Using an independent travel agent – a client’s perspective

Using an independent travel agent was something I'd not thought about before I met Keeley at a local business networking session. One of the first things that struck me about her was all the great feedback other group members gave after using her services. So, when the time came to plan one of the trips that had been on my bucket list for many years, I knew immediately that Keeley was the one to help me.

Some travel agents charge for their advisory, planning and travel booking services. However, Keeley's services are free to her customers and she is compensated by the travel provider once her customers have completed their trip. This means that there is no additional cost for using her services and she often has access to preferential offers that you can't find online.

Before I worked with Keeley, I assumed that using an independent travel agent would simply be a case of having someone else do the travel bookings for the flight and accommodation, much as I had experienced before with high street travel agents. How wrong was I?

The first part of the process involved having a chat with Keeley to brief her about what I wanted from my holiday. The holiday in question was a much longed for trip to Iceland, staying in Reykjavik. Keeley put together an itinerary to meet my requirements along with suggestions for lots of other activities to choose from. This process was quick and easy and it wasn't long before I had a great looking holiday at a price that suited my budget.

I initially contacted Keeley about this trip in December 2020 and the plan was to travel in October 2021. However, as the situation with COVID and travelling was still challenging in 2021, the plan was adjusted to October 2022. Keeley was great at keeping me informed as to the changing situation and by January 2022, the new itinerary was set and deposit was paid.

In the three months leading up to the departure date, Keeley managed everything from adding Advance Passenger Information to making additional activity bookings for me. The week before travel, she held a call with me and another member of my party to talk through all the paperwork and make sure we understood all the plans. This was a brilliant session as we were able to ask all our questions and get answers quickly and easily. Doing this via email would have been much more difficult and time-consuming so I loved this part of the independent travel agent service.

While I was away, Keeley was available for any additional questions and where trips and pickups needed to be confirmed on the day before or day of the activity, Keeley handled it all. This meant I could fully enjoy my holiday knowing that all the admin was being managed and there was someone at the end of the phone should anything go wrong. Not that anything did; everything ran like clockwork thanks to Keeley's expert service and knowledge.

I thought that would be the end of it but after I'd been home for a week or so, Keeley contacted me to get feedback on the holiday and on her service. I couldn't have wished for a better trip as everything Keeley booked was first-class and we even got to see the Northern Lights; thanks for arranging that, Keeley!

If you've not used an independent travel agent before, you are truly missing out on a brilliant service. Keeley managed all the admin from start to finish which created a proper break where I didn't have to stress about what was happening next or worry about making and amending bookings. It gave me such peace of mind that I'll absolutely use her services again the next time I arrange a holiday. If you aren't sure where you want to go, Keeley has masses of ideas from all the holidays she's arranged over the years, so you're bound to find something to suit.

For help finding and booking your next holiday using an independent travel agent to make the whole thing so easy, get in touch with Keeley on 07803 592317 or email keeley.brown@notjusttravel.com

Author: Michelle Eshkeri, financial services copywriter at Let ME Write.