It’s been awhile since I posted a blog about why you should use a travel advisor. Today’s blog post is a special one, as I’m sharing a little bit about the company retreat I attended two weeks ago. And it highlights so many reasons why booking with an experienced travel advisor is important. “But Sarah,” you say, “can’t I just google it?” Go ahead. Google your travel. What I’m about to tell you… you won’t be able to google. What I can do for you, you can’t get anywhere else. The itineraries I’ll create for you won’t be online. No one else will have the exact same itinerary you do when you book with an experienced travel advisor … aka me!
So. What’s the secret? The secret is the incredible team I have behind me, from the wonderful support staff at the home office to the amazing supplier partners in the field. Even more, the secret is how purple all these people are, but that’s another story…
booking with an experienced travel advisor
Your time is valuable. I know this, and that’s why when you work with me, you’re letting me handle all the gritty details like asking for connecting rooms, requesting extra pillows, confirming the transfer from the airport to the hotel, and asking for VIP extras like complimentary breakfast or an upgrade. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you cannot VIP yourself.
Your family time is important, but so is your business time. Letting an experienced travel advisor handle dinner reservations for the company retreat, or snagging tickets to Hamilton to impress a potential client leaves you free to negotiate business deals like it’s, well, your job.
So. How does my secret weapon help me achieve all of this and more? They are passionate about the same things I’m passionate about: adventure, experiential travel, family time, and creating once in a lifetime memories. Whether it’s an experienced travel advisor or an experienced supplier partner, you can rest assured you are getting VIP treatment for the same price you’d find online. Best of all, these supplier partners are all over the world, so I’ve got on-the-ground support in your destination of choice.
The Largay Retreat
If Virtuoso Week, held every August, highlights the benefits of booking with a Virtuoso advisor, then our retreat showcases the very best of booking with a Largay Travel advisor. Our Preferred Partners come with us, they share news and updates, they give away fantastic prizes, and they are side by side with us during keynote speeches and business meetings. We learn from them how to better work for you, just as they learn from us how to better serve you.
Us Largettes and Larguys descended on Grand Cascade Lodge, in Hamburg, New Jersey, for a long weekend of learning. While a snowstorm might keep away others, many arrived days in advance just to beat the weather. I stayed home, and crossed my fingers that my drive wouldn’t be affected!
Some of the partners who joined us this year (in the middle of a snowstorm, no less – talk about dedication! – included Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Viking Cruise Line, Natural Habitat Adventures, Lindblad Expeditions, Micato Safaris, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Heritage Tours. That’s just a handful of the suppliers who flew to the middle of New Jersey to celebrate and learn with us advisors.
learning from the best (purple cow barnyard animals)
My days were filled with learning about business decisions, understanding group travel, talking about working smarter, not harder, and listening to far more experienced advisors than I discuss their business strategies and goals. While many might see this as a recipe for competition rather than a supportive network of friends (some might even say family), for Largay it’s a chance to learn from each other and share both recipes for success and tales of disaster.
Our nights were more of the same, just in another venue. On Thursday, we took over the biosphere pool and luau’ed our way into meeting suppliers and seeing old friends. Friday night was our pajama party, or Slumber Showcase, where we listened to hotelier friends tell us the good, the amazing, and the outstanding about their properties. And on Saturday night, we took to the ballroom to “cap off” our event with a Mad Hatter Tea Party. I love puns.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
“I don’t much care where –”
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”
Largay, Virtuoso, and Preferred Partners around the world
I do often reference Largay when I talk about my small business. I have to – without them I would be swimming upstream against bigger, badder fish. And I usually talk about how Virtuoso is the world’s leading luxury consortium. Being both a Largay independent advisor and a member of Virtuoso means a lot to many people. I have preferred phone lines, private email addresses, and access to real people when others might only get an automated system. I know my reps, personally, and can call them with any questions you might have. A lot of my reps will also three-way call with you and me, so you can personally address your concerns. I am pretty sure Expedia doesn’t do that.
Everything within the Virtuoso network is carefully vetted. Both you and I can be confident that the villa you’re booking for Christmas, or the secluded retreat in the Himalayas, meets all of our standards. I know I’ve mentioned the perks of booking with a Virtuoso advisor before. Upgrades, credits, complimentary breakfast, AND MORE are given to my clients at hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Aman, Shangri-La, and Peninsula.
But Largay advisors can go one step further. Disney isn’t a Virtuoso supplier (the Four Seasons Orlando is), but Disney is a Largay Preferred Partner. And not all Four Seasons are Virtuoso, for that matter, but every hotel and resort falls under our Preferred Partner program. In fact, preferred partner amenities are just a little more extra than the Virtuoso ones.
how I work, and how you can work with me
I’ll talk more about this in another post, but I want to highlight that it’s really EASY to work with me! We begin with a consultation call, where I get the scope of work, and your vision for the trip.I charge a planning and management fee, which always depends on the scope of work. Once we begin working, you’re free to collaborate as much or as little as you like. If you want to be totally hands on, great! If not, no worries. I, and my talented support network, have it all under control. During your travels, I’m here for any issues that arise. Delays, missed connections, an unexpected problem at the hotel, whatever. I’m the one that stays on the phone while you continue to enjoy your vacation.
When you’re getting exceptional value, and paying a fraction more than you would if you booked it yourself, why wouldn’t you choose to work with an experienced travel advisor? After all, it’s our job to make sure your vacation goes smoothly and successfully so you’ll work with us again and refer us to your friends!
Be sure to pin this >>> for future reference if you’re NOT ready to book with an experienced travel advisor!
