Years ago my friends and I booked a
flight from Columbus, Ohio to Dublin, Ireland with a layover in
Philadelphia, PA from one of the many online booking sites. Once we
reached Philadelphia our international flight was delayed, and then
delayed again, and eventually downsized. We were reassigned to a new
flight in the morning. The airline gave us vouchers for a airport
hotel and $20 for food the next day. This was not how I wanted my
vacation to begin! The delays made me afraid that the hotel in
Ireland would cancel our reservation and give away our rooms. We had
no way out since there were no more flights that day with that
airline. We had to call the hotel to tell them what happened and that
we were still on our way. It was the beginning of our trip and it had
already hit an unforeseeable rough patch.
Sharing this memory with Elizabeth
Blount Mccormick, president and co-owner of Uniglobe Travel
Designers, she assured me that if I had booked with one of her travel
experts I would've had an client-focused advocate fighting in my
corner with the airport. “People are coming back to personal
service and relationships,” Elizabeth said. “Web services are
fast and easy, but travel agents offer clients the best value with
time and money. If there is an issue, we can help navigate you safely
with an alternate route our clients wouldn't know about.” Travel
agents have the inside information on airlines, hotels, and resorts
to find the best route for you. Elizabeth explained that instead of
being forced to stay overnight and ending up with vouchers, a
Uniglobe Travel Designer could have found a new flight to get me and
my friends on our way to enjoying our vacation.
Uniglobe Travel Designers provides a
personal touch with their 24/7 rescue line (You'll talk to a person
and not an automated recording), travel insurance, global Wi-fi, and
first hand knowledge of destinations. “FAM trips” allow the
Uniglobe Travel Designers to become familiar with the resorts,
destinations, and activities they offer to their clients. I think
this is a great factor when deciding what agency to use. I had to go
to a travel agency in Athens, Greece and the woman working there
didn't seem to know very much about my next destination. I wanted to
be confident when booking my ferry ticket with her, yet she wasn't
able to give me any kind of reassurance. Most people traveling are
going to places they've never visited and are unfamiliar with that
place. It's really comforting to walk in to the Uniglobe office and
know that your travel expert has been to that destination and has
done those activities! Another element I really appreciate about this
specific travel agency is the extremely user-friendly website. The
site allows you to check-in online, access your itinerary (in case
you misplace it!), and stay informed about travel news and alerts.
It's everything you need in one place.
Whether it's a solo, family, or
business trip, Uniglobe Travel Designers can help you. Elizabeth said
that travel agents aren't just for the older generation. There is no
concentrated age group that uses agencies more than others, her
clientele ranges from 18 and up. Wedding destinations and honeymoons
are a specialty. After all of the work planning a wedding, couples
want to give all the work of planning their relaxing getaway to a
qualified and knowledgeable travel expert.
Giving back to the community is
important to Uniglobe Travel Designers and that is why they made the
Vitamin D Vacation Giveback program.
“Recognizing the importance of
giving back to the community and the necessity for people to take a
break, we have created the Vitamin D Vacation Giveback™ Program.
The Vitamin D Vacation Giveback™
Program will provide companies, nonprofits and organizations the
ability to offer their employees, members, or volunteers free
vacation planning services through Uniglobe Travel Designers. These
services will include expertise in destination selection, cost
savings through negotiated relationships with suppliers, access to
travel deals, time savings, a trusted advocate and much more.”
Working with corporations and
non-profit organizations, such as Nationwide Children's Hospital and
the Ronald McDonald House, they provide employees with a dream
vacation. The donations they give to these organizations aren't just
monetary, the experts volunteer their time as well.
The number of self service travel
websites is growing every year making it fast and super cheap to find
flights and hotels on your own. However, searching through the
various options can be confusing and frustrating. Trying to find the
lowest price isn't always the best decision, especially when you
settle for a 9 hour layover and two days of travel. We all know you
get exactly what you pay for when traveling. The answer to the question "Do we still need travel agents?" is yes! The adventurers of the
world need travel agents, and it's clear they're here to stay. Use
your money wisely. Uniglobe Travel Designers serves their customers
and community well with tailor-made services to provide a truly
unique travel experience.
UNIGLOBE Travel Designers
480 South Third Street
First Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Local: (614) 237 4488
Toll Free: 800 966 6512
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