Answers to common questions about working with Stay Balanced Travel.
Why can't I just book travel myself?
Why? Because you don’t have to. The likelihood of using a travel expert increases the travel options you can find on the internet. People traveling are discovering:
Time is Money! When it comes to travel did you know that the average person spends 20-40 hours researching and planning their destination? This is based on a place you are familiar with already. Your time will double or triple if you are headed somewhere new, or if you are trying to plan a group vacation. Besides the excessive amount of YOUR precious time you can often experience stress and aggravation. Studies show that an experienced travel expert can save you an average of $800 or more per trip. Who doesn't want to save time and money?
Confusion - Online travel sites have made it difficult to figure out what they are selling by offering more options and amenities, not less.
Hidden fees and restriction in fine print - They are everywhere and often casual travel buyers do not see the hidden fees or restrictions — This further muddies understanding of the bottom line on any itinerary.
Airlines like Southwest removing themselves from the major booking engines eliminates what could be a specific traveler’s absolute best itinerary.
Does it cost more to work with an experienced travel agent or is there a minimum amount you must spend?
No. Often the service fee charged by a travel butler/concierge for planning and scheduling every detail of your dream experience costs less than your time and money that would be spent on a DIY project. To avoid the hassle, rely on me.
What can a travel agent do for me that I cannot do for myself?
Here are the top 3 things a travel expert can do that most clients don’t have access to:
A) Open Jaw Tickets - That is travel agent speak for when you want to fly into one city and leave from another over a series of days while traveling around the world. Pricing this through an online booking site is a nightmare at best and will cost you a lot more money than having a travel expert handle it for you!
B) Travel experts have access to exclusive industry rates and are privy to a bunch of airfares that just aren’t available online.
C) Access to very important people in the industry - On vacation and stuck in a sticky situation? Have you had to cancel your trip due to a family emergency? No sweat – your travel expert thinks of all these situations and can reach out to industry contacts to help you. DIY folks booking online have no such recourse.
What areas of travel do you specialize in?
I don’t limit the travel experiences I can provide for my clients. Rather, I specialize my business by helping people who need Work-Life Balance. My typical client has a “Type A” personality who values achievement and pleasure but often loses the enjoyment of personal travel due to not prioritizing it into their life. I help my clients focus on achievement and enjoyment by planning travel into their work-life routine. Traveling becomes scheduled so the experiences you’ve put off become your reality versus a dream. Through our initial assessment we discuss bucket list trips and available time off from work. I then break the year into two specialized trips: one for the individual or couple and the other into a family/friends trip. Of course, the planning varies by client and frequency of trips and scheduled time off. I become my clients vacation coach/therapist.
Can you coordinate groups of friends, family members or co-workers?
Yes. Scheduling a call with each group member is the best way to ensure all family, friends and trip mates experience the type of memories that will last for a lifetime. Different people want different experiences. This is the best way for me to ensure you have an incredible experience.
What's the best way to kick off organizing a group trip?
Schedule a call with me to discuss your best and worst vacation experiences. During our call I will help discover your travel stye and know the perfect places for you to stay and what to explore or not to explore when you get there!
