Planning and organising a trip can be a hard task that can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Booking flights, accommodation and organising activities can leave you stressed, especially if you’re travelling outside of the country.
Travel agents and advisers can help lighten the load. A travel agent is a person engaged in selling and arranging transportation, accommodation, tours, or trips for travellers.
When it comes to why you should book with a travel adviser, they have access to information about tourism destinations, travel regulations, products like airlines and hotels and even safety and travel alerts at their fingertips.
Travel experts and advisers have relationships with suppliers to get you out of a bind and they also understand the fine print to help you navigate travel supplier agreements while also having a duty of care to you, to ensure you travel with peace of mind.
According to Association Of Southern African Travel Agents (Asata) CEO, Otto de Vries, whether leisure or corporate travel, it pays to have an expert help you navigate any potential pitfalls.
“From airline strikes to travel regulations, changing visa requirements to simply knowing where the best neighbourhoods are to stay, your travel expert or adviser has the specialist knowledge and continuously updated information that is required for you to have as seamless a trip as possible,” said De Vries.
He said you know that when you’re working with an Asata member you are dealing with a market leader which has committed itself to ethical conduct, trustworthy behaviour and professional service.
So here are the benefits of having a professional travel adviser manage and plan your 2023 trip.
Expert Guidance
According to De Vries, verified Asata Professional Travel Consultants use their extensive knowledge and experience to create, sell and manage various travel related products to holiday and business travellers.
Fighting your battles
“A travel agent is a thought leader advocating on your behalf for better travel conditions. The association was instrumental in working with the Department of Home Affairs to delay the implementation of South Africa’s Unabridged Birth Certificate requirements,” said De Vries.
Trust
When it comes to trust, Vries said Asata members are bound to a strict code of conduct that dictates the terms of their membership. As such, you are assured that the company you are dealing with is a bona fide member of the travel sector following best-practice management and operations.
Fingers on the pulse
He also said Asata members are kept up to date with all the industry issues and news, ensuring they’re first to know and can keep their customers updated with information that will impact their travel plans.
Value and choice
According to De Vries, Asata travel agents can tell you about all the available choices, special promotions and advise on the quality and value of a particular travel option.
“As a consumer, you can look forward to a variety of travel options and quotes from various travel suppliers. We work for you, the consumer, not for any travel supplier,” he said.
Convenience
And finally, if you’re tired of trolling through the internet, an Asata member can source all aspects of your business trip or holiday, including air tickets, accommodation, car rental and much, much more.
“We have all the information at our fingertips, saving you time and money,” said Vries.
So if you’re looking to travel this year, make sure that your agent is registered and a member of Asata to protect yourself.