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Nancy and Jim Strong, mother and son owners of Strong Travel Services , in Dallas, Texas, said they've been asked to do some unusual things over the years. Once, they arranged for a client business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate to fly upside down in a Royal Air Force jet; for another client, they've routinely ordered only "orange" rental cars. Other requests include a woman who regularly asks for her favorite mineral water to be delivered to the hotel for baths. For someone with extreme germ phobia, they only book cruises on maiden voyages, so the client is the first to use a pristine cabin. One client wanted to travel underneath the polar ice cap in a submarine. The agency was able to arrange it, but the client decided against it when he learned it would take several months. business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate Mrs. Strong said her agency will handle almost all travel-related requests, but "nothing business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate immoral or illegal."
Paul Metselaar, chairman and chief executive of Ovation Travel Group , whose clients include lawyers, investment bankers, corporate managers and members of the entertainment industry, was asked to fly a baby pig to appear as a trial exhibit for an antitrust case in farming. But due to delays, "that 'baby' became a huge sow. We had to cobble together three or four dog carriers to get the pig on the plane," Metselaar said. For another client, the agency arranged to keep a small Mexican airport open late, so a chartered jet could land in time for an evening meeting with the Mexican president. Celebrities, it's no surprise, can be fairly demanding and quirky. One Ovation client will only fly in private planes that bear even numbers on the tail; another requires 45 blueberries and 22 strawberries with his hotel breakfast.
What to do with perennially hard-to-please teenagers? Diana M. Hechler, president of D. Tours Travel business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate in Larchmont, New York, said two girls earlier this summer wanted business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate to ride the Trans-Siberian Railroad on a modest budget from Beijing, business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate though Mongolia, to St. Petersburg. She found a 21-day trip called the Vodkatrain, using budget hotels along the way. "It was pretty exotic, but very low end," she said. The girls opted to add excursions, but "you could put on your PJs and take them off 10 days later," Hechler said. For another family, she arranged a pop culture tour of Japan, featuring anime, manga, game show tickets, lots of neon blinking lights and a stint trying on Ninja costumes.
One common misconception, travel agents say, is that they cost more. But agents say they can save money, often finding better airfares, especially in business class, and obtain lower hotel rates. They can also arrange extra amenities that have real dollar value, like complimentary breakfasts, spa credits, transfers, and room upgrades (a deluxe room, a room with a view) or guaranteed early check-in. Hechler said today agents "must bring real value to the equation," business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate offering advice, trust and saving time as well as money. Consumers, even savvy travelers, can get overwhelmed by too many choices, especially if they're business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate busy, she said. "I'm a huge time saver. business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate I solve their problems."
"We have a lot of buying power and clout," said Barbara Nichuals, president of Bayside Travel and Gramatan Travel, in Westchester County, New York. She recounted how on Memorial Day weekend, clients had their hearts set on staying at the Parrot Cay, an exclusive hideaway in the Turks and Caicos business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate Islands, but the hotel was almost entirely sold out, and the room category the clients wanted was sold out. "After contacting the hotel's general manager, I was able to convince business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate him to charge the clients for the room they wanted -- and they were later upgraded on the property," she said. "When things are sold out, we get rooms."
Agents can't work magic, of course. Nichuals recalled business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate that once a client requested that Mickey Mouse put her child to bed. "The client was willing to pay whatever business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate was necessary, but Disney felt that if they fulfilled the request for one child, Mickey would never get to bed himself!" she said. The request was declined. Her company even helps clients analyze frequent flier programs. business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate "It's a huge, huge question these days. It is not revenue-producing, but it facilitates a person's travel," she said. Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate , based in New York, said, "Today's travel advisors know more than ever before. It's all about access. It's all about relationships." Travel consultants, she said, can often upgrade clients from coach to business, or business to first class more seamlessly than clients on their own, who might have to wake up in the middle of the night -- at least 24 hours before a flight departs -- to request upgrades. Travel agents don't have to do that, Wilson-Buttigieg said. "It's a better use of time. No one wants to wait."
"We are limited more by what's available in the marketplace than by what clients ask," Wilson-Buttigieg said. Her agency is among the few with agents accredited to sell trips to space on Virgin Galactic's VSS Enterprise. The agency said it's the world's first commercial business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate passenger space liner. It is being tested now, but set to launch in 12 to 18 months. They are taking orders.
According to Metselaar, one of the most important reasons to use a travel agent is risk management -- extremely important after 9/11 or the recent earthquake in Haiti. "We know where all of our clients are," he said. And travel agents can sometimes even aid humanitarian causes. Members of the non-profit Butterfly Foundation traveled business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate to Southeast Asia recently to provide free surgery to children with spinal deformities, Nichuals said. But beforehand, she arranged a private sightseeing tour of Angkor Wat. The wife of one of the local guides was suffering from a severe back problem, so the medical team flew her to the hospital for surgery, "through this connection of fate," Nichuals said. The woman, who had never flown before "recovered beautifully," she said.
I've used a travel agent twice.. once on an alaska cruise with 10 women. No problems but nothing from the travel agent, not even a thank you, and we could have booked it cheaper without the agent. Second was trip to vegas for my brothers wedding. 25 people from all over the country.. used brides business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate agent.. what a nightmare. None of the rooms were booked even though business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate they were pre-paid. I ended up paying for my aunts entire business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate stay, on my credit card since they couldn't find her reservation. I doublt I'll ever use one again.
I think if you have the money, time, and back bone to ask for oddities on your vacation, go for it! Persons working in resorts are trying to please us, and we, in turn, must be Sure the exact person who started the chain of command under us gets a generous bonus, per our request to management. Have been on both sides of this question, know that we have fun doing the work, as a customer, we have fun too. Any more questions?
some people are so stupid and sexually frustrated they turn to even stupider sites to find true love with a younger woman,Pllllllleeeeeaaassssseeeee, chances are you could'nt keep up with a broad your own age much less a young virile female with raging hormones and insatiatable desires. get a grip if you know what i mean
Although I have found cheaper fares online and have passed the information on to my travel agent, our trip to Jamaica in February could have turned into a disaster without our travel agent's hard work. As other responders business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate have mentioned, travel agents have clout. Two days before leaving, my sister heard that our group reservations at an all-inclusive resort was overbooked. I quickly called our travel agent who spent her day off getting our entire party (numerous rooms at another all inclusive--the Ritz-Carlton). In addition, we all received another week to take at later at our selected resort. (We just have to pay for our transportation). business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate Everyone in our group heard the horror stories of other not so fortunate travelers, people waiting in the lobby for hours then sent to other islands or other resorts. For all of us, we went to the Ritz's reception area at the airport, checked in, took our bus to the resort, and were met with a glass of champagne as we got off the bus. Thankfully our travel agent was working for us. Contrary to what others may say, you don't need to have unlimited amounts of money to use a travel business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate agent, but she certainly saved our vacation that time. We certainly rely on her knowledge and experience.
If anyone is stupid enough to fall for this scam -- I have land 40 miles off the shore of Florida I'll gladly sell you. This is just another version of the old Nigerian scam (it's some poor dude sitting in a cyber cafe, trollin' for stupid people who will forward their money to him...while he sits on his ass. If you want to give your money away: give to a charity. There is NO free inheritance, money, gold, special deals, lost/found money, etc from ANYONE on line. YOU DESERVE TO LOSE YOUR MONEY if you fall for stupid scams. These people who write these great deals are L-O-S-E-R-S themselves who aren't intelligent enough to find work or have enough business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate drive to get a real job.
All spammers should die in a fire. I seriously SERIOUSLY doubt message board spamming business partner indonesia andnot travel insurance estate gets more customers than they would by normal means anyway, hell I wouldn't be surprised if they did a study and it showed it actually decreases business.
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