Now or Later?

As a travel agent, I am asked all the time, "Should I book now or wait and see if I can get a better deal later?".   I am here now to answer this question once and for all....

There is no perfect answer to this question.

Nope.  Sorry.  I don't have any magic formulas to reveal.  There are pros and cons to both.

- Booking now guarantees that you will get the resort that you want, the room category that you want, at the price that is advertised right now.

- Booking now, if far enough in advance, gives you an opportunity to pay off your vacation before you even leave your house.  A big plus!

- Booking now, if far in advance, could mean that the price MAY drop.  Not every tour company offers a price drop guarantee, but there are some who, if the price does go down on the exact package that you booked, they will honor it ONE TIME.

- Booking now, for a holiday that may not be happening until next year, anything could happen between now and then.  Something unforeseen may cause you to not be able to go when the time comes.  However, this is why you listen to your travel agent and always purchase insurance for your vacation that includes cancellation insurance.  Although cancellation insurance doesn't cover, "I've changed my mind", it does cover many other legitimate reasons.  This does not just necessarily apply to booking in advance, but booking anytime.  Life happens.  Be prepared!

- Booking later, you can sometimes score a great deal!

- Booking later gives you that exciting, spur of the moment feeling of, "Yes!  We are taking off!"

- Booking later can make your choices really easy....this could be a good thing or bad.

- Booking later, the resort you have been wanting, or the room category you have had your heart set on, may have already been booked up by other people planning in advance.  Then, the resort you have been imagining yourself at, gets tossed out the window, and the search for a new one begins.  Again, your travel agent will already know what type of place you are looking for and will be an invaluable source of information and help.

- Booking later, the price may go UP.  There is a common misconception that last-minute travel is the best deal available.  This is not case at all!  Sure, sometimes there are fantastic last-minute deals, but not always.  Sometimes the best deals are months in advance!!  Think about it, if a supplier sees how hot their destination/resort are on the market, they are going to want to make as much money as possible on that!!

- Booking later, you should always plan for the worst but expect the best.  Even if you are leaving tomorrow, listen to your travel advisor and buy that travel insurance!  

So, I'm sorry that there are no great secrets revealed in this post.  Everyone has their own different travel and planning styles.  Some people like to plan far in advance, others just like to be spur of the moment.  Neither are bad!!   The bottom line is that you go and have an amazing time!

Out Of My Comfort Zone - Part 2

One year ago right now I was in Jamaica.  It was my second solo trip there in 5 months.  To say that I was stepping out of my comfort zone would be a gross understatement.  I was travelling there by myself to meet a friend with whom I would be staying with for the next 10 days.  No big, fancy all-inclusive resorts this trip.  No large buffets, or waiters bringing me frozen drinks as I sit by the pool.  I would be staying in a small community on a steep hill that overlooks the Caribbean...in a wooden house with two rooms - a living room/kitchen and a bedroom.  The bathroom?  In a separate building a short walk from the house...no running water in either building.  I'd be eating a mainly vegan diet, as that is what my host ate.  I had no idea what the next 10 days would have in store for me, but I knew it wouldn't be margaritas and hot showers...and I couldn't have been more excited.

 House where I stayed.

Living room/kitchen.

This is the "bathroom", with the Caribbean visible behind.

Jamaicans speak Patois - and there are many different accents and slang words and dialects within that one language.  My first night here was spent sitting on the front steps of the uncle's house, listening to a group of Jamaican men all sing, tell stories, jokes and yell greetings at anyone who was walking on the road....all in Patois.  I maybe caught every fifth or sixth word.  When it is written, I can understand Patois, but hearing it spoken, with different accents, different speeds, is very confusing.  It is a fun language to listen to though...very musical and rhythmic.  Between that, and the nature sounds that are abundant in Jamaica, I had no shortage of entertainment.  I was welcomed with open arms by everyone and I was even more excited for my stay.

Over the next 10 days, I almost stepped on a giant bullfrog while walking back to the house one night, did my own laundry by hand in a wash bucket outside, picked mangoes off the tree and peeled them with my teeth, went to a traditional grave digging, collected coconuts from towering palms, hosted a Jamaican cook out, took many showers with collected rainwater, and generally lived a life that was far removed from my own.  I ate amazing food, danced on the beach, met more people than I can remember, and was forever changed.

To have to haul two buckets filled with water collected from the rain barrel down to the "bathroom", do a quick lizard and creature check, somehow wash and condition my hair and soap my body, all followed up by a very chilly bucket dump, is something that makes a person appreciate being able to walk into a lizard-free room, turn on the hot water, and scrub and buff to one's heart's content.  Don't even get me started on the whole leg-shaving scenario...

To walk up a hill and not know what you will find, only to be told that it is a traditional Jamaican grave digging, is a culture shock that is hard for me to describe.  It's a true celebration of the deceased's life...friends, family and neighbors cooking so much food, dj's playing loud music, Rastas dancing, men reasoning with one another....Then the actual grave - only men taking part in this part.  There is one in the hole, laying cinder blocks and mortar, and about 30 up top all yelling their directions to the brick layer.  It's chaos, and organization all in one.  There are women passing out amazing food in take-out boxes to everyone....fish or chicken with salad and veg.  I was the only white person for miles and although they were surprised at a new woman in their midst, not one person batted an eye and I was welcomed like a long lost friend by all I met, with many hand shakes and hugs.

I did make it to the beach, it would be a sin to be in Jamaica and not make it to at least one beach while you are there.  We stayed in a little hotel right on the beach...ate amazing jerk chicken from the vendors on the road, drank rum on the beach and danced until I thought my legs would fall off.

This whole experience not only changed how I see my own life at home, but it also impacted how I work as a travel agent.  I now encourage my clients to venture off the resort when they get a chance...if you are taking the time and the money to visit a country, why not take the time to actually get to know that country and the people in it?  Jamaica is a perfect "starter country" for this....everyone speaks English (as well as Patois), the water on the island is naturally filtered and very safe to drink, and the food is amazing and there is something that will appeal to everyone.  Of course, the concept of common sense applies here as it does all over the world, but all in all, it is a very safe and friendly place.

My Jamaican experience has taught me and inspired me to want to get in amongst the local life no matter where I go now in this world.  I hope that it has inspired you to want to do the same.

Grave construction finished and looking down towards the food and music from the grave site.

Collected coconuts and opening them with the ever-present machete.

A day in Lucea and a trip for the guys to the barber shop.

Fresh produce - most of which I had never seen before - at the Lucea market.

What Does A Travel Agent DO Anyway??

I haven't always been in the travel business.  I came to it in my late 30's quite by serendipity...I am a closet research geek, and whenever my friends were planning a trip to go somewhere, I would always be online doing all the research for them - best places to eat, dos and don'ts, places to visit, etc.  One day, one of my best friends said to me, "You should take a course and become a travel agent."  Whaaaaattt???  But I have not been anywhere!  Don't you have to be a world traveller, with boxes of full passports to do that?  Well, it certainly helps, yes, but it's not a requisite.  Lucky for me, being a research geek with a thirst for knowledge of the world we live in is a tremendous start!  I then busied myself with my Travel Agent course,  getting all A's, I might add, and then the Universe, it it's infallible way, introduced me to someone who would become my mentor, friend, and boss.  We share the same travel philosophy and she has been in this industry for over 30 years - trust me, she knows her stuff better than anyone I have ever met in the travel biz.  I then branched out and started travelling so I could expand my own knowledge base - and increase my love for it.

We, of course, spend our days boarding private jets and dining in 5 star restaurants all over the globe all while hanging our hats and passport bags in private villas that would made a sheik green with envy, making a King's ransom in pay.

Don't we????

While we wish we were doing that, the truth is much less glamorous.

*Now, I can only speak for myself in this piece, and what I do for my clients, which was all learned from my amazing manager. All of us in the travel biz each share a love of travel and sending people around the world - and while some healthy competition is fun, ultimately, this is a tough industry to make a living in and we all need to stick together and support each other.  We each do things a little differently so I'm not saying my way is the only way...but maybe it is the best way... ;0) *

Once upon a time, a travel agent needed a storefront.  You would walk in and see a wall filled with travel brochures, you dealt face-to-face with your agent, she issued you paper tickets for your travel that she filled out by hand.  She (or he), was paid very well by both the airlines and the resorts for her time and expertise.  And you, as the client, were more than happy and willing to put your travel arrangements in this very capable person's hands.  What choice did you have?  The internet was not even heard of yet!

Fast forward 30 years and now we have a very different scenario...the airlines and resorts have cut back drastically - and I mean DRASTICALLY on their compensation to their partners in travel.  Anyone with an internet connection seems to think they are qualified to sell - and book - their own travel, and they have all but forgotten that there are those of us who are actually schooled and trained - with ongoing training - to provide that service for them!!

So what is it that we do, anyways....Well, every day I check my emails and Facebook messages for any news on resorts, flights, deals - which add up to close to 100 a day or more.  Then I pick and choose which ones to promote to my clients and draft up a post for my travel Facebook page...as a page manager, I have the option to pay to promote my page - which may, or may not, get me bookings.  Excellent!!  Someone has contacted me looking for a trip.  More times than not our clients do not know where they want to go, have a general time frame, and almost always have a magic budget in mind - usually $1500 per person. LOL  My fellow travel professionals that are reading this will know exactly what I'm saying here! So here is where our leg work - sometimes days and many emails worth, starts....I qualify my clients asking about their past travel experiences, their expectations, priorities...and based on those answers I then start researching places and accommodations that I think will fit their travel profile.  In doing this, I personally research each resort or hotel individually, reading reviews, checking maps, contacting the resort itself, so that I know whether or not this will fit my client's needs.  I coordinate flights and times, and private transfers, if needed.  I then present no less than three options to my clients and wait to hear back from them.  At this point, I am usually at anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on the request.  My clients then come back to me with any questions they may have regarding the options I have presented them with.  More time for me to answer and/or research some more.  Bear in mind that all the while I am drafting Facebook posts still, answering and reading emails and/or phone calls and perhaps even driving an hour and a half each way into the city for some product training.

Thankfully, most times, my clients will end up booking with me.  Is that where my work with them ends? No!  Once I get them booked, I then process their travel insurance purchase for them, contact my private transfer providers and book and confirm that, contact the resort they are staying at with any special requests for my clients, and watch for any changes in flight times, etc.  Then, for every one of my clients, I do a custom itinerary for them - this alone usually takes close to two hours for me to do up, depending on their trip - how long, first time travelling, type of trip, etc.  We are now looking at around anywhere from 10-30 working hours spent on one trip for one client. Hours that we do not get paid for - we get a lump sum payment at the time of our clients' travel...usually a small percentage of their total amount for their trip. Usually less than minimum wage if you break it down.

Now because of the large number of online travel sites, I do get emails from clients saying that they saw the "same" trip online for X amount cheaper than theirs.  When this happens, I then go to the same site they were on, look up their "same" trip, and begin to note all of the differences and things that are not included in the package they purchased through me.  This usually starts with flights with more connections than those I have booked, no transfers, lower room category...it is great because this gives me the opportunity to outline the traps involved with booking your own travel online, but it is more working hours for me.  It pays off in the long run though, because my clients can then see for themselves the true value and trust that they can have with me.

Why do I do this?  Why do I put so much time into each client?  I don't get paid by the hour.  I don't get free travel, and rarely get "cheap" travel, as most of you like to think.  Sometimes I will spend all of that time on a client - and more - and they will go off and book on their own online, so I make nothing for all of my time in those cases.  It is simple...I do this because I love it.  I love sharing my own travel excitement and experiences with others.  I love introducing someone to a whole new country and culture.  I love knowing that I am so good at my job that my clients come home happy and will book with me again, because they "get" that I know their travel styles and tastes.  I make a point to get to know my clients - no we aren't all besties, but I treasure every single one of them.  I may not know their dog's name, or their parents' anniversary, but I do know where they like to sit on the plane, what room location they like best, and what they will and won't spend their time and hard-earned money on.

THIS is something that you will never get from booking online.  You just won't.  You will likely not even save a buck doing it online yourself either. Most do not even know this.  By all means, do your homework, research some destinations and prices and then come back to me with your findings!  I'd be happy to compare my knowledge with what you have found - I love an informed client!  In this age of Do-It-Yourself, don't let something as special and personal as travel, fall into that category.  You simply don't need to.  There are qualified, passionate professionals out there waiting to do it for you.

So, that is what I do, as a Travel Agent.  I work hard at it.  I only get paid if I make the bookings, but I love it and I keep on keeping-on.  I hope this has shed some light on this industry for you travellers out there!!  To my valued clients reading this - you make my job never feel like a j-o-b, and I thank you for that.  To my future clients - I can't wait to work with you!

Our website is www.somebeach.ca, my Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/jodiveesomebeach and my Twitter handle is @Jodisvacations...check me out!!