The first rule of travel: Put on your oxygen mask before assisting others.

We have so many clients who call us when they have reached a state of full confusion about their travel ideas.

Some started planning and then got so overwhelmed they just gave up.

Most find that by the time they come to us they are overwhelmed, more than ready to throw in the towel and all the initial excitement about their trip has leaked away like a slow puncture.

They have sacrificed time, energy and enthusiasm. Before their holiday even started.

And they are not alone. According to the latest research, less than 10% of travellers use a Travel Agent.

Does it make sense not to use the services of a FREE EXPERT?

Imagine deciding to insert your own pacemaker. Or rewiring your house.

Now imagine deciding to do those things even though the EXPERT doctor and electrician will not charge you to do it.

Bonkers? YUP.

And this is before we factor in all the time it will take you to do it. That you will never get back. Never mind the fact that it is not difficult to imagine that the outcome will not be a sure thing.

The mind boggles.

So. Just to clear up any lingering misinformation. Here are 7 crazy facts about Travel Designers that 90% of Travelers do not know.

1. Travel Designers DO NOT Sell Holidays or Travel

No matter how lovely a destination looks on TV, your experience of it may be dreadful. This is because there is a difference between travel inspiration and actual travel desire.

There is no doubt about the fact that you can find an advertisement of some airbrushed highlights and book your own holiday or your own travel. Our Travel Designers are not in that business. Instead, they trade in your REAL enjoyment of a destination – moment by moment and experience by experience – as opposed to your perceived idea of a destination.

2. Travel Designers are Master Strategists

They are trained to look at every piece of a very large and very complicated puzzle that is often very dependent on up-to-the-minute understanding of human relationships between areas and service providers.

They cut seamlessly through the noise of online travel agencies, travel aggregators and user-review sites. They remove any need to read the fine print or worry about the cost of hidden and/or non-refundable charges. Visa’s, passport requirements and the best seat on every aircraft—all taken care of.

3. Travel Designers are Experts Who SAVE You Money

Apart from the fact that they are experts that are FREE… they also have access to perks and upgrades that translate into hidden savings and added value. Their inside information about the best times to visit crowded destinations and knowing which destinations are about to become big (and match your personality perfectly) often mean that you get a great deal.

And then there is a range of exotic products that are only available through agents as the companies offering them are serious about matching clients to their experiences… and trying to arrange them privately will incur much higher prices.

4. Travel Designers Save You More Time Over Time

Let’s be brutally honest. Your time can be more profitably and enjoyably spent doing other things rather than attempting to mimic a travel professional and wade through never-ending quotes and fine print and overlapping schedules.

Once you decide that you don’t have the time or the patience to plan your own trip you will have to engage in a little conversation on the phone with a Travel Designer. They will ask you the right questions and get to know you a little. What will happen next is that they will make you feel at ease and in control and excited about your trip. As they get to know you and your family better over time they will be in an even better position to ensure your satisfaction with every part of your holiday. Saving you increasing time.

5. Travel Designers are Better Than Jeeves

Whether you are stuck with a pillow you don’t like or find yourself stuck after an earthquake. Your Travel Designer will be there to save the day immediately “when stuff happens.” If you booked your own trip you are your own Jeeves. And the average wait time to get American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United on the phone as 14.3, 14.9 and 13.5 minutes, respectively — under ordinary circumstances.

“In cases of major storms, during the holidays, and even when company websites crash, we see a huge influx of users trying to reach the airlines by phone. Wait times can be well over an hour, if the user gets through at all,” says Adam Goldkamp, COO of GetHuman.com.

6. Travel Designers are Your ‘No Do-Over’ Guarantee

Your time off is precious. Especially when you spend it making memories with family. And you cannot get it back. So, it makes simple sense that you should take special care ensuring that your holiday plans are made well and executed perfectly. When you use a Travel Designer you are essentially taking out a NO FEE guarantee against disappointment.

7. Travel Designers know *secret* Stuff

There are products and services wrapped up in every holiday. Most industries deal only in one of these aspects of the market, but Travel Designers know how to bring them together. They have the connections to arrange the special passes, upgrades, touches, and trips that you won’t find in the guidebooks.

BONUS TRUTH

Travel Designers are hilarious, passionate, super interesting, crazy hardworking people who live to guard their clients’ love of travel.

Meet our Travel Designers here.