Planning a vacation is a true collaborative endeavor. Any time you want to assemble a great getaway I believe that at least three parties have to partner together to design, develop and deliver that ideal getaway.

The vacation team that I am referring to is the travel agent, the travel and tourism product providers and you the traveler/customer. Open honest communication between everyone involved and the early identification of the traveler’s motivations, needs and expectations (MNEs) are critical.

Generally the initial contact starts with the travel agent getting to know you. They should be asking plenty of questions.

They’re doing this in order to create a vision of what you are looking for and what you are looking to do. Are you looking for an active vacation with plenty of sightseeing excursions or a leisurely paced city stay? Do you want an inclusive meal plan or do you want to dine around on the local economy spending your own nickel?

Another important question is why are you going? A honeymoon may call for a different style of hotel and vacation inclusions than a quick “I just so need to getaway” escape to Las Vegas. Different travel motivations definitely impact the trip budget.

Once you and I (your travel planner) have determined exactly what you are looking for, then we need to get the other partners involved. This is a critical point as we select the travel supplier(s) components required to assemble your vacation. Your travel agent’s product knowledge is very important here as we discuss, then select, the perfect suppliers for your journey. I will share with you the reasons why I feel that this tour company, hotel, cruise line or related product is ideally suited for you.

After all these are the fine folks who will be supplying the travel product that you will hopefully will enjoy. They’ll fly the planes, handle your luggage, serve your meal, interpret in the museums and so forth.

Shifting from the Emerald Island to the islands of Aloha let’s examine how a tour operator can offer you tremendous savings on your getaway. Who is going to get the better price from the airlines or hotels? You, a party of two or Blue Sky Tours a company that’s moves hundreds of people daily into and around the state? Volume and bulk buying power does lower the rates and the tour operator-travel agent team passes these savings on to you their customer. Their destination knowledge is priceless and invaluable.

Yes I am partial to the travel agency distribution channel and here’s why. I feel that it provides the consumer with an unbiased perspective in regards to matching the right product with the consumer’s unique needs.

A single supplier can never fill that requirement. Contact a specific airline, tour company or cruise line directly and they will only be able to offer you their product. How do you compare this offer with that of a competitor? You invest more time! And after all of this research are you really certain that you’ve gotten the best deal?

With the travel agency community selling over 75 percent of all cruise and tour products, the agent fills a needed role for the supplier and traveler, particularly when it comes to complex travel. Most cruise and tour suppliers recognize this and actively support the agency channel.

Sure a percentage of you will always go direct but the savings of cost and time still favor the agency distribution system. I’ll admit that the travel agent will not always beat that bargain you discovered on line but I’ll still side with the agent. There’s a good chance that you’re not comparing apples to apples or giving your agent all the information. If you are a frequent guest of a specific hotel chain or have an airline discount code let your agent know. This way he/she will access to those special rates that you qualify for.

Again, this is a collaborative effort between all parties involved, planning then providing your vacation and/or business travel needs. If you agree or disagree with me I’d love to hear your comments. You can contact me at thetravelprofessor@gmail.com or 740.550.9540.