travel agent

A honeymoon is a perfect opportunity to connect with your partner and see a part of the world you’ve always wanted to visit. Of course, this trip also requires a lot of planning. Since you’ll be spending a good chunk of your time ironing out the details of your wedding, you might not want to put in the extra work to make your honeymoon go according to plan. One interesting solution worth thinking over is hiring a travel agent to assist you with your plans.

Though travel agents might have been more popular in the time before the internet, plenty of people still turn to these individuals for help with their excursions. Consider these benefits and see if the expense is worth it for your big day.

Focus on Other Matters

As mentioned, planning a honeymoon can be an unwanted task because it comes at a time when you’re already preoccupied with other pressing matters. From selecting invitations to coordinating with vendors, the challenges of throwing a wedding can make all other responsibilities seem less important. Working with a travel agent provides you with the luxury of handing over the vacation planning tasks to a qualified professional. All you have to do is find an agent you feel comfortable entrusting these matters to.

Find Safe Honeymoon Destinations

Visiting different parts of the world has become a lot more difficult in recent years. The spread of the novel coronavirus and subsequent quarantine restrictions have changed many aspects of the travel business. Travel agents stay on top of travel advisories and shifting regulations, meaning they will know exactly how to help you avoid booking a trip to a destination that will prove risky to your health. Whether this is a top priority for you or not, it can provide peace of mind to know someone is looking after this detail.

Have the Honeymoon Experience Customized to Your Tastes

For some people, there is hesitation surrounding travel agents because they fear the trip will be too generic. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Agents work tirelessly to provide couples with packages that are tailored to meet their specific tastes. Whether you’re a thrillseeker looking for adventure or you want to indulge in the most romantic activities newlyweds can experience, the professional you hire for the task can take your tastes and turn them into concrete actions.

Save Money

If you’re holding off on using a travel agent because it seems like yet another expense during a time when you’re draining your bank accounts dry, it can be interesting to note that this investment might save you money in the long run. Couples who use an agent are often delighted to discover that they have been given the best deals on hotels, restaurants, and local entertainment. This is because agents spend years building relationships with vendors all over the world to deliver customized experiences at low cost to clients.

See Sights You Might Have Missed

Though the internet makes it easier than ever to research different honeymoon destinations, there are many obstacles you will encounter when conducting a search online. With so many people voicing their opinions on which sights to see, you might feel overwhelmed when reading reviews and blog posts. Working with a travel agent is like being given access to an overflowing font of wisdom. This person can provide in-depth data on any location that catches your attention.

If you’re already feeling the weight of planning your wedding, you might want to think about hiring some help for the honeymoon phase. Though an agent might seem like an unjustifiable expense, there are plenty of advantages that come along with bringing a professional on board.

Don’t Get Scammed! How To Spot and Avoid Honeymoon Travel Rip-Offs

Take a look at this advice on how to avoid honeymoon travel scams in order to have a carefree vacation without the headaches.

To simplify your honeymoon planning, you may depend on a travel agent to reserve your transportation, accommodations, and itinerary. Over the next several months, you’ll remit your deposit and installment payments. All the while, you picture yourself and your sweetheart enjoying majestic scenery, fabulous cuisine, new adventures, and plenty of alone time to spare.

Yet what if you find out that your travel agent pocketed your money, leaving your wallet emptied and with no honeymoon to show for it? That’s exactly what happened to one Alberta couple just weeks before their big day. Fortunately, you can avoid the same thing happening to you by looking for some key warning signs.

Honeymoon Dreams Turned Into Nightmares

A November 2018 CTV News article tells the tragic story of Camrose couple Rhys Herle and Ashley Thengs. The two had planned to marry in Cancun on December 3, relying on travel agent Shez Khan from Beachvows.ca to make their arrangements. After the couple and their destination-wedding guests had paid several thousand dollars to Khan’s agency, they discovered that their airline had only received partial payment. MK Voyages, the third-party vendor in charge of managing other details, claimed that it never received any money. Meanwhile, Khan has slowly reduced contact with the couple, leaving the future of the Herle and Thengs wedding up in the air.

Even so, this isn’t the only type of scam targeting potential travelers. USA Today discusses other common rip-offs in a February 2018 piece, adding that customers often fall for cut-rate prices on airfare, hotels, rental vehicles, and other amenities, only to encounter bait-and-switch tactics or surprise fees.

Avoid the Hustle With These Helpful Tips

As you look forward to your own honeymoon, you’ll need to do your homework and watch out for red flags that could indicate a scam. TripSavvy writer Mark Kahler explains that travel rip-off artists frequently take advantage of bargain-hunting hopefuls as well as the typical industry practice of pre-paying for itineraries and arrangements. Kahler then lists several characteristics of a potentially dishonest deal:

Demands for payment without a written contract
Transactions performed by phone or courier only
Limited-time-only offers
Vendors not disclosed in writing
Overuse of terms such as “complimentary” or “free”

Besides these warning signs, Kahler also advises customers to beware of travel sellers operating under different names than the providers whose services they sell. In this scenario, the marketing agent may be more interested in closing a sale than in offering a positive experience or attempting to eliminate liability claims and lawsuits. This is precisely what happened to Rhys Herle and Ashley Thengs, since Khan claimed that she booked their getaway through MK Voyages.

Kahler also cautions readers about pricing that’s significantly below fair market value. Some scammers rely on split pricing to dangle cheap rates as bait but bury additional charges deep inside a travel contract. On the other hand, they may use the advertised specials to hook interested buyers and pressure them into purchasing expensive travel package add-ons. Finally, he recommends that prospective honeymooners steer clear of anyone who offers to certify them as travel agents. These offers usually state that agents can access free trips and perks, but you could wind up forking over money for bogus credentials.

Shop Smart and Find a Trustworthy Travel Agent

Locating a good travel agent involves some thorough research and listening to your gut instincts. Start by shopping for local professionals with glowing reviews and who have memberships in the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies. If you do go it alone in booking your travel, it pays to scrutinize online travel deals and look for fine print, loopholes, and outright scams. Following this advice will ensure you get the honeymoon you want without the headaches.