Condé Nast Traveler - August 2002 The Perrin Report: Choosing A Travel Agent Wendy Perrin Separating the Experts from the Amateurs: Is your travel agent up to the job? Eight questions to help you find the answer When all you need is a simple commodity at the cheapest price—a round-trip airline ticket, a hotel room, or a weekend package trip to Orlando or Las Vegas—the Web is an inexpensive, efficient way to find and purchase what you're looking for. But if you're seeking expert guidance, firsthand knowledge of a destination, and concierge-style service, you need a travel counselor. How can you be sure that your agent has the professionalism and the pull to take good care of you? Here are some questions to ask before you turn over your credit card: Is the agent a top producer for any travel companies (airlines, hotels, cruise lines and so on)? The more business an agent sends to a supplier, the more strings he or she can pull on your behalf. Many travel companies have preferred-agent clubs: For instance, the Four Seasons has its Preferred Partner Program, Abercrombie & Kent its 100 Club, and Crystal Cruises its Crystal Alliance. Find out which 'top producer' clubs your agent belongs to. If they're those of companies that fit your needs, you're off to a good start. Does your agent or his or her boss sit on the advisory board of any travel companies? Many hotel groups and cruise lines invite the elite of their top producers to serve on these boards, giving them a direct line to the company's upper echelon. When you need a favor, you want an agent who has access to those in charge. Does the agent belong to a consortium such as Virtuoso? This network of luxury travel specialists does so much business with the finest hotels and cruise lines that its consultants are offered benefits (e.g., complimentary upgrades, free shore tours), which they then pass on to their clients. In the wake of September 11, Virtuoso members received treatment that other travel agents did not—such as hotel rooms for stranded passengers and credits for clients who canceled cruises. Is the agent accredited by the Institue of Certified Travel Agents? Of the industry credentials that travel agents may cite as evidence of their confidence, the most reliable I've found is the ICTA-conferred designation of Certified Travel Counselor. It does not guarantee expertise in a particular destination or clout with suppliers, but it does indicate professionalism and dedication. Can the agent be reached after hours? Some large agencies, especially those catering to corporate travelers, have 24-hour phone lines. Many agents even give their home phone numbers to important clients. If you use a boutique agency that is not staffed around the clock, it should provide the phone numbers of personal contacts at your destination who will be there to lend a hand, just in case. Does the agent have close connections where you're headed? Top destination specialist have guides, outfitters, and other in-country suppliers whom they have used for many years and who can be counted on in and emergency. How long has the agent been in the business? The best consultants have spent decades befriending airline sales reps, hotel managers, cruise-line presidents, and other players who can help out when the unexpected happens. Does the agent charge a fee? Top consultants do not give away their time and expertise. Some charge a trip-planning fee. Others apply their fee to the price of the trip. Such a deposit protects the agent in case you cancel after he or she has done hours of work on your behalf. You should not be asked to pay a trip-planning fee if you're booking a cruise, tour, or other package trip out of a brochure, since in that case, the agent is adding little value. Whose Side are They On, Anyway? Make sure your agent's best interests are aligned with your own Can an agent who is paid by travel companies be an impartial counselor? Increasingly, the answer is no. But that's not necessarily a bad thing—if you know how to make the system work for you. Now that the airlines have cut their commissions, most travel agents are more likely than ever to push the types of trips that yield the biggest profits—cruises, tours, and expensive hotel stays. They are also more likely to promote the properties, cruise lines and other travel companies that are their 'preferred suppliers.' By driving a high volume of business to these suppliers, agents can as much as double their commissions. The downside is that you may find an agent steering you to the Lanesborough on Hyde Park when you've requested a small hotel near Covent Garden. Indeed, there are some agents who will book rooms in only four hotels in London. The upside? The more an agent concentrates his business with a few suppliers, the more favors—say, a free upgrade or airport limo—he or she can get from those companies and pass on to you. Despite the loss of airline commissions, some travel agents still promote certain carriers over others because the airlines are making behind-the-scenes payments to those who deliver a high volume of customers. You might find a cheaper ticket on the Web, but by paying a slightly higher fare to one of these agents, you could end up with something valuable—say, a seat on a 'sold-out' flight, a free companion ticket, or an upgrade certificate. The airlines give their favorite agencies these tools to keep customers happy; in exchange, agencies send their clients to these airlins. 'Certain carriers allow me to do extra things for my clients, which makes me want to sell those airlines first,' says Terry McCabe of Stratton Travel in Oakland, New Jersey. Agents like McCabe have developed close relationships with the sales reps for their 'preferred airlines,' which also translates into favors. Recently, she was able to upgrade a honeymooon couple to buiness class in exchange for getting the airline's sales rep an audience with the pope. McCabe was able to pull that one off because she books travel for the local archbishop. 'It's all about who you know,' she says. How can you benefit from a travel agency's preferred-supplier relationships while making sure that you get honest advice and a wide range of travel products to choose from? Here are some tips: Use a travel agent whose preferred suppliers are also your own. The agency should send hundreds if not thousands of customers annually to your favorite airline, cruise line, or hotel. If you fly many different carriers and need an agent who does a lot of business with them all, I recommend Priscilla Alexander at Protravel International in Manhattan (212-755-4550;www.protravelinc.com). If you sail with a different cruise line each time, try Mary Jean Tully at the Cruise Professionals in Toronto (800-265-3838; cruiseprofessionals.com). These agencies have clout with all the big players. If you want an unbiased agent, be prepared to pay a fee. Traditional agents who don't charge fees are more likely to push you toward products that yield higher commissions, since that's their only source of income. Many small hotels and coutry inns overseas don't pay commissions, so an agent willing to spend time to find you the perfect $150-a-night room in a Tuscan villa is going to demand a fee. If you're looking for honest comparisons, beware of agencies that are virtual dealerships. A few agents are taking preferred-supplier relationships to the next level: They simply won't sell a preferred supplier's competitors. Abracadabra Cruises in Marietta, Georgia, for instance, recently became an Elite Consumer Agency for Carnival Cruise Line and no longer sells Royal Caribbean cruises. This is great if you're certain you want a Carnival cruise: You'll get incentives you may not find elsewhere. But if you're looking for an objective comparison of Carnival and Royal Caribbean, you'd be wise to look elsewhere. Don't assume that Web sites are an impartial alternative. Online agencies have preferred suppliers, just as traditional agents do. Ever ask a site for a flight and have it suggest a certain carrier? The airline may have paid for that placement and may not actually offer the best deal available. For a relatively unbiased list of the lowest fares on your route, try Itasoftware.com or Orbitz.com, which have no preferred-airline contracts.   Back         Top of Page

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