When and why you should know and use a travel adviser
by Nancy Dorrans
A good travel adviser will un-clutter the vast universe of choices. People love the process of planning a trip, pouring through books, searching online sites, watching the travel channel, talking with friends and family. The research and dreaming is part of the fun right? Having an expert available to consult and work with on the decision-making and planning details is key.
Adventure Marketplace trip to Isabela Island, Galapagos, May 2014.
People don’t go to a travel adviser to get more information. Information is ubiquitous.
“There’s an overload,” says Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, an international luxury travel agency network with more than 11,400 advisers worldwide.“They go to get clarity.”
Another reason to use a travel adviser is because we can get you out of trouble!
Have you ever watched seven feet of snow fall in Buffalo three days before you were scheduled to fly to Colorado for ski training camp? Did you not notice the week before you were flying out to sail around the Greek Islands that your passport expired? Have you ever received a text from the airline while you were sleeping that your flight to ski a week in the French Alps was canceled? Just a few examples of true travel emergency situations that I was able to remedy.
As travel agents, we are like your own personal, on-the-road concierge. We are available to help you out when you need it. A good agent will already know what’s happening. The airport may be closed or you may still be in the air. We are looking at your itinerary, contacting the airlines and re-routing you. Sometimes before you wake up. That’s a lot of hassle avoidance and a little peace of mind knowing that someone has your back.
Adventure Marketplace is a full service travel agency but far from your average travel agency, Adventure Marketplace will guide your adventure from the beginning. With immediate responsiveness, experience and creativity, you will have someone on your side that is really there for you. Nothing substitutes for that kind of personal attention.
Two years ago my friend Anne from second grade saw a post on my Facebook page about small group adventure to the Galapagos I was organizing. She reached out to me.
We had not been in touch since high school but social media reconnected us. Our shared love of travel brought us back together. She loves to travel but didn’t have anyone to travel with and the Galapagos was on her list!
Nancy Dorrans with friends from 2nd grade Anne Galehouse on Santa Cruz beach, Galapagos, May 2014.
What a better reason to know and use Adventure Marketplace as your travel adviser? I’ll go with you!
Once or twice a year I accompany my friends and clients on adventures. Two years ago we explored Ecuador and the Galapagos. This May we went to South Africa and Zimbabwe! Much more is in store for 2017 and beyond.
My small group adventures are carefully planned and follow a list of specific criteria.
We begin with a few ideas of when and where. Then as people sign on, the group gets to know one another and is already connected ahead of time. This is not possible on a typical mainstream group tour.
The groups are small, no more than 15 participants. A fair value, uncommon and relevant, I work with established and exceptional local tour operators and guides that offer sustainable and community development partnerships. The emphasis is on cultural immersion. It’s about adventure and that means savoring the destinations’ natural beauty, plenty of outdoor activities and exploring local history while meeting with local specialists and experiencing insider hospitality and food! These adventures are uncommon and extraordinary.
Nancy Dorrans is a West Ender and an independent travel agent at Adventure Marketplace.
