atw74

Hey everyone -

My mom and I are taking my 13 year old niece and nephew to Italy in July. While we've been lucky enough to have visited Italy before, this time we've decided to go for the convenience factor and were hoping to work with a someone who could help with some of the logistics, and help make recommendations and reservations. We'd prefer to work with a local travel agent if possible. We're not "tour" people and are really just looking for someone who can facilitate the planning of the trip.

Please let me know if you've worked with any local agents that you would recommend (or NOT recommend).

Thanks so much!

mjdh1957

Italy is a big country so 'local' to where exactly?

atw74

Well, we're going to be all over the country (Rome, Venice, Florence & Sorrento), so I wouldn't want anyone too "local." I was just hoping to use someone on the ground there.

Michel_Paris

Would you consider doing the bulk of it yourselves, with help?

The forum here has many people who could tell you where to stay, what to see, how to get there, best places to eat,etc..

That way you could rely on people who have been, no language issues, not feel rushed or worried if someone is 'selling' you something they want..not that you need.

mjdh1957

My only experience of using Italian travel agents is that they are very 'local' and would have little expertise in anything outside their own region.

So you might well find Michael_Paris's suggestion a better bet if you want to book things over the whole country.

atw74

Thanks guys.

We usually go the "plan it ourselves" route and have found these forums to be incredibly helpful in the past. Luckily, with Italy, we've both been a few times so we have lots of ideas for our itinerary, hotels and restaurants. In fact, I lived in Florence for a summer and was able to travel around quite a bit. For this trip, unfortunately, we're both just very busy right now with the things that tend to get in the way of our being able to satisfy our travel bugs more often - work, family issues and moving house. That's why we were hoping to outsource some of the more mundane planning aspects of the trip like renting a car, making some of the reservations to make sure we have the right accomodations (it could be tricky with two women and thirteen year old male/female cousins), etc. Hopefully someone's had great luck with an agent and it will work out.

Thanks again.

zeppole

Hi,

I live in Italy (and am not in the travel business) but I think you will find it easier to work with somebody in the US who specializes in Italy, partly for reasons of time difference but also just because many Italian agents really are very local, and someone who professionally knows the country as a traveller can better help you with a multi-destination trip.

This is a link to one such agent who, in my experience, actually LISTENS to clients, and doesn't have a lot of fixed and formulaic ideas about how to "everybody" should travel -- a real problem with a lot of so-called trip planners. They are just recycling the same formulas for everybody, and often pressure clients into swallowing their "expertise." Sme get kickbacks for hotel bookings or car rentals (even people supposedly simply writing Italy travel blogs and websites). But this person will craft a trip that suits YOUR particular needs, not hers. She has a wealth of knowledge about all of Italy and its attractions and culture.

Check out the tabs for "Consulting Services" and "Who We Are"

http://www.idyllicitaly.com/

She's not a friend. I've just seen her in operation enough to respect what she does.

Mimar

I think you'd be better off with a local-to-you agent who is very knowledgeable about Italy. Where are you located? In the US, the magazine Conde Nast Traveler publishes yearly a list of the best travel agents in the US by specialty. You can find this list online.

zeppole

If you go with a local travel agency, make sure they don't specialize mainly in weddings or other big group type arrangements. Those travel professionals for Italy often only know hotels that can accommodate big groups or conferences. They can also be overly conservative in their recommendations, thinking people want American-style hotels.

nytraveler

If you have a local agent who really knows Italy they are probably your best bet. But do realize that only upscale hotels etc provid ethe agent commission (it's not called a kick back) and so the agent will charge you for the work they do if you want something moderate rather than upsacel. Typically they work at an hourly rate and I would interview them to establish their expertise and understand how they will bill you. (If you briefly outline the trip they should be albe to say - it will cost approximately X hours at $ per hour to make these arrangements.)

The Conde Nast suggestion is a good one - but those agents are typically organizing upscale trips - and that doesn;t sound like what you are looking for. Oh - and agents usualy rganize hotels only - not apartments if that's what you're thinking.

zeppole

nytraveler,

I was not referring to a legtitmate travel agent's commission. I am talking about people who advertise themselves as "trip consultants" and charge money to travelers and then steer them to accommodations and restaurants without revealing that they are getting a kickback or cut. Instead they pretend it's just the best hotel or restaurant around. Such charlatans are all over the place, particularly on internet travel forums.

Believe me, it is not only upscale places that give kickbacks. Plenty of b&bs do it and so do restaurants, either to people who give walking tours or hotel desks.

A legit travel agent will tell you up front if they have any commercial relationship with the hotels and restaurants and car rental companies they are recommending or booking for you.

IdyllicItaly

Zeppole,

Thank you very much for your kind endorsement. I've enjoyed your posts over the years, too.

By the way, I love your pen name. I've had zeppole once and they were delicious. I hope to have them again at the Fritto Misto festa in Ascoli Piceno in late April/early May 2012.

atw74

Thanks everyone. I think we're going to try to plan most of it ourselves...which means you shouldn't be surprised to see me back on here asking for help!

Thanks again