If you are thinking about using a TA DO IT!!!

[Outdoor_girl1010]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TA Maureen I'm glad you were able to get the lower rate. I am also ecstatic to see a thread that wasn't started to totally trash TA's!

I wanted to put out how much they helped me, Because I had never work with a TA before other than the military and then I didnt get to pick anything so that doesn't count. And I was unsure how much they could/would help me. I knew there were a bunch of girls that were not sure about using a TA, so I just thought it would help some other ladys out to see the good side too.

[boscobel]

Wow, Mo. I knew that TA's didn't make huge money, but honestly I can't beleive that anyone would be a TA for that price now that I see the breakdown!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TA Maureen Maybe things work differently in Canada, so I can only speak for the 2 agencies I have worked for in the US, one being a huge chain and one being a smaller specialty agency. 1. We do not charge any fees. In some instances such as a large DWs or foreign independent travel trips that get pieced together and are time intensive we may charge a retainer. However, 100% off that either gets applied to the clients' trip or refunded in full after travel. 2. When giving price quotes I have NEVER added additional costs to the trip to make more money. In this day and age with everyone comparing prices online a TA could never get away with it even if some unethical ones in the past did. 3. The average TA in the US makes $30,000.00/year. I don't know what you think a huge cut is but I think it's time I break it down since there is such a huge misconception. The average length of stay for DW guests is 3-5 nights so I will use a 4 night stay in a moderate priced AI resort for this example:   4 nights AI at ROR, transfers, and round trip airfare from PHL for 2 adults. Total cost to the guest: $1050.70 per person/$2101.40 total. Now we have to break it down more because we don't get paid commission on airline tickets, transfers, or taxes. So the total portion of the trip that is commissionable is $1168.00. We make 15% commission from this tour operator (which is one of the highest percentages offered) so that comes to a commission total of $175.20. Now this is before anything is paid out, not what the agent gets to keep. The agent needs to give 30%-40% of the commission to the agency for operating and marketing costs so the total commission amount the agent takes from that 2,000.00 trip is $105.12. Oh did I mention that the international phone calls, faxes, and document shipping that we spend on each booking comes from the agent's portion of the commission Then it gets taxed in a higher tax bracket because it is commission. And that is only if the clients actually travel. If they cancel or decide not to book, we get nothing! So can anyone who thinks of TA's like we are money grubbing salesman that do no work and take huge cuts from people's vacation total please explain to me how they can say that with a straight face now

[TammyWright]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hara_3d I thought that TAs were huge rip offs because they apparently take a huge cut and charge you more... what kind of travel agent/company did you use?

that is a pretty big misconception.

i can usually match or beat any internet rate and we provide a service that orbitz and expedia does not. also, people are able to make payments which they cannot do with online companies.

[Outdoor_girl1010]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tammy Host that is a pretty big misconception. i can usually match or beat any internet rate and we provide a service that orbitz and expedia does not. also, people are able to make payments which they cannot do with online companies.

Being able to make payment was my big push to us a TA. I am asking people to spend money to come to my wedding and this way they didn't have to come up with it all at once. My guest will have right at a year to make payments on their trip.

[*JillD*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TA Maureen Maybe things work differently in Canada, so I can only speak for the 2 agencies I have worked for in the US, one being a huge chain and one being a smaller specialty agency. 1. We do not charge any fees. In some instances such as a large DWs or foreign independent travel trips that get pieced together and are time intensive we may charge a retainer. However, 100% off that either gets applied to the clients' trip or refunded in full after travel. 2. When giving price quotes I have NEVER added additional costs to the trip to make more money. In this day and age with everyone comparing prices online a TA could never get away with it even if some unethical ones in the past did. 3. The average TA in the US makes $30,000.00/year. I don't know what you think a huge cut is but I think it's time I break it down since there is such a huge misconception. The average length of stay for DW guests is 3-5 nights so I will use a 4 night stay in a moderate priced AI resort for this example: 4 nights AI at ROR, transfers, and round trip airfare from PHL for 2 adults. Total cost to the guest: $1050.70 per person/$2101.40 total. Now we have to break it down more because we don't get paid commission on airline tickets, transfers, or taxes. So the total portion of the trip that is commissionable is $1168.00. We make 15% commission from this tour operator (which is one of the highest percentages offered) so that comes to a commission total of $175.20. Now this is before anything is paid out, not what the agent gets to keep. The agent needs to give 30%-40% of the commission to the agency for operating and marketing costs so the total commission amount the agent takes from that 2,000.00 trip is $105.12. Oh did I mention that the international phone calls, faxes, and document shipping that we spend on each booking comes from the agent's portion of the commission Then it gets taxed in a higher tax bracket because it is commission. And that is only if the clients actually travel. If they cancel or decide not to book, we get nothing! So can anyone who thinks of TA's like we are money grubbing salesman that do no work and take huge cuts from people's vacation total please explain to me how they can say that with a straight face now

Mo, I'm SO glad you broke that down for everyone!! It really bothers me when people think that we try to rip them off and that we're making so much money off of them, completely UNTRUE!