So you meet someone for the first time and most often the question you get asked is what do you do for a living? Of course I answer that I am a travel designer or a travel agent. The minute it is out of my mouth the other person is responding really, I didn't think they existed any more doesn't everybody just book online?
The quick answer is that yes people book online but the longer answer is that many people do a lot of the actual research of where it is they want to go and what it is the want to see and do and they do it online but when it comes to actually book they reach out to a travel designer/agent to discuss what they have learned and what it is they want to do and have an expert do the actual booking to make sure there are no mistakes and they are getting exactly what they want.
I spent the last six years learning travel inside out. Different places to travel, different types of travel and what suite some people better. I have have taken specialists designations from different countries and suppliers. I successfully completed my CTA certification and will be shortly writing the exam for my CTC certification and I continue to take more specialization courses as well. I have been travelling with friends, family and colleagues to learn in person about products and destinations all so I can serve my clients better.
I also have chosen a niche market, an area in which I will specialize so I can provide my clients with the best travel advice possible. My niche/specialization is two fold. First I cater to the family market especially the multi generational family. Part of the reason is I am a mother of four and I travel with my children and often have my mother with us as well. I always have to keep in mind places and activities that will keep a ten year old happy and a sixty nine year old. I am great at helping with the larger than average family also. My second area of specialization is group travel putting together groups is really just one big huge family. I have a bus trip to NY City scheduled for November 2019 leaving from Morrisburg and this is hopefully the first of many travel opportunities. Have a wine club, book club hockey clubs want to travel together. Take a cruise, go to an all inclusive. See an area where a tv show was filmed then let me help you get that group off the ground.
One of the biggest questions I get asked of course is how do I get paid? People are worried my services will cost a fortune. Thankfully you do not have to pay me a penny. I receive commission from the suppliers for my services. However I do not get paid until you book and travel. Which means that if you do contact me for quotes and ideas and I do extensive work if you turn around and book elsewhere I make nothing. So please be conscious of the fact that Travel agents are working even if you are not the one paying them and that you need to book with them if you are using their service (knowledge) to make your vacation dream a reality. Trust me we do understand when things happen loss of job, more expensive than you thought, someone dies and you can not travel.
Travel agents often can add extra touches to your vacation that you will not get when booking online also. We can provide you with an experience that you may not have noticed or found that makes that great vacation an amazing vacation so please do not hesitate to reach out.
Last but not least Travel Agents help you from making costly mistakes. Just like any profession we here of the horror stories. 90% of cruises are what we call closed loop which means they start and end in the same port. However about 10% of them start in one port and end in another port. I have heard where clients booked a cruise and their air own their own. They book their air to and from Miami only to find that their cruise that started in Miami is actually ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico. You are now struggling at an airport or on the phone trying to get help to get your flights changed and without costing you a fortune. These are the things that Travel agents make sure they do not happen.
Airports and airport codes are another confusing aspect of travel. Dozen of cases have been reported of people ending up in Sydney, Nova Scotia instead of Sydney, Australia people think they are getting a deal and never realize that hey they are in the wrong country completely until it is too late. A couple from Birmingham, UK booked a Caribbean vacation so happy with the deal they got. Get to the airport to head out when they discover they had booked from Birmingham, Alabama and that is why the price was so low.
Also if your flight is cancelled for whatever reason I usually have a 24 hour number you can call for rebooking or you can always contact me. Can you contact an online booking engine if something happens while you are on vacation and you need assistance probably not. So why not support the small business owner such as myself who is supporting a family.
So as I have said we are not a dying breed if anything we are more in demand for those people who do not have the time to research and track things down and for those who do but want to make sure they book everything just right with no mistakes.
Where you can find me:
The quick answer is that yes people book online but the longer answer is that many people do a lot of the actual research of where it is they want to go and what it is the want to see and do and they do it online but when it comes to actually book they reach out to a travel designer/agent to discuss what they have learned and what it is they want to do and have an expert do the actual booking to make sure there are no mistakes and they are getting exactly what they want.
I spent the last six years learning travel inside out. Different places to travel, different types of travel and what suite some people better. I have have taken specialists designations from different countries and suppliers. I successfully completed my CTA certification and will be shortly writing the exam for my CTC certification and I continue to take more specialization courses as well. I have been travelling with friends, family and colleagues to learn in person about products and destinations all so I can serve my clients better.
I also have chosen a niche market, an area in which I will specialize so I can provide my clients with the best travel advice possible. My niche/specialization is two fold. First I cater to the family market especially the multi generational family. Part of the reason is I am a mother of four and I travel with my children and often have my mother with us as well. I always have to keep in mind places and activities that will keep a ten year old happy and a sixty nine year old. I am great at helping with the larger than average family also. My second area of specialization is group travel putting together groups is really just one big huge family. I have a bus trip to NY City scheduled for November 2019 leaving from Morrisburg and this is hopefully the first of many travel opportunities. Have a wine club, book club hockey clubs want to travel together. Take a cruise, go to an all inclusive. See an area where a tv show was filmed then let me help you get that group off the ground.
One of the biggest questions I get asked of course is how do I get paid? People are worried my services will cost a fortune. Thankfully you do not have to pay me a penny. I receive commission from the suppliers for my services. However I do not get paid until you book and travel. Which means that if you do contact me for quotes and ideas and I do extensive work if you turn around and book elsewhere I make nothing. So please be conscious of the fact that Travel agents are working even if you are not the one paying them and that you need to book with them if you are using their service (knowledge) to make your vacation dream a reality. Trust me we do understand when things happen loss of job, more expensive than you thought, someone dies and you can not travel.
Travel agents often can add extra touches to your vacation that you will not get when booking online also. We can provide you with an experience that you may not have noticed or found that makes that great vacation an amazing vacation so please do not hesitate to reach out.
Last but not least Travel Agents help you from making costly mistakes. Just like any profession we here of the horror stories. 90% of cruises are what we call closed loop which means they start and end in the same port. However about 10% of them start in one port and end in another port. I have heard where clients booked a cruise and their air own their own. They book their air to and from Miami only to find that their cruise that started in Miami is actually ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico. You are now struggling at an airport or on the phone trying to get help to get your flights changed and without costing you a fortune. These are the things that Travel agents make sure they do not happen.
Airports and airport codes are another confusing aspect of travel. Dozen of cases have been reported of people ending up in Sydney, Nova Scotia instead of Sydney, Australia people think they are getting a deal and never realize that hey they are in the wrong country completely until it is too late. A couple from Birmingham, UK booked a Caribbean vacation so happy with the deal they got. Get to the airport to head out when they discover they had booked from Birmingham, Alabama and that is why the price was so low.
Also if your flight is cancelled for whatever reason I usually have a 24 hour number you can call for rebooking or you can always contact me. Can you contact an online booking engine if something happens while you are on vacation and you need assistance probably not. So why not support the small business owner such as myself who is supporting a family.
So as I have said we are not a dying breed if anything we are more in demand for those people who do not have the time to research and track things down and for those who do but want to make sure they book everything just right with no mistakes.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor
Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca
Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca
TICO 50021282
55 York Street, Suite 1003
Toronto, On M5J 1R7
Office Phone 416-367-8264 ext 2625
Direct Phone 613-543-3006
Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area
Office Phone 416-367-8264 ext 2625
Direct Phone 613-543-3006
Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area
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