Travel agents can be a breath of fresh air, especially for someone who is not experienced in planning trips. However, with the increase in online travel agencies, there has also been a commensurate increase in scams. It’s important to identify legitimate agencies from bad travel agents because traveling involves lots of financial commitment, and no one wants to lose their hard-earned money. So, how do you know if a travel agent is bad?
Here’s one standout way to know. Get the opinion of other people about that travel agent via Google reviews, Yelp, or TripAdvisor. Look out for positive and negative reviews, and pay attention to patterns. Also, reach out to friends or family that have used the travel agent in the past. Reviews don’t lie.
With years of experience in the travel industry, I have encountered some bad travel agents. Over time, I have discovered 4 other key factors to pay attention to to identify bad travel agents. I call them the “4 red flags”. By the end of this blog post, you’ll also be able to check these red flags in travel agents, ultimately helping you avoid pitfalls like loss of money and the tragedies of dealing with the wrong agent. This will ultimately help you choose the right travel agent.
So what are these 4 red flags? Let’s jump right in.
How do you know if a Travel Agent is Bad?
1. Lack of a Physical Address
In this digital age, this may not outrightly rule out a travel agent however, it’s one place to start. Many legit travel agencies operate online like booking.com and Airbnb however, online travel agencies (OTA) usually have a well-established online presence. Suppose the travel agency is not well established online and verifiable via a website and social media accounts & reviews, you should only work with them if they have a physical location.
This does not imply that a travel agency with a physical storefront should not have a well-established presence online, rather, it means that you should only work with a travel agency that is not well-established online if they have a physical address. Consider the physical address here as an extra guarantee that you’re not working with bad travel agents.
2. Pressure to Pay 100% Upfront and Cash Only
One good way to identify bad travel agents is if they pressure you to pay 100% upfront. If they pressure you to pay 100% upfront and accept only cash, that’s already a double red flag. Legitimate travel agencies usually offer multiple payment options for clients like bank transfer and using your credit card, to provide options and security for clients. Payment through your credit card offers you an extra layer of security if anything goes wrong, such as the agent not meeting up with their end of the deal and running away with your money.
Always check the payment methods accepted by a travel agency. Legitimate travel agents are transparent and offer you secure payment options.
3. Not Being Certified or Accredited
Certification by a renowned authority is one way to tell if a travel agent is good or bad. Certified agencies comply with the set industry standards, ensuring compliance with best practices and professionalism in dealing with clients. Renowned accreditation bodies include the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African Tourism and Travel Association (ATTA), and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for Nigerian travel agencies.
Check if the travel agency in consideration is registered with any of these travel agency accreditation bodies. If they are, then it’s unlikely that they’re bad travel agents. If they are not, then that’s one red flag to consider.
4. They don’t know Anything about your destination
If you asked for information about Guinea and a travel agent provided information about Equatorial Guinea, that can be classified as an honest mistake. But if you ask a question about a popular destination (Say Orlando) and the feedback you get is either wrong or they never heard of that destination, that’s your cue to back out.
A legitimate travel agency would have experience and extensive knowledge of different travel destinations, attractions, and travel services, and they provide accurate information based on this wealth of knowledge. It’s important to ask the agency certain questions to verify their familiarity with your desired destination before proceeding to work with them. Some ideas of questions to ask include:
- What are your recommendations for travel activities at (your destination)?
- Has anyone in your agency traveled to (your destination) before? If yes, can I get recommendations based on their experience?
If you’re dissatisfied with the response after asking these questions, leave.
How do I know if a Travel Agency is Legit?
Now that you know how to figure out a bad travel agency, how do you know when a travel agency is legit? Here are a few tips that can help:
- Certification: As was mentioned earlier, certifications are a good way to verify legitimacy. The legit ones usually have certifications from renowned authorities like the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the African Tourism and Travel Association (ATTA), among others. If the travel agency is certified by IATA, you can verify this by asking the agency for their IATA code. You can use this tool to confirm their IATA code when they share it.
- Reviews: Legitimate travel agencies should have reviews from their previous or existing clients. Ensure that there is a good balance of positive and negative reviews. Having only positive reviews is also a red flag because scammers pay people to give them fraudulent positive reviews. So assess reviews to know how long the agency has been in business, if there are repeat customers, if they are genuine, and if they are fraudulent. Also, look for agencies that respond to both positive and negative feedback. Response to feedback/reviews is an indication of good customer service. Popular travel agency review platforms include TripAdvisor and Google reviews.
- Online Presence: A simple Google search can save you from the wrong hands. Search for the agency’s name on Google and see what comes up. A legitimate travel agency will have its website, Google My Business information (address, contact information, operating hours), social media pages, and other information. Go on their website and skim through the content, paying attention to its layout and written content. Multiple grammatical errors are a red flag. Their social media should be active with consistent content updates and interaction with their followers.
How to Check if a Travel Agency is Licensed
To check if a travel agency is licensed, visit the official website of the regulatory body under consideration. For instance, the regulatory body referenced earlier – the African Tourism and Travel Association (ATTA) – has a search icon at the top of their website to check if a travel agency is verified with them. Also, you can verify IATA codes using this tool. An alternative is to contact the regulatory body directly via their email or customer care line on their website and ask about the travel agency.
Dot-Accredited Travel Agency
DOT accreditation is a certification from the Department of Tourism, that acknowledges tourism businesses that meet particular requirements in the Philippines. This accreditation is restricted to the Philippines only as it is a local accreditation, however, it is well-recognized and ensures that clients are treated professionally and ethically. DOT accreditation can be verified by visiting the DOT’s database here.
How do Travel Agents Get Paid?
Travel agents get paid in multiple ways however, one common way is through commissions paid by the travel service providers they book clients with. The commission percentage will depend on the type of booking and the agreement that has been made between the travel agent and the service provider.
Aside from commissions, travel agents – especially agents who work for big travel agencies – earnings are usually made up of a mix of salary, commissions, and other incentives from their employer or travel agency.
To sum it all up, I encourage you to stay vigilant. Scammy travel agencies are on the rise, however, watch out for the 4 red flags discussed in this blog and you will be in the clear. Also, you may decide to travel without a travel agent. Last, I encourage you to leave comments regarding your experience with travel agencies. Also, leave recommendations if you have tips on other travel agency red flags we should watch out for.
