“Hey, Barbara! Tell me the name of a good travel agent.” “Nope!” “Why not? You know lots.” “I know lots of doctors, too. With my kind of luck, I'd recommend my favorite surgeon and he'd amputate your right leg when the left one had gangrene.” must by y Barbara McCreadie It’s true that I know lots of agents, some excellent and others so incompetent that I wouldn't send the Ayatollah to them for a one-way ticket on the last boat to hell. Luckily, the incompetents don't last long. Besides, I must be completely objective. If I started handing out agents’ names, readers would begin. to wonder what rake-off I was taking out of the transaction! 1. Choose an agency that is “Appointed by L.A.T.A.” — in other words can write airline tickets for you directly. 2. Your agency should be government registered. 3. If your business has a company account, you'll get better holiday service from that agency as commercial accounts are valuable. They'll give you extra TLC if they value the company. 4. It is sensible to choose an agent that is nearby. 5. Agencies differ in their fields of expertise. Some cater to special tours while others deal primarily with certain areas of the world. 6. Large offices are often a good bet if you are travelling to some off-beat place. A large staff means that somebody may have per- sonal expernence with the place which can be a big heip 7. The letters “C.T.A.” indicate that an agent has been in the business at least four years and has written a stiff exam. &. It is less risky to take your business to an - “ROA” established agency “than to one that is brand-new. Oh, I know that everyone has to start somewhere but I'm giad that my doctor had been practicing on a lot of others before he got around to me. Choosing an agent is a very tricky thing and, although experience and competence have a lot to do with a valid choice, per- sonality comes into the deal. One agency manager confided to me that she'd be willing to take on a rank amateur if she felt that her clients would find the person charming. .The manager would then wofk like hell training the new employee, hoping all the while that the wouldn't send anyone to Iran instead of Italy. ‘Buying a travel experience is something like buying a used car. I can't be bothered spending time with someone whose personality jars me. He may be able to offer me the best deal in town but if he’s got bad breath, dan- druff, talks “down” to me or interrupts our meeting four times for outside calls — he’s lost a sale. Assuming that all agents are well-groomed, patient and charming, what else should you look for? 1. How long did the agent keep you waiting when you walked in the door? Did you stand around for ten minutes while everyone ignored you? 2. When you asked for information, were you shuffled-off to a pamphlet display or did someone give you personal attention? 3. When you asked specific questions, was the agent able to answer you (using his references with ease) or did he fumble around? Did he have to consult his superior repeatedly? 4. Did the agent listen patiently to your plans, asking pertinent questions while you explained? It is a lot less work for an agent to ship you off on some pre- booked tour than it is to start from scratch. A good agent is willing to do either, but with 4wo major qualifications: —Some areas are posted as being “fully booked” by the travel wholesalers. This, of course, is not the case BUT an individual travel agent cannot spend a fortune in long distance calls to find you a booking. You'd be nuts to expect him to. —Many small hotels will not pay agent commission on bookings. An agent simply cannot spend the time and money involved with finding you a spol in some tiny pensione. 5. Did the agent tell you all the alternative airline fares? Now, let's hear it from the agents’ point of view. If you CARRERS IN TRAVEL TRAVEL TRAINING CENTRE’S Specialized Courses will prepare you for a position as: independent Trave! Consultant Tour Escort Travel Counsellor or other industry positions We can open the door to the exciting world of travel for you! TRAVEL TRAINING CENTRE Sto. 21583 Pemberton Ave North Vancouver, B.C. Tat: 986-2221 want to get the best service from your agent, it pays to: 1. Do your homework first. Don't ask some poor guy to send you on a world cruise for $2000! He’d have to buy you a canoe. 2. Tell him exactly how much money you've got to spend, how much time you can spare and what sort of activities you enjoy. Of course there’s no excuse for an agent sending a guy with two broken arms to a tennis resort but it’s hard to guess that you're keen on nude sunbathing when you appear in the office in a winter coat. 3. Don’t try to do too much. If you want to cover eight countries in two weeks, you'll come home exhausted — blaming the agent. 4. Have your generally “made-up” before you arrive but be flexible. An agent can lose his sanity when a client calls him every day for two weeks demanding changes in the original itinerary. 5. Book in plenty of time. If you must book late (or decide on a_ spur-of-the- moment trip), expect limited options and payment up- front. Late bookings often result in higher costs because you can't take advantage of special rates and charters. 6. Pay on the date required. An agent cannot hold bookings for late payment. . 7. If you must cancel, tell your agent immediately. It’s unfair to have him scram- bling around making bookings that you cannot use. 8. Don't blame your agent for the awful people you met on your cruise or tour, unless they were all his relatives. 9. Be fair when it comes to criticizing an-agent about an individual hotel. I've praised one hotel in Italy while my husband considers it just one step above the city jail. Too, a change in management can ruin a fine establishment in no time. 10. If something wasn’t up to. standard, tell the agent but be specific and objective. If everything was lousy don't bother. He was probably fired last week. Passport photos pn you wait North Shore Darkroom 1527 Lonsdale 988-981 3 WAIKIKI *469 8 Days, 7 Nights, An & Hotei WAIKIKI *549 15 Days. 14 Nighta. Ar & Hote: LAS VEGAS '269 8 days 7 nights Air & Hotel LAS VEGAS *189 5 days, 4 nights, Al & Hotel RENO *259 8 Days. 7 Nigtt, Al & Hore’ RENO ‘209 6 Days, 4 Nights, Ar & Note! CENTA Tours 1666 Robson Street 10507 K. Geo. Hwy. Surrey 689-7117 Reg. Travel Agent No. 157-3 mind . Lesnreartes sani Ming asgang steaming ae yen ai tite ans bMS nnn Nene a pi a Aen et POC ann pment nt pon tin mae shepiaoet Se ace ee ae railiee maand ht EEE TN : PTE . we Le TRAVEL NORTH IN ’80 ALASKA Guided Tours of Alaska, the Yukon and British Columbia via ship, airplane and motorcoach are available on request . and subject to space availability. Departing from and returning to Vancouver, Canada from June to September, these tours vary from 14 to 21 days in duration and visit Sitka, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Tok, Anchorage, Seward, Mt. McKinley National Park and Fairbanks in Alaska/Kluane; Dawson Citv, Whitehorse and Watson Lake in the Yukon; and Fe Nelson, Chetwynd and Williams Lake in British Coiu.mbia. cP Air TOURCOST SHARING TWIN ACCOMMODATION: 14-15 DAYS FROM $1333.00 CAD 20-21 DAYS FROM $1453.00 CAD FOR FURTHER INFORMATION SEE YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT VIPTA TOURS LTD. B.C. TRAVEL INSURANCE NO. 669.4