It’s important to know the difference types of travel agents so you can find the best one to help you when you want to book your holiday.
Read on to learn about being an Independent Travel Agent means.
What Is An Independent Travel Agent?
What Does Independent Travel Agent Mean?
An independent travel agent means the agent is not employed by a holiday company. That means they are free to book holidays with a wide range of companies and they can find the best holiday company to suit their clients needs.
You may not have realised but there are different types of travel agents – independent travel agents and those that are not independent.
Independent travel agents are travel agents which are not owned by a holiday company.
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What Is An Independent Travel Agent?
Holiday Company Travel Agent
Let’s look at TUI, because they are probably the biggest travel company in the UK.
They have travel agent shops throughout the UK as well as online sales and support.
When you visit a TUI travel agent they help you to find your perfect TUI holiday.
TUI have a huge range of holidays available.
They fly to 38 countries from the UK. They have river cruise ships and ocean cruise ships. The ocean cruise ships operate under the name Marella Cruises.
TUI also operate touring holidays.
The travel agent that you speak to in the TUI shop is there to sell TUI holidays.
They can’t book you onto holidays or travel with other companies.
They are great at package holidays i.e you buy a readymade package holiday from them.
What Is An Independent Travel Agent?
Independent Travel Agent
An independent travel agent is one is that is not affiliated with a holiday company.
That means they are not restricted to offering holidays with one company, they are free to book with a much larger range of holiday companies, including smaller specialised companies.
This makes an independent travel agent ideal if you are want more choice available.
It also makes an independent travel agent ideal if you have more complex holiday plans in mind. That might be multi destination trips, or simply a holiday that you would like personalised to suit your needs.
Independent travel agents are generally members of consortiums.
Guided Travels is a member of Experience It Now Travel, which itself is part Hays Travel.
Hays Travel is one of the largest consortiums of travel agents in the UK.
That means they are able to combine their buying power to get great deals from holiday suppliers.
It also means they are able to work with a huge number of suppliers.
At Experience It Now we have around 200 suppliers that we currently work with but we can access around 600 suppliers through the partnership with Hays Travel.
That means independent travel agents are able to provide personalised service and tailormade holidays that suit the customer requirements.
Independent travel agents are interested in finding their customers the holiday that suits them best.
Independent travel agents may work in shops or be home based.
They may also be employed or self employed.
What Is An Independent Travel Agent Video
What Is An Independent Travel Agent Conclusion
- An independent travel agent is free to across multiple holiday companies to to find the best option for you
- An independent travel agent is ideal if you have more complex holiday plans, special requirements or you would like a tailormade holiday
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