WHY SHOULD I WORK WITH A TRAVEL CONSULTANT? In one word, COVID. As we navigate out of this crisis and begin to travel again, getting to and in to a destination is not going to be as easy as it once was. We will need to take into account: health information visas, rapid tests, vaccine passports and more. That is just to get there. Coming home will be more complicated. In addition, surveys have shown that the average DIYer spends 10-20 hours and goes on an average of 30 websites reading reviewing and viewing properties before deciding on a vacation? That doesn't even take into account the time they spend asking friends and family their opinions. Let a professional give you back your time and peace of mind. We take care of the details and source our information first hand.
WHY DO YOU CHARGE CONSULTING FEES? IS THIS NEW? Great question. Like many other professional consultants and planners, business coaches, wedding planners, personal trainers, and accountants for example, I charge a fee for my time and expertise. Did you know travel consultants do not receive any commissions (payments) from suppliers until after a client has paid in full and sometimes not until they travel and sometimes not at all? Did you know travel consultants often offer concierge type products and services for their customers that are non-commissionable? ie. seat selections, car services, upgrade requests, restaurant reservations, shore excursions? Consumers are now planning and booking anywhere from 6 months to 2 years in advance. Imagine, if you would, in your own profession, doing research, booking, monitoring and following a client for two years before being compensated. We are sure you can't as there is no other profession like travel. In addition, suppliers do not compensate travel consultants for their time and incredible amount of knowledge. They pay a small commission as a thank you for booking their product. During the height of COVID, consultants were working 12-15 hours a day (for free) on behalf of clients to get them home from overseas, secure credits or refunds, and in most cases had to return commissions they had received up to two years prior. Currently, all suppliers are short staffed and hold times with some suppliers can be well over 8 hours. Imagine making a mistake while you book something online then having to wait on hold an entire day to correct that mistake? Consultants do this and much more for the love of travel and their deep commitment to their clients. Moving forward, working for free just isn't a viable business model and professional consultants need to be and should be compensated for the work they do.
WHAT SETS INSPIRED WANDERER TRAVEL CONSULTING APART? The time, knowledge, expertise, and commitment that I provides to each and every client. Working with a select number of clients annually, allows me to work with more intention. My inquisitive mind, creative process and commitment to high-level customer experience is what keeps clients coming back. You will find I am extremely flexible, approachable and accessible and I believe in collaboration with my clients.
IS INSPIRED WANDERER TRAVEL CONSULTING TICO REGISTERED? Yes. This is very important to know before you start working with a travel consultant. Anyone consulting on or selling any sort of travel (from hotel bookings to retreats) is required to be TICO registered in Ontario. All Independent Travel Consultants(such as myself) selling travel in Ontario are required to be affiliated with a host agency and registered with TICO. Inspired Wanderer Travel Consulting is affiliated with UNIGLOBE LEXUS (full info can be found in the Contact Us section) and registered with TICO.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THINGS GO WRONG WHILE TRAVELLING? In the rare event you encounter a problem while on holiday, I am always personally available to you. I will talk you through a situation and work on your behalf to make it right. In your travel documents you will be provided with my direct contact information. You will never speak to a call centre.
Terms and Conditions: Terms and Conditions By contacting Inspired Wanderer Travel Consulting, you have agreed to the terms and condition and you are giving Inspired Wanderer Travel Consulting consent to act on your behalf for your travel needs. These terms and conditions which acts as an agreement, describe what to legally expect from us when you purchase travel related services through us. The terms "we", "us" and "our" refer to Inspired Wanderer Travel Consulting, and the term "you" refers to the customer visiting our website, booking a reservation through us or otherwise using our services on behalf of yourself and others. Our Agreement With You Packages and Suppliers We sell and promote a range of travel related products from different suppliers and service providers. Each Supplier has its own terms and condition that are applicable to your particular needs and we endeavour to inform you of them. All bookings including flights are subject to price changes until the required payments are made. Any increased in charges will be at a cost to you and not us. In accepting these terms and conditions you hereby give your consent for us to charge your credit card for such additional amounts incurred. Prior to planning and arranging your travel, a service fee form will be emailed to you for you to sign, agreeing to pay a service fee to us. The form must be signed, returned and the monies paid by credit card. Customized Research And Planning Package Fee Is Required For All Itineraries In order to perform the professional services required to plan and arrange your travel to a fee is required which is non- refundable. Vacation planning involves much time and my work is based on years of personal experience and professional expertise. Your final itinerary and documents will give you as smooth a vacation as is possible. All vacations arranged through Inspired Wanderer Travel Consulting offer peace of mind, as we are experienced professionals in the business of planning individual travel for travelers who demand the most professional individual attention to detail and execution of a well planned vacation.