Life is unpredictable.
Anything can happen at any time.
Therefore, when it comes to your travel plans, you need to be prepared and covered in the best possible way.
You can achieve this by working with a travel advisor. There are countless reasons why using a travel advisor for your vacation can be extremely valuable and beneficial to your overall travel experience.
Here are some expert stories that prove why consumers should always work with a travel advisor when traveling. (We also explain why travel insurance is so important.)
Travel Advisors Leverage Connections to Save on Travel
Kari Miles. Owner/Travel Stylist Miles In Style Travel (NEST member store)
When Mrs. Thompson's passport went missing just days before her son's destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas, she panicked. Despite desperately trying to secure an appointment for her at the passport office, she was forced to wait a week and was faced with the devastating reality of missing her wedding entirely.
So I stepped in as a travel advisor for the wedding destination. I made a decision in my heart that I couldn't let Mrs. Thompson miss out on such a monumental moment. There were hurdles at first, but my persistence paid off. I used my connections to get Mrs. Thompson an appointment for her the next morning so she could be present for her son's special day. She received her passport the same day.
This real-life scenario highlights the essential value of using a travel advisor. In moments of crisis, our expertise and connections can turn the impossible into reality, ensuring travelers don't miss out on important events due to unforeseen circumstances. Without my intervention, Mrs. Thompson's absence from her son's wedding would have been a heartbreaking reality.
Husbands make mistakes – an advisor can save the day
Alston Causey, Vice President of Innovation and Strategy, Travelmation
“A friend of mine told me that her husband surprised her with a babymoon. She had no idea where she was going until she got to the airport. Once she got there, her husband said, 'Baby, we're going to Costa Rica!' ' He was so excited!
But everything changed when the gate agent took their luggage and said, “Enjoy your trip to Puerto Rico.” they were very confused. Apparently, her husband had opened too many booking sites on his computer and ended up signing a contract in the wrong country. He saw San in the airport name and thought it was San José, Costa Rica. Turns out it was San Juan! My friend never booked a trip without me again! ”
Destination wedding surprise: Maid of Honor gives birth – and she didn’t know she was pregnant!
Shiva Matthews, Modern Travel Works
In August 2021, the wedding was set to be the highlight of the year for all 50 attendees in the vibrant setting of Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort. The guests arrived a few days before the wedding to celebrate and reunite, and everything went according to plan.
On the morning of the wedding, the maid began to feel nauseous and weak. Nothing she did made her feel better and reluctantly she accepted that she could not attend her wedding. Her friends left her to rest and recover. The bride and groom celebrated their wedding in the beautiful Garden of Dreams. The wedding was truly beautiful. But as the guests started heading to cocktail hour, one of the guests received a call from the maid of honor's boyfriend.
The boyfriend explained that the maid of honor's health had deteriorated and she was taken by ambulance. On the way to her hospital, in an ambulance from Playa Mujeres to Cancun, she gave birth to a little boy. Little did she know, she was five months pregnant.
This was the first time our agency had experienced something like this, so I started rushing to get everything I needed to help her. First, I contacted my insurance company to find out their protocols for this type of situation. They then got contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Cancun, Mexico, but since no one knew how long she would be in the hospital, they contacted the airline to change her flight.
The staff at Dreams Playa Mujeres was absolutely wonderful. They came up with baby supplies and provided them to the maid of honor while she was at her destination, and even helped her with housing at a discounted rate while she recovered. . In the end, the couple spent three weeks in Cancun, gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and returned to the United States.
You might think that's crazy, but this was the second time she gave birth without knowing she was pregnant.
My advisor came after my honeymoon flight was cancelled.
Cari Miles, Owner/Travel Stylist Miles In Style Travel, NEST Affiliate
Jane and Mark's honeymoon dreams take an unexpected turn when their flight to St. Lucia is suddenly canceled, leaving them stranded on the eve of their romantic getaway. Panic ensued as the airline offered no alternative other than delaying departure after two days. Compounding their woes was the fact that air tickets to St. Lucia, their coveted destination, are notoriously difficult to obtain.
Luckily, as my travel advisor, I stepped in and secured a seat on an alternative flight for the next morning. Their journey resumes, but upon arriving in St. Lucia, they discover they are not alone in their ordeal. Those who didn't seek the help of a travel advisor were similarly stuck and missed out on valuable vacation time.
Jane and Mark's experience reminds us of the value of a travel advisor's expertise. The seamless transition to a new flight highlights the importance of having a knowledgeable advocate to deal with unexpected travel disruptions and ensure a smoother trip and maximum enjoyment of your honeymoon.
passport rescue
Kendall Milner, Jetset World Travel Travel Advisor
“My clients were traveling by train from Milan to Follonica, Italy, when their hotel on Lake Maggiore informed them that one of their clients had accidentally left their passport in their room. They had to catch the ferry the next morning. The situation was critical.''If you were to attend a wedding on Elba, you would be refused entry without a passport.
I couldn't leave it to fate to take its course. I immediately contacted the hotel and made plans. Together we accomplished a nearly impossible mission. He set off on a five-hour journey in the middle of the night so that the driver could safely deliver his passport.
Time passed and I finally received a text message at 4:30am. The passport was delivered and placed in her hands. Crisis averted!
This whole ordeal proves that having a resourceful travel advisor by your side can make a big difference when your travel plans go awry. ”
heart attack in cancun
Katie Ehlers, Classic Travel Connection
“So in the month before coronavirus, I had the parents of destination wedding brides in Cancun check out the resort and meet with the wedding department. They were relatively young, in their mid-50s. On the second day of our stay, my husband suffered a severe heart attack (he had no underlying health conditions) and was rushed to a hospital in Cancun, where he underwent two open heart surgeries and was airlifted by doctors. He underwent two heart surgeries before he became stable enough to be evacuated.
I was able to assist these clients and their extremely frightened mothers throughout the process. From helping deliver funds to the hospital before her surgery, to having resort staff drive her wife back and forth to the hospital, to assisting with evacuation arrangements to return to her home hospital. I'm happy to say he's healthy and well, and that's a blessing! ”
Medical emergency, travel advisor saves the day
Tammy Levent, ELITE Travel
“The perilous ordeal of the Dodge Melknonian on a Royal Caribbean cruise highlights the importance of having a trusted travel agent. Dodge's dire situation thousands of miles away I embarked on my own eventful journey to ensure his safety and well-being, from coordinating with authorities to ensure Mr. Dodge's transfer to a safe hospital in Istanbul. The challenges were enormous, from coordinating critical resources for Mr. Dodge and his wife during this dire time.
Every step of the way, I faced difficult hurdles and navigated bureaucratic red tape and logistical complexities to provide much-needed assistance to Dodge. It was a race against time to work tirelessly to mobilize support networks and rally Turkish ground travel companies to donate blood and collect essential supplies for the stranded couple. Despite the distance and countless obstacles, my determination to save Dodge's life remained unwavering. ”
ignore advice
Katie Lynn Reynolds, Travelmation
“A guest traveling to Walt Disney World would not read any tips or details about my flight arrival, even though I asked multiple times if I needed help.” booked a flight to Sanford on Allegiant, which makes the arrival and departure dates very specific.As a result, their flight was postponed for two full days. She didn't know that Mears wasn't open outside of Sanford and needed to make reservations in advance. did not.
This was a lesson that canceling a flight, losing your flight and transportation costs, and booking another flight – trying to save some money by flying on a low-cost airline – is a huge waste of money. Travel Advisors understand the difference between airports and airlines and make well-reasoned recommendations. ”
Client injured before trip, advisor changes course
Lindsey Kowalski, Founder and Designer of LK Travel Group
“Two weeks before a trip to Slovenia, a client contacted me in distress. She was sobbing as she tore her hamstring while walking her dog, requiring immediate surgery and… The trip wasn't just a vacation; it was for her son's wedding, and she was determined not to let her condition ruin the joyful occasion. She expressed a desire to go until her doctor cleared her, but the decision was not made until the day before departure.
This is where my role as a travel advisor truly came into play. Despite the uncertainty looming over her travel plans, we sprang into action and meticulously arranged every detail in anticipation of her potential trip. Flights have been changed to lie-flat seats for comfort, accommodations have been carefully selected to be accessible by elevator rather than stairs, and walking tours have been replaced with vehicle-friendly alternatives. Every aspect was tailored to her needs, ensuring a seamless experience for her.
Then came a pivotal moment. The day before her scheduled departure, she received a call at 3pm and was cleared to travel. With little time to spare, we sprang into action, waking up at 3am (to accommodate European time differences) to finalize arrangements and confirm every detail of her trip.
The moment that encapsulated the essence of our efforts came in the form of a simple text message. It was a photo of her embracing her son at her wedding, with the breathtaking Lake Bled in the background.
Our client's determination and our behind-the-scenes work enabled her to celebrate a milestone moment with her entire family. This experience reaffirmed the importance of having a dedicated travel advisor by your side, who can help you overcome challenges and turn your dreams into reality, no matter the situation. ”
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