Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)

- Australia & the Pacific (https://www.fodors.com/community/australia-and-the-pacific/)

- - travel agent (https://www.fodors.com/community/australia-and-the-pacific/travel-agent-214664/)

I am planning a 3wk honeymoon to Australia & New Zealand for November 2002. I have been trying to rely on a travel agent, but none seem to be giving me what I want. Does anyone have any travel agent reccomendations. Thnks.

Hi Ross I understand your problem with travel agents. I'm not a travel agent BUT recently retired from marketing outbound travel. I would be delighted to help you plan the NZ end of your honeymoon. Get back to me with length of stay, interests and budget - together we will make it happen! Kerry

ross- I stayed with dreamcatcher. Do not believe the photos...the pool was filthy, the rooms not only had bugs, but we found a dirty sock inside our bedsheets, and the front desk staff was unrelentless in trying to push guided tours on us. They refused to let us cancel our week reservation, but we couldn't stand it so we left out 3 days early, despite having to pay for the time. it was bad!

Ross: Judging from the previous postings your probably a little apprehensive by now. In 1999 I used a travel agency from Wellington New Zealand to arrange a 5 week tour of Australia and New Zealand.(I'm in Tennessee) Everything was done on the internet. The tour went reasonably well. Some glitches, nothing major. All in all I'd give them a passing grade. The next year we returned for 6 weeks and I did all the booking myself. Surprisingly easy. I booked the same hotels we stayed at the previous year because I was familiar with them. I booked no day sightseeing tours until we arrived at our destination. Did not encounter any sold out tours. Every hotel we stayed at had a travel center in the lobby with helpful personnel. Australia and New Zealand are easy countries to travel in. Everyone is most accommodating and willing to help. When I booked my hotels, I would email them from time to time to confirm that everything was still in order. No problem. You might consider booking your own flights and accommodations and then arranging your tours after you arrive. Worked for me. We visited Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, GBR, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Tasmania Queenstown, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua and Auckland. From these cities we booked day tours to the Blue Mountains, Great Ocean Road, Great Barrier Reef, Milford Sound and other attractions too numerous to mention here. The point being, if you're a little adventuresome, do it yourself! Feel free to email me for details. I'd be glad to help. John

Take a look at this New Zealand and south pacific travel Company. www.nzadventureco.com

Ross, I just got back from a three week vacation from australia and booked my entire trip on the internet most through www.travelonline.com.au - everything went 100% perfect. I worked with Fiona Boyd ([email protected]) and she was very helpful and very fast. Do a lot of research on your own. I booked a few things by myself before I used their service and found great deals on the internet.

Ross, if you do any domestic airline travel within Australia book it yoursel over the internet through Qantas or Virgin Blue. Their internet E-tickets are much lower than what a travel agent can get you.

I've already emailed the original poster,but a word about travel agents -- I can't be impartial here, as I am one :) Simple - go to an agent who specializes in the area you're interested in. There are approx. 1300 agents in the U.S. and Canada who are Certified "Aussie" agents. What does that mean exactly? It means we've gone through an extensive training session from the Australian Tourist Commission, passed a test; we've visited the country, either on our own,or on "fam" trips (familirization) - or both. The trips through the government can be an exhausting (how many hotel rooms CAN a travel agent see in one day)?? but we visit the resorts, take notes (in my case,video); experience tours, locations - in short, we KNOW because we've been there, done that. In most cases, we're visiting the spots that most tourists want to see - this doesn't necessarily mean that it's someplace WE would go, but it helps us "qualify" where YOU want to go! In addition the program from the tourist commission has "modules" such as Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania. I recently completed the Tasmania education and have just returned from a fam trip and have fallen in love with Tasmania! Regards, Melodie When I have a client who tells me their interests I know exactly what type of hotel, tour, etc. they'd enjoy and can plan it for them accordingly.

cut through all the crap and use trailfinders they are simply the best agents with regard to traveling to Oz, NZ or asia. Everyone who travels here uses them, we booked thru their london office but I know they have several locations good luck.

Hi there... I worked on a tour desk at a large resort in Port Douglas for 5 years....when it comes to tours.... i was constantly fixing problems with pre booked travel agent holiday tours. Most travel agents get famils with the very big tour companies. Therefore they are only aware of a limited number of products. You ar much better booking your tours locallly with people who know the local area and are experts on what is available. Also travel agents get very special treatment and as such, may not have a true picture/representation of the product they are experiencing. This of course is through no fault of their own... I suggest that you book your flights through the travel agent and also your accomodation....but book your tours in the local areas. Cheers caro