-term relationship.
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