Travel Agent of the Day Wednesday November 21, 2007 - Linda Spyres
11/21/2007 10:11 a.m.
Linda Spyres
Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), Destination Specialist (DS), Recommend Destination Specialist
Linda joined the Tripology network in March of 2007 and has already planned some great vacations for travelers she found through Tripology.com.
How long have you been in the business?
"Eight years."
What inspired you to become a travel agent?
"When I was about four years old, I began traveling with my mother and father throughout the United States. He was an alumni director for a college and he went out every summer recruiting students. Then, he joined the Army and my travels continued all over the world....So you can see, travel is in my blood. If I didn't travel and learn about other cultures, I'd have to move every three years!"
Do you have a passion for travel?
"Absolutely ~ My eyes light up when I speak with anyone about a destination I love and want them to experience. I also think travel is very educational and influences our worldview."
Did you do anything else before becoming a travel agent?
"Yes, I was and am a mother of six, did secretarial work, wrote for a couple of newspapers, sold mobile homes, worked as a Child Welfare Adoption Social Worker, and then finally began my agency!"
Are there any great perks that come with working in this business?
"There are some but not too many anymore."
What are some of the perks? Any great discounts?
"There are some discounts offered. Mainly if you go where suppliers want you to go and do what you want them to do. Cruise lines will offer discount sailings, but not on all of them."
What about upgrades?
"Not on the airlines, but some suppliers do offer them."
Do you take a lot of vacations?
"No, not a lot. No time, I am always working!"
Do you go alone or do your friends and family tag along?
"When I do get FAM rates my husband and friends will go if they are allowed."
Favorite getaways to head off to on your own?
"I don't really have a favorite. My next destination is always calling and where that is I don't know usually. I like to go somewhere new to learn about it! My latest was Ecuador! Loved it! It was a two-day trade show and I ended up spending 10 days there at my own expense to find out more about the country."
Do you inadvertently work a lot when you are on vacation? - scouting hotels, activities, tours and sites?
"Yes"
How else do you review hotels that you may not have been to?
By networking with other travel agents and supplier representatives."
How many clients do you have right now?
"Over 500"
Do you work with a partner?
"My husband and I are partners."
Office or home?
"Office"
Do you limit how many clients you can work with at one time?
"No, there are four of us in the office and I also have five outside independent agents as well."
Websites such as, Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity have given the opportunity to travelers to book trips without a travel agent. Have you found this to be a problem for you?
"Yes"
What are you doing to convince travelers that a travel agent is a better option?
"I try to remind them that without a travel agent they are on their own. When choosing to use a travel agent they won't be on hold forever waiting to ask someone questions and a lot of the times we can usually beat the rates they would be quoted on their own since we have access to discounts not available to the public."
If a traveler asks you, "Why should I use a travel agent," how do you respond?
"It doesn't have to cost anything extra to use a travel agent and we can give them valuable service. We will serve as their liaisons throughout the trip and after ~and the buck stops with us not some obscure person with no face over the phone."
Have any travelers given you any horror stories of experiences they had trying to book a trip on their own?
"Oh yes! We love it because it just proves our worth to them even more."
Do you have any tips for the listening travel community?
"I would say get involved in your community. They will be your base and the rest outside your area will be the icing. Leave business cards with everyone you come in contact with too!"
What's the most exciting trip to book right now for you?
"Wow, what a question! Cruises are always great since they are worldwide and combinable with land vacations. Everything is exciting to us! We love serving clients and bringing their dreams and desires to reality."
What would you say is your most popular destination request right now?
"Alaska is really big right now as well as Australia and New Zealand."
Why do you think that is?
"The Euro ratio to the dollar is not favorable so people are looking for places to go that they get the best value for their money."
There's a lot of buzz about specialization these days, and how destination expertise is still a great value proposition for travelers. Why do you think agent specialization is important to have when travelers are trying to book the trip?
"I think every travel agent needs to be an expert in some fields, but they don't have to be limited to just one."
What does it mean to be specialized to you? Is it focusing on only 1 thing and traveling there every year?
"Not really, I have certifications by many countries' Tourism Boards and do travel to these destinations often. However, I am on a first name basis with people in these organizations and have their expertise as needed too."
Do travelers ask a lot if you have been to where they are trying to book their trip?
"Yes, they do. That's why it's so important for us to invest our dollars traveling to those destinations! We look at it as an investment for our clients and the knowledge and experience we bring them to the table is worth it."
How specialized is too specialized? Is this possible?
"I wouldn't want to limit myself to only one specialization..."
If someone were to call you and ask for a once in a lifetime vacation idea, what would you suggest?
"First, I would see what they like to do when they go places. To qualify the client is the MOST IMPORTANT thing; otherwise, how can you build a trip of a lifetime without knowing their desires."
Funniest thing you have ever been asked?
"Can I take a train to Hawaii..."
Tags: travel agents of the day
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