Travel safely

Have you seen the misery of the forest fires on Rhodes, Maui, Tenerife or the recent floods and mudslides in the Alps, for example? If you booked online, you are in trouble. Holiday gone, a lot of hassle to get back and your money gone. Fortunately, there is another way.

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. – Dalai Lama

I recently did a small survey asking where people booked their holidays. I found the answers quite shocking. – Nobody books with a local travel agency anymore (for example in a shopping centre) – 10% book through an independent travel agent – 10% book through me – 80% book their holidays online

There is a good chance that you are also someone who books online.

There are three important reasons to book with me and not online, for example.

1. Personal attention and service The first reason is my personal service – that is my strength compared to booking online. I take the time to get to know you: your likes and dislikes, what exactly you are looking for in your holiday or trip and listen carefully to your wishes. Because customisation is my speciality. I do the search for you and come up with proposals and give you the right advice. Then you don’t have to spend time looking for things yourself. We can also do it together if you like that too. And, for example, if you have seen a special mountain walk, I will do my utmost to include it in the trip.

I arrange everything from A to Z for you. From tickets to vouchers and entrance tickets, you can’t think of it or I have already arranged it for you. Before the trip, I bring the travel documents along, we go through all the important matters, I remind you of departure times, whether you have your passports and visas at hand, and so on. When you are back home, I will contact you to hear how it was and what could possibly have been done better.

2. Expert advice tailored to your needs I will look into the specific laws and regulations for you in the country of destination. And how to get there. For example: Do you need a visa for the Philippines and if so, how far in advance do you need to apply for it, how and where? Or: how long is the minimum transfer time with KLM in Atalanta, can you make it with your next flight? I also check the accommodations in advance. So that we know for sure that they are open, not overbooked and then move you to a location where you definitely do not want to be. This has saved my clients on a few occasions because the hotel was closed while they did not state this on their website. If you had made an online booking yourself, you would have stood in front of a closed door with your suitcases. This way you will not be faced with unexpected and unpleasant surprises.

3. Financially advantageous and protected

a) Trusted and cheap I keep looking until I find the best deals. At reliable addresses with good service. Take an 8-day ANWB trip to Tuscany as an example. They offer it for €1,584.50. As Travel Counsellors I could put together and book exactly the same trip, also via ANWB, for €7 more. But that is not my added value. The same trip, but with slightly different accommodation selected by me that better suits your wishes, will cost you €400 less.

b) Financial protection. As Travel Counsellors I am a member of the ANVR, SGR and the Calamities Fund, where your travel sum is guaranteed. Suppose there is a natural disaster during your holiday, such as the recent forest fires or floods, then the ANVR can declare that as a disaster or calamity and then your trip is financially protected. I also always advise you to take out cancellation and travel insurance, in case something happens to you, such as an accident or illness. Then you are also financially protected and we can help you. The Travel Counsellors Duty Office keeps watch 24/7 and if something happens in an area where my clients are, they let me know immediately. Then I will contact you as soon as possible. So that you know what you can do. I, in collaboration with our Duty Office, will guide you and arrange all the necessary things so that you can return safely or continue your holiday. If your holiday is unexpectedly cancelled, you do not have to chase your money yourself after returning home, but we will do that for you.

Review “I was helped very well by Patricia. Definitely recommended. Super friendly woman. She did everything she could to meet our wishes.” – Esmee

So, that is why you are better off booking with me than online. Let me help you create your next travel stories. “Traveling leaves you speechless, and then turns you into a storyteller.”