Travel Advisor Frequently Asked Questions

Wow! I cannot get over the amount of support and excitement over the last 24 hours. Thank you so much for all the love and signing up for my weekly newsletter. Please respond directly to this email if you have any questions or vacation needs. Even if you do not have anything on top of mind, I would love your feedback as this marketing and owning a business thing is new to me.

Now let’s discuss what working with me would be like and how it benefits you.

What is a Travel Advisor

It varies, but in my case, I am not your traditional travel agent who will spam you with an ambulance of chase cheap cruise deals, and just push for the sale.

Rather, as a travel advisor, I’m here to take all the burden of planning and researching off you, to bring deep destination, hotel and touring expertise to the planning process, and facilitate the quality and seamless service of your experience; get you the best available rates; and, when possible, additional amenities.

Hi, 1980 called…what are the perks for working with a travel advisor?

 Well as a good consultant would say….it depends! Here is what I offer:

• Understand your goals for the perfect trip! My brief survey delves into important areas like:
  • What you want your travel experience to be like: get there as quick as possible? As cheaply as possible, or are you looking for a more relaxed and luxurious trip? Do you plan your days around quiet moments sipping coffee in the countryside or at the spa, or climbing a mountain?
• Time saved. I do all the research, communications with properties and bookings
• Using your identified preferences and budget, I work towards achieving your specific goals. I am not your traditional travel agent selling you a cheap Royal Caribbean cruise (although I can, and hopefully get you some perks)!
• Free goodies at partner properties. Here are a few examples of perks I can often offer at any 4- or 5-star hotel:
  • Free or Guaranteed Room upgrade
  • Early/Late -Check In/Out Check
  • Free Breakfast
  • Amenity Gift
  • Hotel Credit
• Protects your budget: I will work within budget, helping you find the right property that meets your fits your budget and goals.

Best of all, everything I just listed above costs you NOTHING.

Can’t I get similar perks through Amex Preferred or similar programs

Sure, and if a problem arises or you want customization, some nice call center clerk will be more than happy to help you after waiting on hold for a long time. With a travel advisor like myself, I handle most of these details, which I’ll work with you and our travel partners to avoid, before you board the plane or step into the hotel (which hopefully, we’ve worked together to find a hotel where someone else opens the door for you – never underestimate the value of a doorman 😉 We’ve found they come in handy for all sorts of needs 😉 IYKYK

In all seriousness, yes, the benefits my services provide are very similar to programs like Amex, but you get an actual human who will learn and care about your needs at no additional cost, knows you, and wants you to have a perfect vacation as much as you do!

Do I still get hotel status credits and points?

YES!!! Another benefit of booking through me is you get all the perks for no additional cost, AND if you collect miles and elite nights you will still receive them. In fact, in most cases, by booking with me you will be ahead of the upgrade line compared to those who book on their own.

What if I want to use hotel or flight credits or points?

I can certainly help you with planning your vacation strategy to optimize the credits or points you already have; that being said, and take this from me, we travel many times per year using these benefits, generally, you need WAY more points than you think. As an example, roundtrip business class flights generally are in the range of 100,000 – 300,000 points PER PERSON. That said, we can (and do) often find deals for a fraction of that, if dates and destinations are flexible. The point here is, if you’ve got 10,000 points of anything, it’s not going to get you very far towards a perfect vacation. I can help you strategize here, but keep in mind, just like you don’t earn points when you use them, I don’t earn a commission either 😉

What does it cost to book hotels with Andrew?

I don’t charge anything for most hotel bookings as I receive commissions from properties and travel providers, at no additional cost to you.

Can I cancel or receive a refund?

No refunds…because no money down on most hotel stays! We just need a credit card to guarantee your booking. Generally hotels have a 24-48 cancellation before arrival window. This will be very clear before we proceed.

Do you charge a booking or research fee?

I will speak more about this in a future communication, but no, generally there will be no additional charge to work with me.

For more complicated multi-stop itineraries, or highly customized itineraries, (basically your personal travel concierge) a fee will be charged; however, this will be transparent, fair and discussed prior to any commitment.

What if I actually enjoy planning my own travel?

Hey, look who you are talking to…I agree! I can do it all day hence my new business. You’ll still benefit from working with me. Tell me the hotels you’re interested in and we’ll book them for you so you get perks such as free breakfast, a room upgrade, early check-in or late check-out, at no extra cost to you. ‍

Plus, we’ll let you know if we have any intel on the property that may not be obvious online (like the fact that the room you requested looks onto a wall – que any room with a “partial ocean view,” as an example). It’s like having a best friend who works in travel, and who can help you plan your dream trip.

What are you like to work with?

Follow me on social media and my personality matches what you see 😊. I am witty, funny, a little sarcastic, gay, but hey, I’m honest. I am not going to push you to buy anything, as booking one trip with me will not enable me (sadly) to retire. I would much rather earn your long-term trust than worry about a single booking. We will partner together to identify where your budget should be spent, where we can save you money, and design your perfect vacation.

I’m ready to start planning a vacation now, or I have one already booked. What do I do?

Reach out to me immediately! Even if you’ve already booked your trip, I can work with our travel partners to see if we can change your reservation, so you get some of these perks. And, as an added bonus and a bit of gamefication, if I get 10 bookings this month (September 2024), I will send each trip-owner some free Out and Abroad Luxury Travel travel swag! Let’s get to 10 trips!

What if I have more questions?

Shoot me an email or DM me on Instagram! Happy to chat and nerd out with you.

Email: andrew.reiser@fora.travel

Instagram: areiser86

Website: Andrew Reiser Fora

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