Tips for Finding Cheap Flights from an Online Travel Agency

If you need to book a flight, working with an online travel agency might be the best way to find the lowest price. Agents often get better deals as a professional courtesy from airlines, and they may get even cheaper prices for booking a certain number of flights in a single month. As an added bonus, an online travel agent knows the industry secrets to finding inexpensive flights, so if you mention that you are on a tight budget, he or she can try to bring down the price as far as possible. Here are some great tips for finding the cheapest flights possible through your online travel agent:

Tip #1: Keep your dates and times of travel flexible.

Flight prices change from day to day, not just from season to season. If you want to find the cheapest flight possible, give your online travel agency options. In general, you will be able to find the least expensive flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with the most expensive flights on Saturdays and Sundays. Time also makes a difference. People generally want to fly during normal business hours. If you are willing to take and early morning flight, you could save money. Even better, if you fill a seat on a red eye flight (an overnight flight), you’ll save even more money. The more flexible you can be with your dates and times, the better.

Tip #2: Be willing to have layovers.

Layovers add hours onto your travel, but if you are willing to deal with them, you could save a lot of money. If you would be willing to fly out of a smaller airport, such as Newark on the East coast and Orange County on the West coast, you would likely have to have at least one layover, since each airline will only fly a very limited number of places.

Even if you are leaving from and going to major airports, if you are OK with layovers instead of a straight flight to your destination, you can find cheaper prices. Be carefully to plan at least an hour for each layover in case your flight is late or you need to navigate your way through a very large airport to another gate. Remember, most airports today have Internet access, and in many cases, it is free, so you can take your laptop and log online to pass the time between flights.

Tip #3: Stay open-minded about your destination.

One of the biggest ways to save money on your flight is to let your travel agent know that you and your family would consider alternative destinations. Sometimes, utilizing alternative destinations can be as simple and as easy as flying to a nearby airport and taking public transportation to your hotel.

You may want to consider changing your destination altogether. For example, if you are interested in a warm-weather retreat, why not fly to Florida instead of a Caribbean island? Or, if you want to vacation in the mountains, Aspen might be a less expensive choice than the French Alps. In general, keep your mind open about exactly where you would like to go. This might not always be an option, especially if you are flying for business reasons, but your online travel agent may be able to make recommendations for places that are just as beautiful but not as expensive.

Tip #4: Purchase an entire package from your agent.

Travel agents are not in business to book flights. They plan entire vacations, and by purchasing a complete package from them, you might be able to save money. If price is your main concern, do your homework first by researching hotel prices, flight costs, and other fees you’ll be paying to travel if you book the whole thing yourself. Then, ask an online travel agency to review your vacation needs and quote you a price for a package deal. Sometimes you are better off booking the vacation yourself, while other times, you could save money by going through the agent.

Tip #5: Start with a clear budget in mind.

Some common mistakes that you should avoid when working with an online travel agent is not giving him or her the dollar amount of what you hope to spend on the trip. You need to be honest from the start with your travel agent about what you can and cannot afford. Your travel agent may not look for the cheapest price for long because they think you’ll simply be happy with whatever price they find the quickest. If you do not have an unlimited amount of money to work with, make it very clear that you need to stick to a specific budget range. This way you and your travel agent can work together to find you a great vacation at a price you can afford.

Use a Travel Agency to Book Your Spring Break Vacation

Instead of deal directly with the airlines, has it ever occurred to you to use a good travel agency to book your spring break vacation? Airlines will quote you fares and book your flights, but that’s as far as they go. A travel agency can offer discounted fares, advice on spring break destinations, and may have a great deal or two for you and your friends. Spring break is barely two months away, so now is the ideal time to start looking for a travel agency.

If airlines are offering huge discounts to lure money-weary individuals into traveling, imagine the larger discounts that a travel agency can offer. Since travel agents purchase blocks of seats, they can pass on the savings to their customers.

There are numerous travel agencies, but there is only a fraction of those agencies that cater to the special needs of the student travel industry. Although you can use any travel agency to book your spring break vacation, why not choose a travel agency that specializes in student tours and spring break vacations?

Looking for the Right Travel Agency: Tips

Before you book your next spring break vacation, the travel agency must satisfy certain requirements. You may want to look into the following criteria:

· Full Description of Services – Does the travel agency introduce itself adequately to potential customers? Do they have contact numbers, student packages, discount programs, and do they explain the procedures for their spring break packages as well as clearly state their refund policy?

· Variety – Does the travel agency have a wide range of destination choices and do they have hotel categories that meet all budgets? Some travel agencies like to specialize in a certain number of destinations – USA, Canada, or Mexico; some cover the world! When travel agencies can book spring break vacations almost anywhere in the world, that means that they’ve been in the student travel industry long enough and are confident that they can offer far away and exotic destinations without any problems because they belong to a large network of travel professionals;

· Discounts and Deals – Does the travel agency extend discounts for group travel or do they have frequent hot deals to offer? The capability to offer great deals can mean any number of things: they have good relationships with major airlines, hotels and tourist organizations, they receive discounted rates from suppliers and they in turn offer these to student travelers, or they are booking so many flights and vacation packages that they earn free points or free miles. You could be offered a deal to the Bahamas, your destination of choice, because the travel agency happened to receive a deal from a Bahamas tour operator at the time you booked!

· Photographs – Wouldn’t it be nice to see what you are getting into? If you are going to a spring break destination for the first time, you would want to know what kind of hotel you’re staying at, wouldn’t you? It isn’t enough for the travel agency to say, “You’re booked at a 4-star hotel”. You’ll want to know the name and location of that hotel so you can look it up on the Internet or ask people about it, plus you’ll want to see the rooms, dining facilities, and recreational facilities. Some travelers have been dismayed to find out that the hotel had only one treadmill, as opposed to what the travel agency described as a “full operating gym”. Or that the travel agency said 12 tennis courts, when in fact the hotel did not have any, referring travelers instead to a sports center a mile away!

· Interactive web site –Instead of spending precious minutes on the phone asking the travel agent about destinations, packages and vacation amenities, it would be simpler to do the search yourself on their web site by giving you the option to select a city and a package. When you’ve found what you’re looking for, that is when you call and ask for details that weren’t covered on their web site.

· Flexibility – some travel agents require you to pay for their packaged vacations to be able to receive discounts, but some travel agents are flexible in that they allow you to choose only air, or only hotel, or both.

A good travel agency is well organized. This important trait is evident in the way they present travel information. For example, there are websites that are designed to specifically cater to students. They list the cities they serve with a brief article about popular attractions and then you click on a link and the screen displays what their package covers plus costs for the city you selected.

So if you’re using a travel agency to book your spring break vacation, look for an agency that’s efficient, organized and capable of offing some fantastic deals.

Top 5 Reasons an Online Travel Agency can Save You Money

There are more than five reasons an online travel agency can save you money but the top five is a great start. Global statistics are pointing to the trend that online shopping for travel deals is way ahead of online shopping for books, electronics and clothing. For example, in Canada, about 45% of Canadians in 2007 looked for an online travel agency to book their travel, that’s a 9% increase from 2005 reports.

Here are the top five reasons why an online travel agency can save you money:

1. No overhead – many online travel agencies don’t have a physical location where they have to purchase furniture, supplies, and hire staff. In fact, many online travel agents operate from the comfort of their homes. All they need is a high speed Internet connection and access to global reservations systems. So the money they save on rent, utilities, personnel and other logistics constitute savings they can pass on to their customers. By booking online, you also save on trips to and from a travel agency in your area. You not only save money, you save precious time and gas.

2. Comparison shopping – by searching for travel deals online, you have the luxury of comparing prices provided by various online travel agencies. The idea is to read the fine print. You can compare them on the basis of:

· Actual fares and discounts

· Package deals

· Coupons and freebies

· Travel insurance

· Group discounts

· Last minute bookings

· Variety of travel deals (do they specialize in a particular country or to a particular age group?)

· Senior citizens’ deals

· Hotels and meals and transportation

· Tour guides

· Penalties for cancellations

That’s the beauty of online shopping. You’re not scampering from one travel office to another just to get an idea on prices. You can compare online deals and then narrow down your choices to three, ten or fifteen. If you have time on your hands, you can really save yourself some money by doing diligent research.

3. Ticket consolidation – many online travel agencies have access to a database of discounted tickets. Sometimes when they have excess inventory, they are forced to get rid of as many tickets to make way for the next travel season where they can purchase in bulk. Travel agents usually share information on discount tickets that are still available for sale, and prices are reduced on these tickets for “selloff.”

Air travel consolidators allow customers to compare airfares from as many airlines as possible for a specific route and for a specific time period. Not only can you save money on your ticket, but you can also find the best flight that suits your schedule best.

4. Wide network of travel-related services – online travel agents, through frequent bookings and constant research have a wealth of information that some travel agents with no online presence don’t have. Because of their ability to network rapidly with various people who work in hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, railway and restaurants, online travel agents are able to find the best deals for you.

The name of the game is called “relationship building.” Through frequent contact, online travel agents can squeeze out more discounts and free coupons from tour operators and hospitality establishments like hotels and restaurants. Instead of spending $10.00 for your lunch while travelling, your agent can offer you a meal ticket in exchange for your business, not to mention the fare discounts they are also able to offer.

5. One-stop shopping – travel writers know about the “clout” of travel agents. When it comes to flight arrangements, rental cars, tour excursions, cruise information and accommodation, and hotels, travel agents have a lot of clout. They can provide a complete travel package, including shuttle service to and from the airport and even the services of a personal tour guide if requested. By doing all your travel and travel-related shopping with a reputable online travel agency, there is no telling how much you can get done within a short amount of time.

Note that your online travel agent has more buying power than individual passengers when it comes to airline seats, hotel accommodation or cabin space in the yacht.

Mexicoâ??s International Tourism Revenues Reach Historic High

Despite Hurricane Wilmaâ??s lingering effect on room supply in the Mexican Caribbean in early 2006, Mexico closed the year with historically high international tourism revenues, pointing to a full recovery of the industry.

According to statistics recently released by Mexicoâ??s Tourism Secretariat (Sectur), Mexico received 21.35 million international visitors in 2006, a 2.6 percent dip in comparison with 2005, due in part to reduced room availability in the Mexican Caribbean stemming from damages sustained by several hotels during Hurricane Wilma in late 2005. Despite this, from April to December 2006, international tourism arrivals for 2006 were above figures posted the year before in all but two months.

Thanks to more aggressive marketing to the affluent traveler in particular, however, revenue generated by these tourists reached a record high of US$12.18 billion, 3.2 percent higher than 2005â??s revenue of US$11.80 billion. In 2004, Mexicoâ??s international tourism revenues had totaled US$10.84 billion.

International visitors (excluding border tourists) to Mexico were reported to have spent an average of US$710.30 per person per visit in 2006, representing a 4.7 percent increase from 2005â??s US$678.40 average spend.

Historically high international tourism revenues helped enable the tourism industryâ??s trade balance to post an impressive US$4.07 billion surplus in 2006.

Cruise ship passenger arrivals in 2006 posted strong numbers as well, with 6.52 million cruise passengers disembarking in Mexican ports, down only 2.8 percent from 2005 despite damage sustained from Hurricane Wilma to such leading cruise ports as Cozumel.

These passengers spent 458.3 million dollars in Mexico, compared with 452.6 million the previous year.

Some 1.95 million people were employed in the tourism sector by the end of 2006, a significant increase from the 1.83 million people employed by the end of 2005.

â??The figures posted in 2006 demonstrate that within a year of a devastating hurricane, Mexicoâ??s tourism industry was already back to normal,â? said Mexico Tourism Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo. â??This attests to a level of government commitment and degree of coordination with private sector partners rarely seen in areas elsewhere in the world affected by similar tragedies. We expect 2007 to be yet another successful year for our tourism industry, with increased growth across all segments, particularly among upscale travelers,â? he added.

About the Mexico Tourism Board

The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico’s tourism attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexicoâ??s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

FOR PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel and tourism information about Mexico, please contact the MTBâ??s North American Press Room directly at 1-800-929-4555, by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com, or visit our press Web site at www.visitmexicopress.com. To access an online warehouse of free, downloadable b-roll, visit www.thenewsmarket.com/visitmexicopress.

# # #

Erick Laseca

Mexico Tourism Board

312-228-0517 ext14

erick.laseca@bm.com

http://www.visitmexicopress.com

Travelling With a Taste of Latin Flare

What would you say is the difference between a tourist and a traveler? Could one be more intuitive about the places that they visit? Is one more educated about the destination that they set foot on? One is more curious than the other…I’ll leave it up to you to figure out which one that is.

A new exotic adventure that was only available to those of better monetary gains, have become available to even the most frugal of travelers. Mexico and Europe are on the minds of travelers who never thought it possible to visit these places and experience their culture. Even the United States, a true melting pot of different influences, has many different and eye-opening things to see.

Mexico has been an escape for many young college kids looking to leave their inhibitions at the border and just have a great time. However, Mexico is much more then just a haven for the rowdy number of 20-somethings that parade around in their bathing suites. The rich aroma of Mexican cuisine fills the air and makes you crave some of their traditional dishes such as tacos, enchiladas or the lesser known milanesa; which consists of a thin slice of beef, or sometimes chicken or veil. There is a ton to see and do here, so a good modus operandi would be to give yourself some time to explore. A nice little appetizer into Mexico might be this 3 night stay in Mexico City and 3 nights in Acapulco. Starting at $685 including airfare, this taste of two of the most celebrated places in Mexico will have you wanting more!

If you want to experience the Eastern Hemisphere on your journey to find more Latin flare, the big ticket is Spain. An absolutely gorgeous country in both history and scenery, the Kingdom of Spain is located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Bordered almost entirely to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea; France, Andorra and the Bay of Biscay to the north and Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, this stop has many more then just Spanish influences. While the capital city of Madrid has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets, it still posses a modern infrastructure. Some landmarks include the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Teatro Real and the Prado Museum just to mention a few. While Costa del Sol (the Spanish Riviera) and Barcelona have a completely different feel. Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities (architecturally) I have ever seen, the streets are alive with people of all ages late into the evening. The versatility of this country can be found in most everywhere you visit. With this hors d’oeuvre you can visit 3 fantastic spots and spend two nights each in Lisbon, Barcelona and, of course, Madrid. This excursion includes air and starts at $855.

Cruising gives you more of what you’re looking for. This way of travelling combines the convenience of a hotel that takes you to many different areas around the world. From continent to continent and all points in between, this has historically been the way to view a lot of different places for economically sound pricing. Places all over the Caribbean, Central America can easily be accessed by ship. A growing number of people have acknowledged that cruising is a great way to explore different sides of the world. To prove this point, Vacations To Go has a number of discounted cruises starting at just $179.

Mexicoâ??s International Tourism Revenues Reach Historic High

Despite Hurricane Wilmaâ??s lingering effect on room supply in the Mexican Caribbean in early 2006, Mexico closed the year with historically high international tourism revenues, pointing to a full recovery of the industry.

According to statistics recently released by Mexicoâ??s Tourism Secretariat (Sectur), Mexico received 21.35 million international visitors in 2006, a 2.6 percent dip in comparison with 2005, due in part to reduced room availability in the Mexican Caribbean stemming from damages sustained by several hotels during Hurricane Wilma in late 2005. Despite this, from April to December 2006, international tourism arrivals for 2006 were above figures posted the year before in all but two months.

Thanks to more aggressive marketing to the affluent traveler in particular, however, revenue generated by these tourists reached a record high of US$12.18 billion, 3.2 percent higher than 2005â??s revenue of US$11.80 billion. In 2004, Mexicoâ??s international tourism revenues had totaled US$10.84 billion.

International visitors (excluding border tourists) to Mexico were reported to have spent an average of US$710.30 per person per visit in 2006, representing a 4.7 percent increase from 2005â??s US$678.40 average spend.

Historically high international tourism revenues helped enable the tourism industryâ??s trade balance to post an impressive US$4.07 billion surplus in 2006.

Cruise ship passenger arrivals in 2006 posted strong numbers as well, with 6.52 million cruise passengers disembarking in Mexican ports, down only 2.8 percent from 2005 despite damage sustained from Hurricane Wilma to such leading cruise ports as Cozumel.

These passengers spent 458.3 million dollars in Mexico, compared with 452.6 million the previous year.

Some 1.95 million people were employed in the tourism sector by the end of 2006, a significant increase from the 1.83 million people employed by the end of 2005.

â??The figures posted in 2006 demonstrate that within a year of a devastating hurricane, Mexicoâ??s tourism industry was already back to normal,â? said Mexico Tourism Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo. â??This attests to a level of government commitment and degree of coordination with private sector partners rarely seen in areas elsewhere in the world affected by similar tragedies. We expect 2007 to be yet another successful year for our tourism industry, with increased growth across all segments, particularly among upscale travelers,â? he added.

About the Mexico Tourism Board

The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico’s tourism attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexicoâ??s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

FOR PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel and tourism information about Mexico, please contact the MTBâ??s North American Press Room directly at 1-800-929-4555, by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com, or visit our press Web site at www.visitmexicopress.com. To access an online warehouse of free, downloadable b-roll, visit www.thenewsmarket.com/visitmexicopress.

# # #

Erick Laseca

Mexico Tourism Board

312-228-0517 ext14

erick.laseca@bm.com

http://www.visitmexicopress.com

Top North America Ski Vacations

From the Canadian Rockies to the Poconos, North America is home to many outstanding ski areas, all with unique attributes. It would be difficult to narrow down the choices to just a few, but here are some of the ones that are best known:

Killington

Located on the East coast, Killington provides many options for skier. In addition to the several intermediate and advanced level mountains, there is a beginner area that sees a lot of use. With amble lodging the resort attracts large groups, which, combined with the many pubs in the area, creates a lively atmosphere, something to consider when making your reservations.

Squaw Valley

Despite its reputation as the home of extreme skiing, Squaw Valley is actually a wonderful ski resort for skiers of all levels of experience. It offers a unique experience for novice skiers in that many of the lower level ski trails are located about halfway up the mountain. While many ski resorts cluster the beginner slopes at the bottom of the mountain, Squaw Valley allows less experienced riders the thrill of skiing higher up the mountain. When you are done skiing for the day, a quick tram ride down the hill takes you back to the resort.

Of course, if you are interested in extreme skiing, Squaw Valley is a great choice. There are a variety of runs down sheer drops, and you will have plenty of company in your madness. If you have never extreme skied before, but are interested in giving it a try, this is the place for lessons.

Snowbird

Close proximity to Salt Lake City makes Snowbird an easy resort to travel to. The area is known for lake-effect snow. Lake effect snow creates huge quantities of snow in areas that are susceptible to it, leaving nearby areas with a dusting or less. The winter of 2004 and spring of 2005 for instance, saw lake effect snows totaling over 600 inches through the winter. During that year, Snowbird had enough snow for skiing through the Independence Day holiday.

Snowbird is a huge resort, at 2,500 acres, with something for the advanced skier and the beginner alike. One unique trail at Snowbird allows the less experienced skier to ski the infamous Hidden Peak, taking a gentler decent, but covering the peak from top to the bottom.

What about off the trail amenities? Snowbird offers those as well. From a high end spa that boasts a roof top Jacuzzi to more affordable, but just as convenient condo-style lodging, Snowbird has something for everyone. If you need to cut your budget still more, Salt Lake City, a mere 30 miles away, offers an abundance of lodging options.

Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole covers 2,500 acres on two peaks. Backcountry enthusiasts can take advantage of the additional thousands of acreage that are available for skiing in the neighboring national park and forest lands. The trails at Jackson Hole range from beginner to double black diamonds, which include 20 foot jumps and narrow chutes. The base lodge at Jackson Hole has been recently updated and expanded.

Snowmass

This resort, located in Aspen, has a family friendly atmosphere. It also has a vertical drop of over 4,400 feet, which makes it the second longest drop in the United States. There is plenty of room to spread out at Snowmass, the area spreads across a large area, with a wide variety of terrain. Open, gently rolling slopes and steep gullies, as well as everything in between, will be waiting for you at Snowmass.

Taos, New Mexico

Taos, for the serious skier, is a must visit. The gorgeous downhill trails offer a variety of expert and intermediate trails. If you are a beginner, Taos has limited trails. After a day of skiing, a drive into the city of Taos for outstanding food and fabulous art.

Whistler and Blackcomb

These two well-know ski destinations are two mountains that combined their efforts into one ski resort. This area has a unique weather pattern, and it is not unusual for you to enter a lift in soaking rain, only to step off of the lift into brilliant sun and snow. Whistler and Blackcomb also have a unique ski trail design. There are an abundance of beginner trails on both mountains, but continuing up the mountain will find you facing some of the most extreme trails on this side of the Atlantic. Upcoming plans for the mountains also include a gondola that will make it possible for skiers to move from one peak to the other without heading down to the base and back up.

These are just some of the many wonderful ski resorts in North America. Whether you are on the West coast, East coast or Canada, there is a resort for you. Beginner, intermediate or advanced, there are trails at each of these resorts that will be a perfect fit.

Different Types of Travel Agencies

The main function of any travel agency is to, of course, act as an agent. This includes selling tickets and travel products, reservations, and so on, on behalf of one or several suppliers. Travel agents generally work with no charge to the traveler him or herself. Rather, the travel agent takes a small commission from the overall cost. Again, this isn’t added on top of the sale or anything like that. Rather, their commission is taken out of the advertised price.

So why go through a travel agent? Well, besides the simplicity and convenience, the main draw is that travel agents receive tickets at significant discounts.

This is pretty much how travel agencies work the world over. However, there are a few different types of travel agents…

General Sales Agents for Foreign Travel Companies

A general sales agent is something like a tourism ambassador. A company with its headquarters located in, say, Japan, might set up travel agency offices all around the world to encourage tourism to the country where their headquarters is located. The travel agent will still seek to find better deals for their customers (as, after all, that’s what turns a customer into a return customer), so they are not indebted to any one airline or hotel, but, they do tend to focus strictly on travel to, and within, the country where their headquarters is located.

Business and Commercial Travel Agencies

Most travel agencies have a department of business travel and a department of leisure travel. The needs for one traveler and the other tend to vary in a few significant ways, and so, splitting up the duties amongst a couple of departments can help to allow either department to specialize, finding better deals for business travelers on the one hand, and better deals for leisure travelers on the other. However, there are also travel agencies that specialize strictly in business and commercial travel. Incidentally, there aren’t a whole lot of agencies that restrict themselves solely to leisure travel.

By Class

In the United States, there are several main types of travel agencies: corporate-owned national chains, national/international franchises, membership associations — such as AAA — and independent, locally owned travel agencies with no brand or corporate affiliation. National chains will have the most consistent policies and pricing not matter where you go, and often the best international “hotline” customer service, but not always. Big-name franchises offer similar perks but different local owners can opt out of certain promotions and pricing specials. Membership-based associations are often less commission-focused since they rely on member fees. Independent agencies tend to cater to niche markets, such as assisting sports teams, church and school groups looking for inexpensive travel, and large group options.

Cargo Travel Agencies

A few travel agencies specialize in shipping cargo. Of course… that’s not entirely relevant if you’re looking to fly for business or personal reasons. Still, this should go to show how many different areas an individual agency can specialize in.

Online Travel Agencies

One of the real boons to the travel agency industry has been the use of the internet to allow travel agents to let their travelers compare a wide variety of options for hotels and airline tickets. Ironically, there was some fear for a period of time that, by selling tickets directly to travellers, the travel agencies would go out of business. However, a handful of travel agencies have proven that, even if you can find good deals yourself, there are still instances where a travel agency can find you an even better one. Many traditional bricks-and-mortar travel agencies now have full-service web sites so that you can get the best of both worlds: convenience of self-serve online booking with the benefit of talking to a real person when you need it.

Multi-Destination and Niche Agencies

If you want to split it up into just two types of travel agency, you have multi-destination and niche. Multi-destination out-bound travel agencies are usually larger, offering flights to just about anywhere. Niche agencies are usually independent, and focus on one specific part of the world. If you’re flying to say, Greece, you might find a niche agent who knows the area very, very well. Most of these niche agencies cater mainly to people with family in that country, or who do business there on a regular basis.

Consider your individual needs, preferences, and trip objectives when choosing your travel agent. Different types of agencies provide different levels and types of services. If you are a frequent globe trotter, you may want to use a large corporate travel agency with many branches in countries all over the world. Or you may view travelling as a treasure hunt or puzzle, where researching and finding the most off-the-map places is half of the fun. If this is the case, a niche operator may be just the right travel partner for you.