FAQs

Are there fees to book with you?

Yes. Knowledge and convenience has worth. As an experienced traveler and travel advisor, there is a lot of value in the services I provide. I am regularly participating in education, training, webinars, and maintaining professional connections, which brings a wealth of knowledge to your travel plans. To see the summary of my Professional Planning Fees, please click here.

Do you get paid from the supplier (hotel companies, airlines, tour operators, etc.)?

Most travel operators pay commission (sometimes airlines do not, depending on the flight). When someone books online directly through the company, you are allowing them to keep the commission they would normally pay out. By engaging the services of a travel agent, you are not only getting their expertise and assistance, you are supporting a small business as well. 😊

When do you get paid commission?

Usually commission is paid out after our clients travel. This means that if you don’t book, if you cancel your trip, or if you book elsewhere after we’ve done the research and planning, we get paid $0 for our time and effort. This is why there is a need for Professional Planning Fees. I’ve recently had clients that I’ve researched, quoted and booked their trips, and then the airline cancelled. This meant that there was no commission paid on the work that I did. I also had administrative work to do regarding the cancellation as well. Later, I found out that they rebooked their trip on their own, without me. Ouch, not a good feeling. I had not charged them a planning fee so I had worked many hours for them for free.

I want to use my credit card points/air miles/airline dollars. Can I still book with you?

Some credit cards allow you to book however you want and then apply your points/dollars to your statement.
For others that don’t work that way, I usually have clients book the flights themselves by calling the airline or credit card company, and I will book the rest (hotel, car rental, etc.) separately.

I’ve always just booked myself online and never had an issue. Why should I book with you?

If you’ve been lucky enough to travel and not had any delays, cancellations, or changes, that’s awesome! But just know you are in the minority. The name of the travel game these days is “expect the unexpected”. Trips that get delayed/cancelled/changed can take hours spent on hold to fix. Do you want to spend your precious time or worse, your precious VACATION time on the phone trying to fix things?

I’m ready to start, what is the first step? How do I contact you?

You can find all of my contact information here. Send me an email, a message on Facebook messenger, fill out my contact form, or send me a text. I will get back to you as soon as possible with a list of questions to help me understand exactly what you want, and what you don’t want for your vacation. To make it the best possible trip for you, I will provide honesty and transparency, but will need the same from you. Planning a trip requires a lot of back and forth, but it’s worthwhile and it always works out best when we work together!
I run my home-based travel agency on weekday evenings and weekends, as needed. (I work a different job as an Office Manager, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm.)

Who do you work for?

I am an independent business owner affiliated with Trevello Travel Group, formerly known as Travel Professionals International. Trevello is a Canadian company with a 25+ year history as Canada’s leading host agency. They are proud to have top-tier relationships with travel suppliers, associations, and coveted travel networks. If you’re interested in becoming a home-based travel agent, either full or part time, send me a message and I can get you in touch with the correct person to talk to at Trevello’s head office.