Travel Advisor Appreciation Month, celebrated every May, began as a heartfelt initiative to recognize and honor the pivotal role advisors play in crafting unforgettable travel experiences. In an era where personalized and authentic travel is important, the expertise, dedication and meticulous planning of advisors is more essential than ever. This month serves as a reminder of their invaluable contributions, advocating for their continued support and acknowledging their tireless efforts to ensure every journey is memorable and seamless for travelers worldwide.
This month, I appreciated the appreciation more than ever! As an advisor, I've had the privilege of working with quite a few tour operators over the years to create fabulous and unforgettable experiences for my clients. However, my recent encounter with a tour operator left me frustrated and concerned for my client's trip. It made me realize more than ever how crucially important it is to partner with the right tour operator.
The Experience
There were red flags from the start, but then we appeared to “get it together” and the trip started looking great. The operator was responsive, and their proposals were promising. However, the first flag came when I sent them the client’s “wish list” and budget which I researched before sending the request. It was a custom tour, and I was clear about what the client wanted. The first proposed itinerary I received was so different from the itinerary I requested that I thought they sent it to the wrong client! I mentioned the non-negotiables and plan Bs if the first wish list item wasn’t available or possible with the budget but those were almost completely ignored.
We finally (months later) got to the point where the client was happy and paid. However, as the trip approached, I noticed discrepancies in the bookings. Some of the activities were not quite what I requested or what the client paid for although they appeared to be at first glance. I trusted the operator (my mistake) to book what I requested, but upon further investigation, it turned out to be a great activity but didn’t have the components the client requested, which was one of the non-negotiables. So, I had to add the activity which cost the client more money which was understandably upsetting.
The trip had several destinations, and, in my frustration, after the one leg of the trip was booked, I finally took matters into my own hands and booked a specific accommodation that the client requested on the second leg and handed the remainder of the trip to another tour operator. There were quite a few other details that were overlooked which I had to take care of myself which was preferable to “duking it out” with the tour operator.
The Consequences
I spent countless hours on the phone and email, trying to rectify these details and I will never use this tour operator again. The stress and worry of potentially delivering a subpar experience to my client was overwhelming. Scrambling to find alternative solutions added to my workload and affected my relationships with other partners. The experience not only reflected poorly on the tour operator but also on me as an ineffective advisor to my client. It was a stark reminder that the success of our clients' trips heavily relies on the competence and reliability of our partners. All I can hope for is that when my client finally leaves on her trip, she will be so happy that the struggles of getting it together will be forgotten.
I also wondered how to avoid something like this in the future if one works with a “new” tour operator they haven’t worked with before. I don’t think I could have been more detailed with my request, or more specific about what the non-negotiables were. These custom trips are often complicated, and I could have booked some of the activities myself, but I wanted to use a tour operator as I am not that familiar with some aspects of the destinations my client wanted to visit.
Another realization came to mind: if the tour operator doesn’t have vendors (people on the ground) to provide the services you want, or if they use their preferred vendors even though it isn’t exactly what the client requested, they will book something similar and hope you don’t notice the missing parts.
The Importance of Working With the Right Tour Operator
Tour operators play a vital role in delivering exceptional client experiences. They are the boots on the ground, responsible for bringing our carefully crafted itineraries to life. A trustworthy and efficient tour operator can make all the difference in ensuring a seamless and memorable trip. Conversely, a subpar operator can tarnish the entire experience, damaging not only our clients' trust but also our reputation as advisors.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
From this experience, I've learned to be even more diligent in my research and due diligence when selecting a tour operator, even though this one has great reviews. Sometimes you can do all that needs to be done, and still have a not-so-great experience.
Here are some best practices I recommend:
- Thoroughly research the operator, read reviews and ask for references from fellow travel advisors or past clients (I did this and still had issues).
- Clearly communicate your expectations and requirements, ensure the operator understands your client's needs.
- Double-check bookings and confirmations, leave no room for assumptions (I cannot emphasize this enough).
- Have a backup plan in place in case things go awry.
- Regularly evaluate your partners to reassess their performance and reliability.
As advisors, we must be vigilant in our research, communication and due diligence to ensure our partners share our commitment to excellence. By sharing our experiences and best practices, we can collectively raise the bar and provide unforgettable journeys for our clients.
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