Hi everyone... I have been working with a travel agent to book my flights and package from BA to Iguazu. I just found out that they only accept a wire payment for the hotel and package. Is this normal? I feel like I could have done this myself and feel a little annoyed since there was no mention of this earlier. I know the hotel takes credit cards. Plus my bank will charge me a fee for this. Thoughts? She already booked the flights (which I can pay with credit card).
Thanks for your help!

cindyNYC:

Good morning.

Well, your situation sounds unusual for USA and Canada but not for South America.

I came to understand their problem when I was in Argentina some years ago and I am sure it is no better now.

A friendly hotel proprietor then told me that she would have to wait up to two months to change an accepted credit card charge into cash. Meanwhile, she has bills to pay. In north america, I would deposit a credit card voucher [old days when they were done by hand] and I immediatly had the money in my account.

Also, a travel person on this forum site once stated that a complaining customer would get a [nearly] no questions asked refund which would be charged back to the suppier. That agent said that often the charge back was unfair and would otherwise never be given. Such as for services already provided! But there are all kinds of people. No?

Those are only two reasons that I know of for a vender in South America to refuse a credit card at all and want payment in advance. No doubt there are more reasons such as the high cost of amex services.

What to do?

Well, year before last I travelled to Argentina and Chile for 9 weeks and I used an agent resident in Buenos Aires.

The agents here did not know diddly about any part of South America, let alone get a good deal for me. My Bs. As. agent got me local prices, not the inflated forigner prices and better arrangements to boot.

I checked their credit rating, their business status and personal reference. I was satistified with my risk level.

May seem like a lot of work on my part, but I was paying for 9 weeks of hotel, tours, air, bus and cruise for two, all in advance. Being retired I had the time in addition to the interest of not getting put on a bad spot. Unfortuanly the risk is the same no mtter how much or how little you are spending.

I was very pleased with that agent and the company she worked for. My wife and I were happy to take her to a good restaurant for lunch and bring her flowers once we got to Bs. As., which was at the end of our travel. We were very pleased with her and have written to her recently about next year in Argentina. Being Easter week, I do not expect to hear back too soon.

I expect that should an agent cancel reservations due to non payment by the client and do that too many times, they would no longer be a sought after source of business. As an agent, I don't think I would do any different in their place.

I hope this is of help to you to #1 understand what the problem is and #2 to find a way to deal with the situation to your satisfaction.

I used Mercedes at Argentina Escapes who have their office in Buenos Aires Argentina. If you think it would help, you can tell her that you got her name from me.

Good luck.

Woodie

I, too, usee Mercedes at Argentina Escapes and recommend her highly. She saved us money on internal airfare by alerting us to an imminent fare hike which caught many by surprise. Airfare was payable by credit card. The balance for hotels, etc. we wired to a US Bank about 10 days or so before we left the country. She met us at our hotel, reommended restaurants, etc. and was just great.

Dear Cindy: In Argentina things are a little bit different than in other countries, I feel nobody who is working as an agent would not try to cheat people, but there are some. I know Isabel:
[email protected]
I know her for some american and canadians I met and she is reliable and responsible, two very important "R" in my opinion.
Flintstones

Thanks so much Woodie, and everyone for your replies! This was very helpful.... I went ahead and paid the TA with the wire and everything seemed to be ok. The TA had been recommended here, so I was hoping everything was on the up-and-up, but I was just a little nervous and the turning over of money. But all seems to have turned out ok. Thanks again!