Are you prepared?
Some events you just won't be prepared for - that's life.
I once checked in to my hotel to find out the entire place was without water. Seriously. No flushing, no showering, no washing hands for hours. Thank the Lord for hand sanitizer.
One time my flight was canceled as I was parking my car outside the airport. That was a fun last-minute scramble.
Another hotel I checked in, dropped my luggage and got ready to hit the downtown scene only to find my room door wouldn't lock behind me. You could just open it without using the key card. Always check your hotel doors people! I ended up changing rooms after a maintenance worker couldn't fix the door.
It was unfortunate, as it delayed me from the cold beverage I had been longing, but what else was I going to do?
Sometimes things happen when we travel, and we just have to roll with the punches, which is exactly why it's important to be as prepared as possible before you leave.
Secure your travel insurance. Connect with your travel agent prior to the trip on a plan of action if something does go wrong. Agents out there should be bringing this up to clients during the booking process anyway though.
When the unexpected happens, try your best to not let it ruin the trip. The hotel without water when I checked in had the problem fixed before the night was over, the room change ended up having a better view and while the flight cancelation was frustrating, I still had a fun time on the rest of the trip.
Get Caught Up
In case you missed it this past week:
A Royal Caribbean ship saved two men who had been trapped at sea for 20 days.
Disney World is opening an adults only area this week for a limited time.
TSA is changing its air marshals operations and its dog force.
The U.S. travel industry registered nine consecutive years of growth.
TravelPulse rounded up the naughtiest airline passengers and hotels guests as well as the craziest cruise stories of 2018.
Advice from an Agent
Mark Hennigan is co-owner of Dreamers Travel based in Maryland. He can be reached at [email protected]
When asked what advice he would give to travelers should something go wrong on your trip, Hennigan said:
"For travelers who booked through a Travel Professional I suggest that you know in advance from your Travel Professional of an emergency number of who to call if something goes wrong while you are traveling, like a delayed flight, canceled flight from the weather or you show up to a resort and they do not have a reservation for you etc. Every client that leaves my office has my cell phone number or the number of the agent fielding my calls in my absence. This should give that client a peace of mind before and during travel.
If they booked on their own, I would simply ask them if there was any reason they did not seek the support of a Travel Professional so they could have avoided these challenges they are currently facing."
How should travel agents stay prepared to handle the unexpected?
"Stay tuned in to the weather and news stations before someone's trip so they can be proactive," Hennigan said. "If we see a storm coming or weather-related concern, we always reach out to our tour operator partners to explore the options. And if we feel necessary, we reach out to the client to offer them options and to put them at ease, after all, that is what separates us from the OTA's. Check your emails and or phones often just in case that client is in need of your assistance during their travel. Always, always, always be prepared for the worse and keep your clients in the loop, it will certainly make you look amazing in their eyes and keep them coming back by way of repeat or referrals.
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