Boost your travel IQ by talking to a real human

The ease of researching holidays on the web has made us forget the importance of true expertise, says Nick Trend

Black Friday is over. The January sales have yet to begin. The next three weeks are a strange time in the travel trade because most people are focused on Christmas and very few are thinking about next year’s holidays.

That provides an opportunity. If you want to get the best advice on your travel plans, this is an excellent time to do so. Business is quiet, agents and operators have time on their hands and they will be mustard keen to help: any bookings they take are a bonus.

But perhaps it hasn’t occurred to you to seek advice by actually speaking to someone? It is so easy to research options, check prices and read reviews without even stepping away from your screen. And that works fine for many bookings – straightforward trips and ready-made packages, particularly to places you know already.

But for longer, more complex and far-flung itineraries it can be hard to build up an accurate picture of your best options from simply surfing the net. Talking to an expert, on the other hand, can quickly tease out options, opportunities and problems that you might never have found online.

For example, I was recently helping someone who was planning to walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and was checking the insurance situation. Her policy included trekking at altitudes up to 3,000m (9,843ft). She had googled Machu Picchu, assuming that it must be at – or at least near – the highest part of the trail. She found it was at 2,430m so, apparently, all was fine. In fact, although Machu Picchu is obviously at the end of the trek, the highest pass on the trail is 4,200m.

Without upgrading her insurance, she would not have been covered – not a great idea on a trip of that kind. That is the problem with googling. You have to ask the right questions in order to get the right answers and it is incredibly easy to miss something which, in retrospect, seems obvious.

I can sense an objection – aren’t the days of seeking advice from agents and operators virtually over? High-street agents are thin on the ground and it is impossible to get hold of travel companies on the phone. The first point is true, though some expert agents – such as Trailfinders (trailfinders.com) – do still have a presence in major cities. But, it’s also true that while there are now plenty of web-based companies that don’t have an enquiries line (they are presumably expecting to sell on price), any expert or specialist agent or operator worth their salt will relish the chance to talk to customers on the phone (see aito.co.uk for a list of specialists). After all, the successful ones rely on repeat custom. It’s in their interest that you enjoy your holiday.

All this raises another key question. How can you be sure that you are indeed getting good advice and are not going to be the victim of a smoothtalking sales pitch? Here are three key points to consider.

TALK TO MORE THAN ONE COMPANY The point is not only to compare prices, but to check ideas for itineraries, the best places to stay, and – crucially – the best time to travel. If you get very different answers, it is probably a good idea to seek further advice.

CHECK THE AGENT HAS VISITED THE DESTINATION RECENTLY It sounds obvious, but you can’t rely on the fact that the person who answers the phone or sits behind the desk has been to the place you are planning to visit. If the answer is no, simply ask to speak to someone who has. If no one is available, try another company.

WELCOME QUESTIONS

For me, the best indicator of a really professional agent is how many questions they ask you. The more they know about your preferences and pleasures, the more chance there is that they can give you appropriate advice.