Travel advisors are used to doling out practical advice. From what to pack and where to eat, travel agents know. But there are some things even the most experienced of agents can’t anticipate.
Most travellers are pretty cluey. And those that book with a travel agent are already on the right path. But who would have thought you’d have to remind your clients that the Aussie dollar is not accepted across the globe?
Over the years we’ve heard some pretty interesting tales of travellers who maybe could have done with listening a bit harder to their agents. Here are some of the highlights.
Buzzing travel essentials
When it comes to the etiquette of travelling with sex toys, ensure that batteries are removed to avoid an unintended airport (or worse still: midair) security concert. And, more importantly, remember that in some countries bringing in sex toys is kind of illegal, so do your research.
Because pants aren’t optional
From streaking in Barcelona to skinny dipping in the Venice Canals, agents shouldn’t have to remind clients that it’s best to resist the urge to strip off in inappropriate locations. Especially since the advent of mobile phones and social media. But some people…
Dress code dilemmas
And for those who do manage to keep their kit on, sometimes they need reminding about what is or isn’t appropriate. Whether it’s bare shoulders in temples or flip flops when hiking the hills of Cinque Terra, help your clients avoid fashion faux pas.
Lost in translation
Prep your clients with some handy and specific phrases in the local language. Help them avoid ordering a plate of fried socks instead of a local delicacy.
Selfie snafus are so last decade
For a time there, risky selfies had become an epidemic. Advisors now have to caution against life-threatening acrobatics atop cliffs, precarious tree branches, or ancient monuments. Remember, being impaled by a selfie stick is not a glamorous way to make the headlines, and defacing a sacred site may lead to divine retribution—or at least an angry group of monks.
Sunscreen, always
Clients returning as lobster impersonators? Tourists flaunting tan lines resembling abstract art? Advisors sending clients to a warmer climate are still reminding them to slip, slop, slap. Because apparently clients are children.
Mind your manners
We get it. Holidays are expensive. And when things don’t go right, your clients won’t be happy. In a world of travel mishaps, advisors have witnessed clients forgetting basic manners. But politeness, respect for locals, and refraining from stealing hotel bathrobes (yes, people do that!) all contribute to a harmonious trip. And isn’t that what we all want?
