I’m sometimes called a travel counsellor, or a travel professional. I use my knowledge of destinations, resorts, escorted tours, cruise ships, air travel and attractions to ‘counsel’ clients on the best choices for their vacation dreams, desires, and budgets.
Think of me as you would an accountant or a real estate agent. You can file your own tax return, but those who choose to use an accountant do so because they recognize that specialized knowledge pays off. The same goes for a real estate agent. You can sell your house without an agent, but most don’t, because the absence of that knowledge can result in major problems. While my role is to match up clients with travel products, it’s always your interests I represent. If anything goes wrong with your trip, I’m here for you.
You have choices today. You can research and book your trip online. You might even save a couple of dollars. If you’re just booking a flight from point A to point B, or a car rental, or a hotel room, go ahead and book it online. I won’t be offended. You might find that it takes longer than you expected to find the ‘best price’, and if your flight is oversold or cancelled you’ll be on your own, but if you’re a gambler the odds are pretty good you’ll be okay.
When it comes to your hard-earned vacation time, I will passionately defend the value of my services. That shiny brochure with the golden bodies sitting around a glistening pool doesn’t always tell the whole story. I might know that the pool is under renovation, the rooms are tired and dated, that on the particular week of your holiday the place will be packed with drunken college kids. That might matter to you. That might even be worth many times the small fee I charge for my services.
My knowledge offers other benefits. The concierge who can arrange tickets to anything. That wonderful little restaurant tucked away in a side street. The seat on the plane with the extra legroom. These are the kinds of things I learn through my travels and studies. I’m thrilled to share them with you.
This is how I make my living, but I won’t get rich doing it. That’s not my motivation. I love to travel, see new places, meet new people, enjoy new sensations. More than anything, I love the feedback from clients that my knowledge, care, and attention helped them create lasting memories. That’s worth a lot to them. What is it worth to you?