Travel agentsWhat can a travel agent offer me?
Travel agents' services include:
- Selling a wide range of travel and tourism products including flights, bookings and reservations for hotels and other accommodation, and package holidays;
- Advice on the different types of holidays available, such as adventure holidays, backpacking holidays, cruises, family holidays, romantic breaks and all-inclusive holidays;
- Seasonal special offers on last-minute holidays or early holiday bookings and reservations;
- Foreign exchange services—you can usually buy your foreign currency from your travel agent;
- Information about different holiday destinations and climate conditions;
- Other holiday services such as advice on visa and passport requirements and vaccinations required for your holiday;
- Taking payment for your holidays and sending you the relevant travel documents, such as holiday confirmation letters, accommodation details, flight check-in details, travel tickets, and information on what you should do on arrival at your destination.
- Many high street travel agents are non-independent, which means they belong to companies that own major tour operators, so they will only offer holidays from certain tour operators.
- To ensure you receive details on the widest range of holidays, visit a few different travel agents.
- Independent travel agents are often smaller, but they have greater freedom to supply products from any tour operator, so you may find holidays that aren't available from the larger high street travel agents.
- Before you visit travel agents, have a clear idea of what dates you can travel and what holiday requirements you have—this will help the travel agencies to find a holiday to suit you.
- Ask for advice on holiday destinations that might suit you—travel agents are experts on holidays and should have a wealth of knowledge, ideas and advice.
- If you are a first-time traveller, your travel agent will be able to tell you about the whole process, including booking, payment dates, currency, passport requirements, vaccinations, flight check-in procedures, transfers, and the role of your holiday representative if you choose a package holiday.
- Choose a travel agent who is a member of ABTA (the Association of British Travel Agents).
To search Yell.com for travel agents near you, enter a UK location, such as London, Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds, into the search box below.
All guides on Yell.com are provided for general guidance only, do not constitute legal or professional advice and are not intended to be exhaustive.
