Message from the 'Mo': A great Travel Agent is worth their weight in gold

Message from the 'Mo': A great Travel Agent is worth their weight in….

In our recent customer survey, we openly asked whether you could, or should, book directly with us. We were very interested in the fact that many of you did not know you could indeed book directly with us, and many were also very uncertain of which would be the best booking path to follow.

It was also interesting that a good number of you absolutely wanted to go through their own known, preferred, professional travel agent. And that loyalty is great. Obviously, I am not talking about any old agent, but the ones you know who have served you well in the past, who are professional and caring and who are in immense strife and pain right now. As are we. Since we are European specialists, it has been over a year now since we last had any travelled business. No income at all. And that is the same for virtually all Travel Agents, who heavily rely on International travel. Sadly, many have shut and many more will.

So, here’s the thing, when you come to book, if you have found us through your preferred, regular Travel Agent, and they have suggested our wonderful tours would suit you, then we ask you to book specifically through that same Travel Agent. They are hurting and the one thing they need to know, like us, is some certainty of a future and your loyalty to that agent is worth its weight in gold. If you have a great Travel Agent then go to them. We are incredibly loyal to a whole number of Travel Agents nationally and if they invested their time in helping you with your travel plans then, please, go back to them. That seems fair and just.

A number of you have asked us about how to find a great, local Travel Agent. We can help you. We know them. Ask us. We can easily introduce you to them. In fact, we want to. You see, whilst we obviously can take your bookings directly, which we welcome, we can also steer you to Travel Agents that we know are great, tried and tested. We want to because it is absolutely in our best interest. Not only do we want you looked after properly, we also want to look after our good Travel Agent friends who support us, professionally, properly.

What defines a great Travel Agent?

Knowledge, professionalism, sage advice, clever, instinctive travel planning? Of course. Discounting? Never! Any Travel Agent that offers you a discount is after your money, not your repeat business. To us the answer is more about integrity.

A great Travel Agent will be impartial. They will apply their experience and knowledge of the destination, and they will seek an understanding of that most important person – you - and will always offer you the right product that suits your needs. 

At Albatross, we are not a huge impersonal international travel company. We cannot match their ‘noise’ in the marketplace, so it gets difficult to be heard. We are smaller, we know we provide the best European tours on the market, and they are created specifically for Australians and New Zealanders. They are designed specifically for you.

And a great Travel Agent knows that, understands that, and will readily recommend us because it is the right thing to do. So, getting the right impartial advice that makes your travels brilliant.. what value is that to you? A great travel agent is worth their weight in…. GOLD. So, if you have one… lucky you. If not, ask us, and we will introduce you to one.

Euan Landsborough, the 'Mo'
Managing Director, Founder and Tour Designer
 Albatross Tours