MYSTERY SHOPPER WIN MY BOOKING


CARDIFF AND NEWPORT


WANTED: A middle-aged man and his wife want to take his elderly parents to Venice for four days. The man’s father is in a wheelchair, so they are looking for an accessible hotel BUDGET: £2,000


WINNING AGENT


OWNER ALLAN HOWELLS


‘ VERDICT


The Travel Business stood out for its attention to the needs of the wheelchair user in the group, and knowledge of specialist accessible operators. The Thomas Cook agent had a limited degree of expertise but made a valiant effort.


SCORING SYSTEM


10% Appearance/first impressions


25% Customer service


25% Advice and product knowledge


25% Holiday details 15% Overall experience


82%


The top-scoring agent each month will win the use of a car for 10 days


The winning agent must be at least 25, for insurance reasons. Winners under 25 will win a week’s all-inclusive holiday at an Elite Islands Resorts property. The prize is non-transferable and the car must be driven only by the winning agent. The winner must not have any serious driving convictions. Elite Island Resorts will endeavour to supply the car to the agency but reserves the right to request the winning agent to collect and return the car from Essex or a central location.


Thomas Cook 37 QUEEN STREET, CARDIFF


This store could have been mistaken


for being solely a currency exchange, as the stand was so prominent. The


agent wasn’t an expert, but asked lots of questions. They asked for more time to look for appropriate hotels, later calling


to talk me through two four-night Citalia trips, flying from Bristol with easyJet on February 4. I was quoted £1,716


for the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda and £2,107 for the Splendid Venice hotel.


58% Trailfinders 18 QUEEN STREET, CARDIFF


This shop was clean, but the waiting area was uninviting and the desks crammed in. An agent who was on the phone


called over to say that someone would be with me soon. An agent took my


requirements on board, but I didn’t feel the quote was tailored to the party’s


needs. I was offered a four-night break at the LaGare Hotel Venezia, with easyJet flights from Bristol, for £2,430. It felt as if I was an inconvenience to the agent.


› Accessible travel feature, page 63 46travelweekly.co.uk13 December 2018


We don’t get a lot of enquiries with


particular accessibility needs, but when people walk into an agency, they’re usually looking


for something specific – and it’s our job to match their requirements.


The Travel Business 12A RISCA ROAD, NEWPORT


This traditional-looking shop was clean and had a good window display. The agent greeted me warmly and asked lots of questions concerning dates,


accessibility requirements and airport preferences, and was knowledgeable about Italy. I was quoted £2,251 with


Citalia for four nights in two accessible rooms at the Splendid Venice hotel, flying from Bristol with easyJet on February 4. An option with Enable


Holidays was also offered, with the same flights and transfers, for £1,960. The


hotels weren’t specified, which the agent said was to protect its business model. I felt considerable effort was put in to ensuring a suitable holiday was found.


89% THIS WEEK’S WINNER


WIN!


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