My local Thos Cook have beaten an internet price. It can be done, but they are few and far between. However, I don't mind paying the extra for having face to face contact and someone to help with any problems.

Kath HT Admin

I rarely book through travel agents and make my choice of holiday through the internet from the comfort of my home. Booking is easy and I find it cheaper than through a travel-agent.

What swung it for me was last week when I did make a booking through a travel agent. It is for a week's holiday in Tunesia. Couldn't be asked to find the best deal myself on the internet so asked a travel agent to quote me which they indeed did. Picked up my tickets last week only to be asked whether I wanted to purchase any currency

Mark

"Picked up my tickets last week only to be asked whether I wanted to purchase any currency"

Thats their job!! why do people say things like that?!- why should they hide the fact that they are trying to make money!!

Selling currency is one thing but as they are "specialists in holidays" they ought to know that you can only purchase Tunesian currency in Tunesia as the export of this currency is strictly prohibited.

That was the whole point I was making.......... you put a lot of trust in travel agents making the correct recommendations on a country you might not have visited before. This trust to me has been totally lost with this particular travel agent (a well known name) as they certainly need to train their staff a little bit more.

Mark

"Picked up my tickets last week only to be asked whether I wanted to purchase any currency"

Tunisia is one of those countries where you are not allowed to take their currency in or out of the country. What MarkJ is saying is that the Travel agent should have known that

Just a point:-

mean come on in this case the guy in question thought he could get a holiday for 4 to disneyland paris for the same price as train ticket to london. I'm giving informed advice.

If you read the original post he said that he was about to book and the price was suitable, but when he went in he saw it was THEN showing at £100 - he therefore did what most of us (certainly me) would have done by trying to book it!!!! He was obviously not so niave that he thought it was the going rate, but then it was suddenly not available.........I also would have thought this a bit suspicious too, and wondered if it was deliberately misleading or a mistake.

Fair play to him for bringing this to everyone's attention.

PS - Just read your post Mark while I was typing, this, and couldnt agree more!

Thats their job!! why do people say things like that?!- why should they hide the fact that they are trying to make money!!

Maybe this should have read

Thats OUR job!! why do people say things like that?!- why should WE hide the fact that WE are trying to make money!!

From reading your other posts, you are obviously working in the travel industry for one of the travel agents.

Mark

Come on MarkJ...offering currency facilities it is part of the travel agents job. OK so they got it wrong in the case of Tunisian currency...but then does everyone always get it right. There's nothing wrong with touting for a little business, after all its what keeps the world going.

Yeah you're right... will stay out of this thread for now..... but when you have a travel agent indicating that they do nowt wrong, I had to respond to it.... as they say... people in glass houses....

Going now

Mark

I booked my holiday for this year online with Eclipse Direct they are the direct selling side of first choice and their holidays were cheaper priced. Whilst making the booking you have the option to speak to a tour operator online to answer any questions or problems you may have, in a way it's the best of both worlds

Shell