Of course there are types of travel research we all enjoy. Like scouring the top 10 lists of recognized magazines and blogs. And scrolling through the gorgeous social media feeds of travel influencers.
Then there is the lifetime of expertise of the travel expert who has not only been to a place but guided numerous tours to and throughout the region. Experts who have contacts not only in-country but along the routes they tour. They know their roster of destinations like the back of their hand. Their degree of knowledge would certainly be enjoyable to obtain, but it would also require a lifetime of passionate pursuit.
Thankfully, tapping their wealth of information is as simple as reaching out. And the rewards of their insights and guidance makes all the difference in the world. Below are 5 top reasons to book your next journey with a destination specialist.
Save Time
Consider a detailed itinerary touring a country in which you don’t speak the language and posing considerable differences in culture and customs. Whereas once information on a location may have been hard to come by, these days there are overwhelming amounts of information to sift through. Worse, the mountain of info obtained through Google may not be accurate. Whereas travel experts are versed in their given destinations at the macro and micro levels. They can save you the time and money by swiftly presenting a blueprint and palette of options, taking care of major details such as airfare and accommodation reservations, hiring drivers and translators, and more—providing you with the trip of a lifetime turnkey.
Bespoke Itinerary
A true destination specialist will be able to converse or correspond with you to determine your interests and preferences, and curate a detailed itinerary fitted uniquely to you. No cookie cutters here. Rather an immersive journey that features exquisite sites, quality at every accommodation, and experiences that stir your spirit. The key skill they will display is listening. Along your journey, their expertise will bear itself out in moments suited exactly to your liking.
Local Knowledge
The value of a destination specialist extends far beyond knowing which restaurant to visit. The intricacies are unimaginable, and that’s the point. You won’t have to imagine, or guess. From breezing through customs and checkpoints to expedited check-ins at hotels, all the way to having every transport set well in advance, and the contacts to allow you to not just speak with locals but dine with them if you so choose—granting you authentic experiences that would be all but impossible with anything but an elite travel expert.
Guidance Along the Way
Far from alone on your custom itinerary, you will enjoy high touch service as your guide and planners cater to you, facilitating the journey so that you get the most out of it. Should you have any questions or requests along the way, you have the resources of a renowned team of travel experts at your disposal, ready to help make anything happen.
Exclusive Experiences
The menu of exclusive experiences available to you will be plenty—and significant—yet simply will not be advertised. You will not find them on their website, frankly because competitors will only seek to knock off these experiences, and in so doing spoil the relationships that make them possible. What will be available to you ranges from private dinners in spaces otherwise closed to the public, or perhaps meetings with luminaries, such as royalty or distinguished leaders in certain fields. Or this may include access to locations or exhibits off limits of reserved for, say, scholars. Share your interests with a true travel expert and you may be surprised with what becomes available.
Peace of Mind
Most valuable of all may be the knowledge that you’re in peerlessly capable hands. That your journey has been expertly attended to, and all steps have been seen to in order to ensure you a joyous journey. And if circumstances arise in which a point in the itinerary goes awry, your travel specialists have your back—with their ability to save the day, resolving anything from cancelled or missed flights to a museum or site being closed—all the way to getting you emergency attention and care should you be injured or become ill. You will never be alone in your journey, in that regard, and they have the contacts and relationships to set things right and keeping your adventure in motion.