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Agent's View by Kate Brazier Perhaps I should start by telling you about my travel background. I have worked in retail travel for thirty one years, all but the last five with what are generally known as High Street Multiples. After 25 years I was a senior Branch Manager with one of the chains and no longer felt I fitted in. I was too outspoken and independent - as well as too old! An opportunity arose to purchase an independent travel agency as the owners were retiring, and I have been owner and manager of Stourbridge Travel since 1993. Maybe a regular salary is more secure, but after running my own business with a team of three mature and experienced staff, I could never work for anyone else again. At the end of what has been an especially fraught Summer, I am going to take a tongue-in-cheek (mostly) look at some key current trends in travel from my side of the counter. Without a doubt, the worst development in recent years has been the spread of so called all-inclusive holidays into the Mediterranean. This concept started in the Caribbean, where it is operated generally to a very high standard - unfortunately, this cannot be said in the Mediterranean. Its popularity has led to even two star hotels declaring themselves all-inclusive whilst having no idea how to operate professionally, and often not enough facilities for the number of guests on site. Also, as people will not leave the site, having paid an inflated price to cover all meals and drinks, local bars and restaurants are suffering a loss of trade and even closing down. This has and changed and will obviously continue to change the nature and character of resorts. By far the greatest ratio of complaints we receive are about the standards of all-inclusive complexes. Please think again should you even be considering this type of Mediterranean holiday. Are you frustrated looking for the usual late deals this year? I firmly believe that they have gone for ever in high season July-August as the trend now is to book early for a discount, and at least you will have the comfort of knowing where you will be staying. This is one Travel Agent who never has and never would even consider a holiday with unnamed accommodation. Something all staff find annoying is people who will only fly from their local airport. It is just not possible to find flights to every destination from every airport, but travellers will often take an unsuitable holiday just because it goes from the local airport. Even worse are those travellers who say they don't mind about the standard of accommodation "as long as it's cheap, because we never spend much time in the room". These are just the people most likely to complain. I find the "know all" very difficult to take. You know who I mean; the client who has been abroad once and then knows more than my thirty years of experience - I don't think so! But I must not let that fixed smile falter - at least until they have left the office. One problem area that is getting more frustrating is contacting tour operators, other than by computerised reservation system. Occasionally we do have to telephone them if a query arises on a booking. New telephone systems often have a queuing system which means that, although we are through to their switchboard, it can take up to an hour, at our expense, before actually speaking to a member of their staff- many of whom are not as knowledgeable or well trained as they could be. Well that's my whinging over with. I'm often asked what are my favourite places, usually by a first time or inexperienced traveller who trusts my judgement but may not share my tastes. I feel it is very important to identify their own likes and dislikes before recommending anywhere to them. After careful reflection, my personal favourite places - or should that be our personal favourite places, because my husband comes too - are the Greek islands, Turkey, Normandy, the Loire Valley, Majorca (yes, really), Venice and San Francisco. I have visited all of them several times and feel more than qualified to give in-depth unbiased advice about each. My own special interest is in world-wide character hotels away from the usual run of the mill package brochure hotels. I'm off shortly to enjoy a second holiday in Fethiye, Turkey with my husband Neil, another travel agent - and yes, we do talk shop! I hope to come back refreshed. Thanks for taking the time to read this article and allowing me to reveal just a few of my everyday headaches from behind the counter - but I love it really. First published in VISA issue 27 (winter 1997) |