As we specialize in connecting travellers and local agencies around the world, an important part of our business is finding good agencies. Once this work is done, we do not stop there, we also:
- Help you find the trip that’s right for you from our tailor-made or tailor-made offerings
- Follow up on the organization and stay tuned
- Insure the payment by credit card to make you benefit from its insurance
However, you don’t necessarily need the above points. In this case, we suggest you find out how to find a good local travel agency, according to us. Above all our main criterion is trust, which is one of our key values. And this one is based on different criteria:
The local expertise of the guides
Indeed, the interest of a local agency is that it knows the region and its possibilities well. But it must also be used to guiding in maximum security conditions, especially in the mountains. This way, you can check how long the agency has been practising, what qualifications the guides have and whether they live there. If these three criteria are met, you should not be disappointed on that side.
The guide’s relational
For good memories, this point is extremely important. Indeed, if you have a guide, you will spend 80% of the time with him… It therefore contributes greatly to the atmosphere of the trip. From a distance, it’s a complicated point to check. The only option available to you is to find recommendations. Make sure they are well entered by a user, in sufficient numbers, and take the time to read some of them. Of course there is no guarantee but this gives a good idea.
The agency’s ability to adapt
Even more complicated to verify than the relational, this point is nevertheless vital. In all trips, there may be unforeseen events. To name but two: a day of very bad weather and a road cut off….
In the first case, the guide who knew the area perfectly could have switched two days of hiking. So we went to a clear corner on D-Day.
In the second case, the town hall was asked… without success. After some discussions with the local shepherds and villagers, a 4×4 was able to pass by a track to pick us up.
Again, the recommendations are a good way to see the agency’s ability to adapt to the unexpected. Take the time to read them, often there will be stories of difficulties overcome.
Insurance
If you pay by wire transfer, what happens if you cancel? Check the conditions given by the agency. Some take out additional insurance for your rescue (especially in the high mountains).
The price of the trip
For us, the most important thing is the success of the trip. Therefore, the price is not part of our selection criteria. Our partners are free to set their fair price and our commission is limited (Chapter 6 of our terms). However, if you have identified several agencies that meet the above criteria. Have them make a very accurate quote so you can compare.
And if, ultimately, you prefer to save yourself this and want to enjoy the benefits cited at the beginning of this article, you can also find the answer to “how to find a good local travel agency?” by going through a dedicated networking platform such as ours.
