Wild Travel Deals by Legacy Travel
March 2010
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Four Things to Make Sure Your Agent Understands

So you've taken the plunge and called a travel agent to help you plan a great vacation. How can you help make sure that the vacation you have in your mind is the vacation your agent plans for you? To start with, there are four basic things you can make sure your agent understands at the beginning of the planning process.

#1: Make sure your agent understands your budget. If you've been saving all year and you have a certain amount of money you can spend on this vacation, you might as well make sure your agent understands that up front. Understanding the budget at the beginning of the process will also help your agent steer you in the right direction and help you know what to expect.

You'd be amazed at how reluctant many people are to share their budget with their agent. It's like they are afraid that if they reveal their budget it will give the agent carte blanche to spend the maximum even if it isn't required to get the vacation you want. Let me just say that if you have an agent who would do that, you need to get a new agent. If you don't trust your agent to give you the level scoop, you shouldn't be working together anyway.

#2: Make sure your agent understands your schedule. “Oh, we can go anytime.” This most often stated sentiment can be a roadblock to successfully planning your vacation. It isn't realistic to think that you can actually go any time. I have yet to meet a person whose schedule is that flexible. It is more helpful to say “I'm available from the 1st through the 10th and it would be great if we could be gone over the weekend so we use less vacation days.”

#3: Make sure your agent understands what your deal breakers are. If you're looking for a beach vacation, but your traveling companion's ex went to Jamaica with them – so there's no way you want to go there…be sure your agent understands that.

You might only be interested in an adults only place, you might only want an oceanfront room, you might only want a place that you can get to on a nonstop flight. Many people have deal breakers, make sure your agent understands yours.

#4: Make sure your agent understands what you see yourself doing on a typical day of your vacation. People have different vacationing styles. Do you see yourself on a beach bed reading books all day and being served cool drinks while occasionally gazing out at the water? Do you like to go out on excursions in the destination? Is it important to you to be near shopping options? Is the vacation of your imagination peaceful or full of adventure?

A professional travel agent is a great asset in vacation planning. They can only do their best work when they have all of the information required.

An Interview with Nicki

1) What is the favorite trip you have taken?
I've been blessed to take many fabulous trips. Several immediately come to mind. A few years ago Philip and I won a trip on a ship that at that time was called the Radisson Diamond. The sailing went from Barcelona to Rome. It was utterly amazing. I also took my daughter to Rome this past Spring Break to enhance her Latin studies. That was a great trip too. I also really enjoyed when our whole family went to the Azul Beach Hotel. I love that place.

2) Where do you want to travel that you have never visited?
Wow, that's a hard question. I want to visit Washington DC, actually, and I've never been there. My son says he wants to meets the President's butler. Maybe we'll get to go do that.

3) What do you wish people knew about travel or working with a travel agent?
That experienced travel agents are better than booking your travel on line because we have access to the best pricing and we know the destination. .

4) What are your hobbies?
I'm not in the phase of life that I get to indulge hobbies much at all. Between two kids and a very busy business, it doesn't leave much time. At this moment I can't even think of what I would do if I had time. I used to run before we got our wonderful dog, Lacy. I do enjoy doing our websites, so I guess I consider that a hobby.

5) When you heard I was going to interview you, what question were you afraid I was going to ask?
HA! Since I do this newsletter every time, I already knew all of the questions. Knowledge is power, BABY!

6) What areas in travel do you specialize in?
Mexico and Europe are my best specialties, although I can do just about anything. There is a certain set of skills required to plan trips well. I've got those skills!

7) What famous person do you wish was a co-worker at Legacy Travel?
I'm so enamored of our staff, I can't think of anyone I'd rather work with, famous or not. I'm so blessed to come and spend my days with these people.


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