Travel Trade Gazette is the specialist journal for the travel trade. A regular feature involved testing the service offered by different agents to a particular destination. This week we have the results of 4 agents being blind tested regarding a request for a holiday to Goa. =================================================== Source: Travel Trade Gazette UK & Ireland. July 22, 2002 This Week's Request: One or two weeks in Goa for two adults in a good- quality hotel in November
TOP TIPS TO GOA: * Be aware of the latest Foreign Office travel advice about India. Due to the dispute over Kashmir between Pakistan and India, and the possibility of terrorism or military action, the goverment is advising against all non-essential travel to both countries. This warning applies to the whole of India. Customers who do wish to travel for essential business reasons are advised to register with their embassy. * The above scaled-down advice was issued on June 26 - after the mystery shopper's visit to Knaresborough. At the time of the survey, the Foreign Office was advising British nationals to leave India. * Goa's population is predominantly Hindu, followed by Muslim and Christian [sic]. It has a more liberal attitude than other areas of India. * Advise customers to visit the local markets to purchase silks, semi- precious stones, cottons and spices. Many operators offer excursions to markets and Hindu temples. Encourage customers to pre-book. * Southern Goa is a popular tourist resort, with a huge stretch of beach. The resorts contain many restaurants, shops and local bazaars. * Food and drink is cheap. Typical prices are 50p for a beer, 30p for a soft drink and pounds 10 for a three-course meal for two. * Currency is the Indian rupee. * A tourist visa is required. It costs pounds 30 and can be obtained from the High Commission of India. THE 4 AGENTS TESTED: 1. Ryedale Travel, High Street SCORED 66 points Brochures offered: Jewel in the Crown Manos Holidays Somak Holiday When I entered, both consultants were busy. I was offered a seat and told I would be attended to as soon as possible. The clerk who served me immediately said she thought Goa was affected by travel restrictions, for which she checked for details on the computer. She then made a phone call to find out the latest situation, which she said was easing. The consultant did not have first-hand knowledge of Goa, but looked in the brochure for information and advised me about vaccinations without prompting. She suggested an all-inclusive holiday would suit me best. We also discussed excursions. The clerk said that as the situation in India was improving, it would be fine to book and get a refund if necessary. The service given by this clerk was thorough and helpful. 2. GOING PLACES, High Street SCORED 50 points Brochures offered: Cosmos Winter Sun First Choice Winter Sun Airtours Winter Collection A consultant admitted she had no personal knowledge of Goa, but said it was very popular and that holidays tended to be booked up quickly. The agent looked up flight times in her chosen brochures and also checked the weather conditions for November. She then handed me the three brochures. The clerk said she thought I might need some vaccinations, but did not specify which. No mention was made of visa requirements and she appeared totally unaware of the travel restrictions in force, as these were not mentioned. The consultant did not check for any details on the computer. Instead, she suggested I took the brochures away and returned when I had looked through them. While this clerk was pleasant and gave me some information, I felt she could have looked at things in more detail. 3. TRAVEL OPTIONS, Castlegate SCORED 28 points Brochures offered: Hayes & Jarvis Manos Holidays Odyssey Holidays When I arrived the consultant was already dealing with a client, but after several minutes she offered me a seat. When I told the agent what I was looking for she immediately said that there were restrictions on travel to Goa and checked on the computer. The clerk said I would require a visa and vaccinations for travel. However, she also said Goa was a "no-go" area and advised me to return to the agency when the situation in India had improved. The brochure racks were not well-stocked and I had to ask for copies to take away with me. This consultant was pleasant, but I left with no details of price or availability. I found this strange as none of the other agencies had said I should not attempt to visit Goa. 4. THIS WEEK'S WINNER: RIPON TRAVEL, High Street SCORED 80 points Brochures offered: Jewel in the Crown Somak Holidays The consultant displayed an excellent knowledge of Goa as she had been there herself. She was aware of Foreign Office advice against non-essential travel to India and said she would be unwilling to book a holiday without a guarantee of a refund if the situation worsened. The consultant gave me details of hotels and campsites. She went through several the options before recommending bed and breakfast as there are many good cheap restaurants in southern Goa. She also suggested some excursions. The agent did not use the computer to check availability, but gave me the relevant flight times and details of suitable hotels. We also discussed vaccinations and the simplest way to obtain a visa. This agent was friendly, sure of her subject and very helpful. Ripon Travel wins a top shop certificate Louise Hewitson, Travel consultant - One year at this branch Louise believes her first-hand experience of Goa gave her the edge. It meant she had a good knowledge of the destination and was able to show genuine enthusiasm for the request. ================ TOP BROCHURE This week's winning brochure is Jewel in the Crown Goa. The winning agent says it offers good descriptions and a useful map detailing the beaches. She has travelled with the company and is happy to recommend it. TOP INDEPENDENT AGENCIES The top six independent agencies surveyed by Top Shop 1 Midlands Co-op Travel, Corby 84 =2 Destinations, Norwich 82 =2 Travelcare, Coventry 82 =2 Courtney Airsavers, Guisborough 82 =5 Dawson & Sanderson, Consett 81 =5 Travelcare, Telford 81 ALL IN ALL SUMMARY The service given by this week's winner was excellent. The agent was enthusiastic and helpful from the start. It also helped that she had visited the chosen destination. Try to have some knowledge about places you have not visited, particularly the more important destinations. Study the relevant brochures and guidebooks, consult colleagues and contact operators. The greater your knowledge, the more confident you will be with customers. All but one of this week's agents mentioned the travel restrictions which were in place at the time of the mystery shopper's visit. Keep up to date with current issues so you can give the latest advice to customers. Do not dismiss a request for travel to India out of hand due to the restrictions, as the situation may improve over time. This TOP SHOP report has been compiled by TTG researchers. A mark out of 100 is awarded after evaluating the overall appearance of a shop, the quality of service given, an agent's knowledge of the requested destination and the use of brochures and computer systems. Consideration is given to an agent's sales technique, including the explanation of details, the offer of special deals and the ability to progress towards a booking. We do not claim that our winner is the best shop in the designated area because we may return for a future report on other agencies. Every shop that scores 80 points or more receives a TTG TOP SHOP certificate. Please note that the aim of Top Shop is not to criticise individual agents but to promote good sales technique for the benefit of all in the trade. ************************** Don't forget - you saw it on GoaNet! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
