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As your Personal Travel Expert, I'm here to make planning your next holiday stress-free and easy. Whether you know exactly what you want or need some travel inspiration, I'll use my knowledge and expertise to create a bespoke holiday you’ll love. From the whole package to those finishing touches such as car hire and travel insurance, I've got you covered!
In this monthly video podcast we get to chat about how the travel concierge role works for you, why it is beneficial, and the various options that could be available to you for your holidays, honeymoons, stag/hen breaks, etc.
This is a www.visual-pr.co.uk production
00:02:00:23 - 00:03:04:08
Chris
Welcome back to Doug Tanner, the travel concierge. Episode six. And this time, we're looking at travel agent secrets. What you need to know before you book a holiday.
00:03:04:10 - 00:03:09:04
Chris
So welcome back to Doug Tanner, the travel concierge. Greetings, sir.
00:03:09:07 - 00:03:10:04
Doug
Hello, Chris.
00:03:10:06 - 00:03:11:00
Chris
Good to see you.
00:03:11:00 - 00:03:13:13
Doug
Thank you. Hey, look at this.
00:03:13:13 - 00:03:14:03
Chris
Bronzed.
00:03:14:03 - 00:03:14:18
Doug
Bronze.
00:03:14:19 - 00:03:21:22
Chris
On one of your holidays. Just literally yesterday, I got back from a fabulous family holiday that you booked through. You? Yeah.
00:03:21:24 - 00:03:23:03
Doug
Brilliant. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
00:03:23:03 - 00:03:25:05
Chris
Oh. It was. It was special.
00:03:25:08 - 00:03:25:28
Doug
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:03:25:28 - 00:03:31:29
Chris
We got. What? Did we get included with it? The waterpark. So thanks to my 13 year old daughter, we were at that for half of the holiday.
00:03:31:29 - 00:03:34:06
Doug
Which is usually huge. Don't usually go to the water, but.
00:03:34:14 - 00:03:44:26
Chris
Okay, you go. There you go. I love the way you fall in the flume. They were amazing. Was it the number one waterpark? Siam Park? Yeah. Number one in the world. Yeah. I didn't know that at the time, but.
00:03:44:26 - 00:03:45:15
Doug
I got.
00:03:45:15 - 00:03:49:06
Chris
To go to it. Thanks to you. So much appreciated.
00:03:49:11 - 00:03:51:12
Doug
Oh, no. Thank you. No, it's good to get your help.
00:03:51:12 - 00:03:53:24
Chris
I'm still working out how to get back to the rat race. I gotta be.
00:03:53:24 - 00:03:55:27
Doug
Honest. Oh, well, you know, that's the problem.
00:03:55:29 - 00:03:56:23
Chris
When you think.
00:03:57:00 - 00:03:58:02
Doug
Think about the next holiday.
00:03:58:06 - 00:04:19:15
Chris
Absolutely. Ironically. And there lies a key point. Is on the plane on the way back is my wife turned to me and said, right, we need to start thinking about next year's holiday. And of course, I turned to her and said, with with yourself, we're able to do that, have a look piece together what we want. Yeah, we're not 100% sure what we want yet, but we will piece it together and we can then pay monthly.
00:04:19:15 - 00:04:37:16
Chris
Yes. Ready for next year's holiday? Yeah. Which we don't we haven't been disciplined enough is that we'll suddenly get into the next year and go, oh, quick, we need to look. And then of course, if we're lucky, we might pay half of it or something or whatever it is. Yeah. And not long after we pay the rest of it, whereas this will spread it a lot more.
00:04:37:16 - 00:04:53:07
Doug
And the beauty of doing that is you could probably select a room in the hotel where you want to be, rather than the rooms that are left. Really. So yeah, you can probably say you want a high, high floor, you know, or with a balcony or whatever. And, you know, let's just put one for an 80. And literally they're going again to June next year.
00:04:53:13 - 00:05:08:05
Doug
And there were two of the rooms left that they wanted. Oh wow. They wanted a balcony with a whirlpool, on the top floor. That's what I should do. Yeah. And, and yeah, we only booked, so. But there are only two left even now for June next year, so.
00:05:08:09 - 00:05:14:20
Chris
And you can see by my surprise that I've never booked early enough for that. I had no idea that that was an option. Yeah.
00:05:14:22 - 00:05:15:15
Doug
So.
00:05:15:18 - 00:05:35:12
Chris
Jenny noted. Yeah. We'll start thinking about it as soon as we finish the massive laundry from from the suitcases. We'll be back in touch. No problem. Today, though, we go in with, travel agent secrets. What you need to know before you book your next holiday. We're going to cover a raft of things here, and I'm going to kick it straight off.
00:05:35:14 - 00:05:47:11
Chris
Why consider a travel agent in the first place? You know, it's such a DIY online world. Why would we look at working with a travel agent?
00:05:47:13 - 00:06:00:16
Doug
The. Yes, there's fantastic amount, there online. But they will push you where they want you to go. They will sort of put you in the direction of their most popular hotels and the most popular destination.
00:06:00:17 - 00:06:19:09
Chris
Can I add something on that? That I've noticed is that I've done a search and got a list of results. I've then gone incognito on a web browser and done the search again. And there's things there that weren't on this list, whether that's locations, whether it's dates, whether it's times. And I'm like, hang on. Yeah, something isn't right.
00:06:19:14 - 00:06:36:27
Doug
Where are your searches? You know what? The internet knows all about you. It'll know what you search before and it will point you towards those. So yeah, you know, link online. And that's where we can come in. We can step back and say actually what do you want? And that's the process we go through. I don't know where we are on, on, on the solution to this, but, you know, that's the process I go to.
00:06:36:27 - 00:07:01:15
Doug
My first question is, what do you want from the holiday? And then we go back and when, not when, because I'm independent. We're not, tied to any particular, company that will will take you in the right direction. And if you want something a little bit different, a little bit off the beaten track or something like that, then we can go and find that for you and put it all together for you.
00:07:01:15 - 00:07:25:08
Doug
So, you know, my expertise and knowledge is is what I know. But there are resources I can tap into which vastly expand that. And I can, you know, then present you with more of what you want. Then I'm just going on an online search. And yes, the online search is absolutely fine. If you're a simple fly beach, you know, and come back in and you want to flip on the beach, that's great.
00:07:25:10 - 00:07:49:17
Doug
But if there's something a little bit more involved or trips you want to do, then that's where hopefully I can bring in inspiration. You know, I can say, well, have you thought of this? If you do that, what about this? And hopefully that'll spark it because what's a holiday for? You know, it's for building memories and yes, it's for a chance to recharge, but a lot of the time it's a big investment and it's to really build those memories for that for you.
00:07:49:19 - 00:07:51:09
Doug
You know, you come back to in the future.
00:07:51:11 - 00:08:10:23
Chris
And I'd like to point out on that is that I've had in my head as well that sort of like a dream vacation where you're doing some amazing things. But I have to say, even hours that we went over to to Tenerife, you made a comet, for example, is going, you're not you're not bound by one company, but equally you're not.
00:08:10:23 - 00:08:34:25
Chris
You don't have you have access to them all, you know, even the ones that we would have access to. So it's all and sundry and ones that we wouldn't know to look at. And I've done. I love your phrase fly and flop. Yeah. And last year we, we finished a holiday in Turkey. And that again, you helped us with, to identify the place we could go when we got left high and dry.
00:08:34:25 - 00:08:44:21
Chris
It, Birmingham Airport with another travel company. We came back and we felt unsatisfied.
00:08:44:26 - 00:08:45:20
Doug
Right.
00:08:45:22 - 00:09:09:11
Chris
You know, it's like we'd had a wonderfully relaxing time. Beach pull. See, you know, all of that. But we a we drank, we relaxed. Our daughter would have been 12, nearly 13 then. And you could just see it in her face. And this is only child so she hasn't got anyone immediately there. And it wasn't the kind of resort that was easy for English to make friends.
00:09:09:14 - 00:09:27:04
Chris
Yeah. And and you could just see in a face that it just wasn't quite right. And we kind of went, you know what? We need to do more. But when we go all inclusive big resort, we don't go outside of it. Yeah. This year we went as well as a nice hotel and everything that was in the middle of all of the whole load of amazing restaurants.
00:09:27:05 - 00:09:37:05
Chris
Two minute walk to the beach. We did the waterpark that I mentioned five days out of the time we were there. We did, glass bottom.
00:09:37:07 - 00:09:37:20
Doug
Five.
00:09:37:21 - 00:10:00:24
Chris
Brilliant cruise. Yeah. With, looking at, positive. Pilot whales, including a one week old baby that was, lost. You can tell. Swimming in the sea where the boat just anchored at this point. That was quite amazing. We also went to a medieval night. I ride, you know, and I was coming back thinking, wow, I feel exhausted.
00:10:00:24 - 00:10:19:19
Chris
Am I going to regret this? It's like, no, because I didn't think work one second. No, sorry, Tom. I just was the guy he was with. I just didn't think of work at all. And I suddenly went, do you know what? That was even better than the flying flop.
00:10:19:22 - 00:10:35:09
Doug
Absolutely. It's what you can actually, you know, and it's a big investment as well. You know, how many people go and they say people go on a holiday three times a year on average, but I don't know who they are. You know, quite a lot of, you know, quite an odd people. It's the once it's a once a year when it's your time to actually make memories.
00:10:35:09 - 00:10:46:26
Doug
And so I want to put it, you know, and just really get, get away, do the sort of things you never normally do. And, you know, just, just enjoy where you are. So that's a, that's the best part about.
00:10:46:27 - 00:10:58:22
Chris
It really is. So expertise and knowledge. Yeah. And that doesn't just that's not just your own expertise and knowledge, but access to a broader, you know, knowledge bank, if you will.
00:10:58:22 - 00:11:23:11
Doug
I think I've got 400 suppliers that I could tap into. Yeah. So, you know, and that's not just for the actual holiday. It's for the excursions. It's for the the days out, the trips, travel. And yes, it's travel and that sort of thing. So, absolutely. No, it's a case of, you know, I'll use my knowledge of the Expo of the air expertise as well, you know, my, my pool of resource, and go in and see what they got and see what they can offer.
00:11:23:13 - 00:11:45:06
Chris
Time savings. Another big one. Yeah. And I, I've seen this in two different angles. One is when you're trying to piece together a complex trip that's fairly obvious how much time saving you will give us as a client. But I've had experiences where when I was even just trying to book a flying flop, and I've given I've gone, oh, I can't be bothered.
00:11:45:06 - 00:11:51:11
Chris
Keep looking. Yeah. Because you keep going back and forth and back and forth and I'm like, forget it. We'll look again. And next weekend.
00:11:51:18 - 00:11:57:08
Doug
I say people spend one of my phrases, people spend more time searching for a holiday than they actually spend on.
00:11:57:08 - 00:11:58:18
Chris
Holiday 100%.
00:11:58:20 - 00:12:21:21
Doug
And and therefore, to use me, I can save you that time. I'll ask you all the questions. I think you need to ask so that I get the right thing for you. And I'll probably I won't give you probably more than I won't give you more than two options, you know, again, because you've got I'm trying to you give one because if I've got the questions right, I'll come up with something that's the right thing pretty much first time out.
00:12:21:23 - 00:12:36:03
Doug
If it isn't, well, we go back and tweak it. But to get four options is like, yeah, but like that bit I want that bit, you know, and it's just so one option, maximum two. And then we've got something we can work on. Yeah. So yeah.
00:12:36:04 - 00:12:49:28
Chris
And we still get the fun of that looking into that. Oh yeah. Yeah. Oh Doug I really love that. But yeah. And I know I had that with you with this holiday. I went hard the, the, transfer was a bit too long for, both when it comes to the transfer, I don't like a long one now.
00:12:49:28 - 00:12:56:25
Chris
And, and I kind of went. Yeah, there's not quite enough nearby. And then we did it and it was all sorted. Yeah.
00:12:57:01 - 00:13:07:00
Doug
No. That's right. Now it's just kind of operation, you know. So I'll send you it. You research the hotel or whatever, but you're not spending hours. Just trying to find the basic, the starting point. Yeah, I know we can do that.
00:13:07:01 - 00:13:11:13
Chris
Exactly. So time saving, personalization. Yeah.
00:13:11:21 - 00:13:32:18
Doug
So I work with my customers. The more I get to know them, the more I help them, the more I've got a sheet of their preferences. So, I will work through. So I've got a lady, who? She goes to the same hotel, which is fabulous, but she wants special assistance at the airport. She wants, a certain room in the hotel that we talked about.
00:13:32:21 - 00:13:49:24
Doug
And, you know, she wants private to transfer, speedy boarding, and we just do all that for her without her asking. And. Yeah, booked. And as you pay for her, off you go. You know, boarding passes, supply, that sort of thing. So, yes. Very much. I love working with, customers. You come back to me and say, you know, that was great.
00:13:50:01 - 00:13:55:17
Doug
Can you do something for me again? You know, next time. So, No, that works. Well.
00:13:55:19 - 00:14:12:27
Chris
And that builds up over time. I guess that's the key point, is that keep coming back to you is our intention now because you get us, you know? Yeah. What we enjoyed, what wasn't right, all of that sort of stuff. And it will just improve every time. Yeah. But we were you could you build up your own cookies.
00:14:13:02 - 00:14:13:17
Chris
Yeah.
00:14:13:19 - 00:14:16:04
Doug
That's right. Yeah. That's suppose. Yeah. And it was taught me a lot.
00:14:16:05 - 00:14:19:17
Chris
Is it isn't it. Problem solvers.
00:14:19:19 - 00:14:37:13
Doug
Okay. Just had a couple in their 30s and you think, you know, they're completely competent and they do everything themselves. They really switched on. They arrived at the hotel. At the hotel, at the airport four minutes after the gate closed, four minutes after they rang me on the way. So that I think we're going to be late, I'll say, but just keep going, okay?
00:14:37:13 - 00:14:54:18
Doug
Yourself. Then let's do what we can. And can you imagine being at the airport with just an iPhone? Yeah, it was him and his partner and the formula gates closed, you know, and there's no one around to talk and no one around to find. So he rang me. What do we do? Right. Okay, so I went online.
00:14:54:18 - 00:15:10:02
Doug
I actually found him a flight with another airline later that afternoon. And my advice to him was, you book that direct because it'll be the cheapest option for you to get yourself to the hotel will at the hotel. You're going to be late. We'll at hotel know you're going to be late. So we rang the hotel, told them we going to be late.
00:15:10:06 - 00:15:27:29
Doug
We rearranged the transfer so we can get that done. So I know, and I just went right. Okay. Yes, we booked it. Yes it cost us some money, but we're on holiday and I went and had a fabulous holiday and came back and it, it just it just lowers that stress level for you. No problem solving and it's that point of contact as well.
00:15:28:03 - 00:15:44:16
Doug
What do we do on this phone. Do you know. And then yeah okay. Let's get you a solution. You know I can book your flight, but yes, it will cost you more because I own a commission. So you book it yourself in this instance, booking yourself. You're in the in the thing and you're on your own. Your holiday job done.
00:15:44:19 - 00:16:05:03
Doug
So yeah. So that and the and we've all, you know, was, what's your air traffic controller strike? Just the past few days. Yep. That's caused massive disruption. It's just. Oh, what do I do? You know, so I can't necessarily solve it every time, but I'm a point of contact you can get hold of. And I've got access to, you know, two numbers that I can ring.
00:16:05:05 - 00:16:06:24
Doug
So it can, hopefully help.
00:16:06:24 - 00:16:27:05
Chris
Which, again, I'm not going to go in great detail, but we struck up a chord with last year, when one of the big travel companies just let us down. Three days we spent at an airport. And then eventually they just canceled a holiday. As if they could do that. And it's like. What? And we had no real way of getting through.
00:16:27:05 - 00:16:43:21
Chris
I mean, I remember the first night they just suddenly said, right, no, we're not taking off today. We're going to put you up in a hotel. We got put putting this hotel near the airport. And, it was like I eventually got through just to a call center and I went, I need to know, what time are we leaving the hotel to get back?
00:16:43:21 - 00:16:54:15
Chris
Because we've got set alarm. We'll be in touch when we know. And you know what? We had 20 minutes notice the next morning. My way at, like, 8:00. It was leave. That wasn't.
00:16:54:19 - 00:16:54:28
Doug
To me.
00:16:55:04 - 00:17:10:28
Chris
It wasn't. This was. This is what was made me convert because that I was going to Cape Verde. I think we were going. Yeah. And then suddenly it was like, Doug, can you help me? We've been stitched up now. He couldn't help with that holiday. No, no. But we sorted out getting on another one. Yeah, that was a totally different thing.
00:17:10:28 - 00:17:31:14
Chris
And getting the money back for me. But my point. But it is that that big company that I should leave nameless, I had no way to speak to a human being that was able to help me do anything about it. And that vulnerability was horrible. Yeah. Absolutely awful. I've got my wife, I've got my 12 year old little girl there in tears that this is all happening.
00:17:31:16 - 00:17:39:10
Chris
And now I know I went on this holiday. Go. Hey, if there's a problem, I can get straight on the phone to Doug, and Doug will know who to speak to.
00:17:39:15 - 00:17:43:12
Doug
And I am. I am available 24 hours a day. Don't necessarily want to be.
00:17:43:13 - 00:17:43:24
Chris
Now.
00:17:43:24 - 00:17:45:14
Doug
But I will take the call.
00:17:45:15 - 00:17:48:26
Chris
If it happens. We don't want you to leave because I think there was a reason why we go on.
00:17:48:27 - 00:18:05:20
Doug
Well that's right. Yeah. But you know, that's one of the beauties. I don't shut down old. I even take bookings up to nine in the evening. You know, I'm open when, a lot of other places shut. Weekends. I'll pick the phone up and you know, help out. So that's what I quite like about, you know, I'm a people person, I quite like, I like helping people.
00:18:05:25 - 00:18:19:08
Doug
So. Yeah. It's not that not an issue. Let's sort let's get a solution. Let's sort something out because that's quite rewarding for me, you know, to want to get a solution for somebody. So, and you know, pretty much we, you know, we we've narrowed it up to now.
00:18:19:10 - 00:18:36:20
Chris
Yeah. I've heard many a story. You and we've been at, at various meetings together and you said, oh, I've just had this and how it's resolved it for the club and it's before as well, because I remember when we were booking this holiday, they suddenly seemed to be an issue where we couldn't book seats on the plane or we couldn't get the three together.
00:18:36:22 - 00:18:54:17
Chris
You got it sorted. You booked our seats, they're out and back so that we were all in a in the three of us in the line. Yeah. My flight. Yeah. And I would have gone online and had a problem with that. So it's even before you can do the problem solving huge piece of mind access to deals and perks.
00:18:54:19 - 00:19:17:15
Doug
Yeah. So at the moment we're in the season called late, so we're at the end, you know, end of July being, I'm sorry, beginning of August. And there's still available, offers out there. And again, if you go online, there's a massive stuff to sift through. Whereas again, with what I know the customer will want, if I know what you want, I can go and see if there's something available that's actually a deal.
00:19:17:22 - 00:19:40:15
Doug
There's even deals now for 2026 and things coming out. So, you know, it's a case of, seeing what's out there. And often we'll put little perks or something like that to, to, to make it, just more enjoyable and that extra edge, that sort of stuff. You know, which one, the airport lounge and things. You know, if you're going to be in the airport a while, you know, you're private transfers, that sort of stuff to get all that sorted.
00:19:40:15 - 00:19:51:09
Doug
But no, the deals are variable throughout the year. So yes, it's constantly changing. So but we have access to quite a few promotional codes and that sort of stuff that we apply. Yeah. When we can.
00:19:51:09 - 00:20:07:05
Chris
Well worth it. And you introduce us to the world of private transfers, actually, because we hadn't done that before. I really, we went to Turkey. We didn't do it this year because we were. Yeah, less than 30 minutes away. Yeah, it just wasn't worth it. But the turkey one and we were like, is it really worth it?
00:20:07:07 - 00:20:16:12
Chris
It's like, yes, absolutely. Straight out drivers there with our name into the car off. And we were at the hotel long before the bus turned up.
00:20:16:14 - 00:20:21:26
Doug
That's right. And quite often I'll check and it's often half the time. Yes. Okay. Because you don't.
00:20:21:26 - 00:20:22:27
Chris
Do it all to the other, all.
00:20:22:28 - 00:20:27:12
Doug
The other stops, and you're not in a crowded bus where it's hot and it's, you know.
00:20:27:12 - 00:20:30:29
Chris
And sometimes we've had to wait because they're waiting for another plane to come in or something like.
00:20:30:29 - 00:20:35:24
Doug
That. Yeah. So no, I if I can, I'll get on my customers to get in for private transfers.
00:20:35:29 - 00:20:38:15
Chris
Corrupted us at the world of private transfers.
00:20:38:22 - 00:20:46:01
Doug
And yeah, I'll do it for myself. So I wasn't one for the others, you know? Yeah. It's just lovely to get there and go. Yeah, we're in the car and we're running it hot to trot.
00:20:46:06 - 00:20:55:19
Chris
It's what it is genuinely was is a lovely way to do it that we're now, hooked on. I just lost my train of thought there. Financial protection.
00:20:55:19 - 00:21:23:12
Doug
Yes. Okay. So obviously, not just travel as a member of the group. Age group and not just travel. Have up to and Atol protection. So what does that mean? Basically, it means that if a company goes bust and one has recently, travel company gone bust, you're financially protected. Okay. So that's the main thing. I mean, yes, it's a disaster that your holiday hasn't happened, but, you're you're financially you're you're protected.
00:21:23:12 - 00:21:39:10
Doug
So you get you get your money back. So, I'm trying I told the Association of British Travel Agents, and, I don't want air traffic. On, it's the traffic. The for the flights. More for the flights. But yeah, if it goes best. And the other thing I'll just throw in is that spirit of travel insurance is very important.
00:21:39:12 - 00:22:06:17
Doug
Just to make sure you got travel insurance. I mean, again, and if you're going on a cruise, you need special cruise travel insurance. Yep. So that's that's the other thing. But travel insurance at the point of booking is very important to make sure you've got the right travel insurance. And it covers what you want. I won't go into detail, but just make sure you, you know, if you're booking something, you there are travel companies that are all right, insurance companies out there with Associated offer the banks, the banks, association travel insurance.
00:22:06:18 - 00:22:22:06
Doug
Just make sure it covers what you want because some of them are that just provided to you as an extra. But just make sure the travel insurance covers what you what you need because, you know, nobody wants insurance. Nobody wants to work on it. But you know, if it's there and you've got it, then it's, it's all good.
00:22:22:06 - 00:22:40:12
Chris
Absolutely. Yeah. We took out the extra insurance for, when we went on a cruise a couple of years ago. Yeah. Because we suddenly went, oh, it's not covered. And so, yeah, it was a good one. Next section, understanding how you guys work, how travel agents work and how you get paid, because that's a misunderstanding. Yeah.
00:22:40:15 - 00:22:50:01
Chris
Because people ask the question, how do they make money if they're saving time and finding deals and da da da da da. How does that piece together?
00:22:50:03 - 00:23:10:06
Doug
So, imagine if you go into a car showroom, you would spend a lot of time with the car salesman talking about what car you wanted. Okay? And that is time and and time is money. So the travel companies are the same. So we start by the start results. And I go into what the customer wants. I'll find out what you want from a holiday.
00:23:10:08 - 00:23:29:05
Doug
I'll do the research. And I'll then go to a holiday company and say, can you book that please? So they will then pay me for my time. They will give me a commission on the holiday because I've done the research. I can I can go to them and say thank you very much, but that, you know, that's that's done and dusted or can you do this, you know, and they'll, they'll come up with an option.
00:23:29:07 - 00:23:55:20
Doug
So I earn my, income from commission pay played by the travel companies that I booked through, because I'm saving them the time and staff and energy that they would spend, you know, putting things out. So, and you know it. Yeah. I don't charge for my services. So that's what I like to say. And therefore, if you got a problem made holiday and you phoned me up, there isn't a charge, you know, it's that sort of thing.
00:23:55:20 - 00:24:20:26
Doug
So there's no charge throughout the time, that you spend with me that I directly charge you for. I don't charge a fee upfront or anything like that. So, Yeah, you know, so you've got my contact as your personal travel concierge, 24 seven for no charge and for and for getting the right holiday for you. Yeah. So, you know, it's great for me, and it hopefully is great for you if you need it.
00:24:20:27 - 00:24:35:09
Doug
You know, if you don't need me on a holiday, that's fine. I'll be better. Yeah. Because, you know, no fault should happen, but, But. Yeah, that's how I get it. So you can't travel company. Thank me for taking their time, you know, to do all the research for them.
00:24:35:12 - 00:24:38:16
Chris
And and thanking you, in effect, for sort of like bringing them more.
00:24:38:16 - 00:24:40:09
Doug
Customers, literally. Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:40:12 - 00:24:54:11
Chris
And that's the point is that ironically, is we're probably paying a commission even if we don't go through you, because that figure is the saying. So, yeah. But by going through you, they're, they, they kind of build in any potential commission.
00:24:54:11 - 00:25:26:21
Doug
And two of the big, companies, one was top, the other one went to travel agents to help it then became top tier and realized, oh, perhaps we ought to use more, more travel agents as well. And they're the functions you get back on top. Yeah. So they realized the benefit of using agents to to book through them, as a, a tool for them to sort of, you know, increase their, their reach more people, you know, because people often don't think, oh, I'm not going to use them because X but actually they do a good deal or whatever.
00:25:26:21 - 00:25:29:03
Doug
So, you know, it's, yeah, that's how we get paid.
00:25:29:09 - 00:25:45:20
Chris
I mean, it's it's kind of cyclical, isn't it? You always used to be the travel agents, the high street shop. And I know some do still exist. Yeah, but they don't tend to be packed full of people these days because people do it online. And it's like, well, actually that everyone thought that was the the end of the travel agent.
00:25:45:20 - 00:25:52:21
Chris
But it's like, no, it was the change, the travel agent. Yeah. Work from home. Yeah. And he's using technology to, to bring us those packages.
00:25:52:21 - 00:26:07:27
Doug
I was going to say this at the start of this bit, but one of the common phrases is it's going to cost me more to, to travel. Agent one actually isn't, you know, so, and that's, that's the big fallacy that it'd be nice to sort of, cancel out or something. So, yeah.
00:26:07:29 - 00:26:14:23
Chris
Some I believe there's a phrase that some might sort of sneak in some service fees, but you guys definitely don't.
00:26:14:25 - 00:26:40:04
Doug
We don't know. We don't put a service fee in. No, no, there are some agents that, want to charge because quite a lot of customers ask us for quite a lot of things and then go and look at themselves. Okay. Yeah. So that's a challenge. So some agents do say, well, if I'm going to do this for you, give me a, you know, a fee which will then be included in what you pay for the holiday.
00:26:40:06 - 00:26:55:23
Doug
So you know which it might be something I'll look at, but it don't really be, almost like a down payment on what you can book anyway. And it's just part of the payment to if I'm going to spend my, you know, 4 or 5 hours researching then and then it's a compensation.
00:26:55:23 - 00:27:03:08
Chris
But that doesn't cost us any more unless we suddenly do that way we kind of go, thanks. Do all the research, Doug. I'm not going to go and book that myself. Yeah.
00:27:03:14 - 00:27:09:15
Doug
So that that's, that may be coming in with, some agents. I've heard of. So. And it's a case of just.
00:27:09:18 - 00:27:15:08
Chris
But the transparency is key. There is. Yeah. Yeah. It's like making it clear upfront that we know what the situation is.
00:27:15:09 - 00:27:15:25
Doug
Absolutely.
00:27:15:25 - 00:27:25:25
Chris
That's fair. Equally, as a reputable agent, we said about the fact you've got this, this wide arching, access. Yeah. There's no bias.
00:27:25:26 - 00:27:27:22
Doug
No, no, I mean, I've got.
00:27:27:27 - 00:27:29:02
Chris
Positive or negative.
00:27:29:03 - 00:27:43:20
Doug
Positive or negative. That's right. No, no, no. All, you know, if people want me and I want that holiday, you know, I can I'll book on holiday, but not the hand of the 400 suppliers that I mentioned, I think may maybe more. Quite a lot of them only channel to the trade. So you wouldn't be able to find anyway.
00:27:43:20 - 00:28:02:26
Doug
So, you know, it's brilliant to be able to, to offer something that isn't available, as, a brilliant alternative to what you. So you can only get. So. No. Absolutely not. But if the other companies are better. Yeah. I'll go back and I'll tell you what. Let's let's compare. And if that one's better. Yeah, we'll do that one.
00:28:02:26 - 00:28:03:25
Doug
So,
00:28:03:27 - 00:28:23:21
Chris
And to make it clear as well is that we've just done one, as I say through you, that was then ultimately through again. I shall leave it without a name. One of the travel companies, we were still, as far as they were concerned, one of their customers. Yeah. You know, we had the travel rep meeting. We had access to them.
00:28:23:21 - 00:28:29:25
Chris
We you know, we were one of their clients. They didn't diminish anything by going sort of travel agent.
00:28:29:26 - 00:28:43:08
Doug
No, not at all. No, no, no. Just to make that clear. Yeah. No that's right. No no no they they're very happy to, to to have us book for them, you know, and find out what the customer wants a book it for them. And then they said they'll, they'll then in resort or wherever you are, then they'll take over and then.
00:28:43:08 - 00:29:05:23
Chris
Flights and all. All of that. Exactly. The transfer everything is that we wanted. And that was important for me because I wondered how that was going to play out. Right. And the answer was, you wouldn't know from that perspective, which is brilliant. And I think a point worth making. Initial consultation. Yeah. How what should we expect and how should we prepare for that?
00:29:05:25 - 00:29:26:27
Doug
I think it's worth a sit down with the family or whoever you're going with to say, what do we want from holiday? What do we actually want? And, you know, some elements. Want to do something, some elements want to do something else. And you know who's going are you traveling solo? Obviously. Or, you know, you a group or, an extended family, that sort of stuff.
00:29:26:27 - 00:29:48:06
Doug
So that can alter the dynamics as well. Ideally, yeah. Dates are great because obviously, you know, you need to travel to the right places at the right time. So to fit with your work or your holidays, all that sort of stuff. So, so that's fine. The sticky one is the budget and I hate to use the word budget.
00:29:48:08 - 00:30:01:07
Doug
It's what my phrase is, you know, what do you expect to spend on this? What are you comfortable spending on this. And people think by that we're going to rip them off by spending, you know, sending something back at double the price. Right.
00:30:01:11 - 00:30:04:00
Chris
My or you're going to charge is that even if it. Yeah.
00:30:04:07 - 00:30:16:09
Doug
And if they say I've got no budget, fine. I'll give you something that's fabulous and you'll go by. Oh my God, I can't afford that. Right. Okay. So there is a budget then, you know.
00:30:16:11 - 00:30:17:29
Chris
There is now.
00:30:18:01 - 00:30:37:01
Doug
There is a limit to what you want to spend. It's just using the phraseology of what are you comfortable to spend on this? You know, this once in a year adventure for, for your family sort of thing. So I try and get a ballpark figure, you know? And what I'll do then is my initial quote will all pretty much always be under that.
00:30:37:04 - 00:30:54:23
Doug
Yeah. But I'll then say yes, but for this, you know, you could do this or for that what you're thinking. Yeah. You'll figure this. This is what you can get for this, you know, and that's important to me that I don't go in with a one and a half times the budget because that's, you know, and if it's not very well, I'll say, actually, you can't do that for that.
00:30:54:26 - 00:30:56:29
Doug
You know, you need to you need to think I.
00:30:57:04 - 00:31:13:14
Chris
Did have an example of that when we were looking, I remember you saying, and we went, look, you can but look, that's the figure for it. And we went, forget it. Yeah, we genuinely got it is a hard question though. Yeah. You know speaking from the customer value. Oh my gosh you I don't know if I'm honest. They're too expensive for me.
00:31:13:16 - 00:31:14:29
Doug
Yeah yeah yeah that's right. Yeah.
00:31:14:29 - 00:31:35:00
Chris
But we always going to do it. You know at the moment it's about making sure that our daughter has memories that are going to last forever. When she was younger and all of those sorts of things, and about spending the family time together and I would say very rarely, we probably spent more than if you asked me to put a figure on it, we probably spent more, but that's because we got, oh, let's, let's add this, let's add this or worry about it later.
00:31:35:00 - 00:31:51:22
Chris
Yeah, yeah. But it still gives you that start point. That's the important thing isn't it. You're not now rigidly I think this is the right way to say you're not rigidly sticking to it. You've now got a ballpark that says, right, that's where I'm working for. And that includes if you find something that's nicely under it. Yes. Days.
00:31:51:23 - 00:32:03:09
Chris
Yes. But equally, if you kind of go, guys, I know you said that there's this for just that little bit more. Yeah. I would want to know. Yeah. Because I'll go. Oh blimey. Well if I'd have known that that's what I would have said.
00:32:03:09 - 00:32:24:06
Doug
One of it last year was brilliant because I asked a family that was sending a family of five to the USA to, to, universal Parks, and they came in with a budget per person. Okay. They expected to spend a my quote and I went back and checked it was 1,000 pound less per person than they were expecting to spend.
00:32:24:09 - 00:32:25:13
Chris
Wow.
00:32:25:15 - 00:32:47:14
Doug
I to go just book it. And I booked it in a and it was like yeah. So they had a, an idea of where it was going to be. Doesn't that very often. They had no idea where they were going to be, which was X amount per person. And what I got for them was exactly what they wanted, you know, a, a villa with a pool heated for them, you know, a minibus, universal tickets for 14 days and all that.
00:32:47:14 - 00:33:05:09
Doug
And it came in way less than they were expecting. And that was a brilliant. That was lovely. So, and in fact, they're off on a off on a cruise, in the beginning of August and another seven of them off on the cruise and being able to show, you know. So that was wonderful. So it is nice you know, if you've got an expectation of what you think you should spend.
00:33:05:09 - 00:33:22:29
Doug
And again, this is where planning in advance. So you plan this for next year June, July next year and you start paying monthly. You're thinking, okay, it's assumed a pound a month or something. Actually, that's that's done and dusted and it's all done and painful. So you know, and it's it's not a big wow massive amount you're going to pay in one lump.
00:33:23:00 - 00:33:31:08
Chris
Yeah. Either means, finding a big lump or putting it on the never, never carve, as I call it. Yeah. And that makes it even more expensive. Absolutely.
00:33:31:08 - 00:33:40:26
Doug
Yeah. I mean, the interest part on. Yeah. I mean, so, you know, the direct debit is no charges, no interest. Yeah. So you just pay the, the, the, the actual amount of the holiday. Yeah. So yeah. Well we're determined.
00:33:40:26 - 00:33:57:07
Chris
To be disciplined this determined we are we're going to stick to it. Yeah. I mean obviously they're going to throw I mean we've mentioned this health and mobility. They'll throw those elements at you. Yeah. That you need to be mindful of. So when I think you were using the examples of the what you call it.
00:33:57:07 - 00:33:58:01
Doug
The special assistance.
00:33:58:01 - 00:34:00:07
Chris
Yes, yes, assistance at the airport.
00:34:00:09 - 00:34:18:17
Doug
Well, just on a quote for a gentleman who admitted he would probably need two seats on a plane. So we went through, we did the, and he has a mobility scooter. So again, all sorted, you know. Yes. You can have two seats on the plane. And your partner has a seat, and, we've got special assistance organized.
00:34:18:19 - 00:34:36:25
Doug
We've got a lift because you can't do the stairs into the aircraft. So we've got him lifted up to the aircraft. Oh, that just pre organized. So. Yeah. Unevenly adapted. Hotel room. Ready for them, that sort of thing. So all that, you know, in the hotel, he's is, you know, obviously, wheelchair adaptive. That's what.
00:34:36:25 - 00:34:53:01
Doug
Well mobility scooter adapted. So most are anyway, to be honest. But, but yeah, it's all a little extra, like in the shower. You start handling the shower, you know, that sort of thing. Or is it a seat? Is a seat in the shower just literally down to the shuttle level. So, you know, it's it's, absolutely.
00:34:53:01 - 00:34:56:05
Doug
No, it's it's, you know, we try and get them sorted as best we can.
00:34:56:07 - 00:35:10:22
Chris
And we need to be making sure we've got the list of things that we've experienced in the past, good and bad. Yeah. The specific things that we want to do, whether it's for the holiday itself or the additions or what have you, the more of that you've got, yeah, the better the jigsaw puzzle you can piece together.
00:35:10:22 - 00:35:27:17
Doug
Absolutely. I had a call, I got a gentleman ringing me. I want to go to Ephesus in Turkey. You know, I want to go see the the ruins in Turkey. Where can I go? So I so I've got into crusaders who I've been there before, never been there. So we sent them on a, on a week trip to DRC with the excursions to see Ephesus and and thing.
00:35:27:19 - 00:35:41:09
Doug
Oh my goodness, Kusadasi is amazing. Never been there before. It's lovely. And it's like there, you know. So again, you've got a special interest. Yeah. We can just, you know, make it happen and hopefully give you an experience as well. Oh, I know I've been there before. It's absolutely brilliant.
00:35:41:09 - 00:36:01:08
Chris
Because we, we kind of just go with the herd that way. Yeah. And that it doesn't always pay I get that. What sort of questions should they ask you? I mean, I say the more I look at that, I don't think that we can be specific about them. But the point being is that we should be prepared to ask you guys detailed questions.
00:36:01:08 - 00:36:03:23
Chris
And if you can't answer them, yeah, that's a worry.
00:36:03:27 - 00:36:18:28
Doug
No, that's up to you. Right. And I will always say if I don't know I'll go and find out and come back to you. Yeah. You know, so that's where I've got this, the supply, this bank of supplies I can go back to and say, can we do this? Can we do that? You know. So, yeah.
00:36:19:00 - 00:36:29:12
Doug
It's it's it's fun. I really enjoy doing the research myself, you know, that's part of my time. My time is spent doing the research to save you time. Yeah, I'm saving them.
00:36:29:14 - 00:36:40:19
Chris
I know things that we should ask you is, do you specialize in certain destinations or types of travel? I sort of think that it's. I ask that whether you do.
00:36:40:22 - 00:36:45:04
Doug
Now, I don't know. I'm happy to do anything. You know, it's. I do like cruises.
00:36:45:04 - 00:36:46:28
Chris
I was about to say you got a short show for cruise.
00:36:46:29 - 00:37:00:07
Doug
Yeah, but a lot of cruises. They're they're very popular. And just a fabulous way to see, like we just said, you know, we won't go there because it's a whole raft we could do on cruises, but, you know, you only paid.
00:37:00:08 - 00:37:01:10
Chris
What, the last episode.
00:37:01:11 - 00:37:05:10
Doug
Yeah. That's right. Yeah. Unpack once and see five different times. You know, quantum circuits.
00:37:05:11 - 00:37:23:03
Chris
So and it is a big, big deal. Oh. Equally, I think you like it when you've got to add the different experiences, whether that sites, whether it's parks, whether it's whatever. And I've heard you mentioned things where it's maybe piecing together the travel. You've told me the one where it's like multiple trains that were involved.
00:37:23:03 - 00:37:40:00
Doug
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Down through road trip. Latino daughter went to, Sicily by train from UK. So, you know, there was, hotel accommodation, but hotel stops in Geneva and then, you know, then the Naples, and then you get the train down to Tommy and, and things like there. So.
00:37:40:05 - 00:37:41:03
Chris
Yeah. Piece that.
00:37:41:03 - 00:37:42:14
Doug
Piece. Let's hear that. Yeah.
00:37:42:14 - 00:38:02:01
Chris
And mark my phrase simply for you is you like having to roll your sleeves up. Yeah. Like, right. Let's really piece this together. Yeah. What, the service fees, if any, we've touched on. How do you handle changes or cancellations? And certainly we, you know, you're available 24 seven if required. Yeah. How will you communicate with me during the planning and during the trip?
00:38:02:03 - 00:38:11:09
Chris
And yours is via email and WhatsApp? Yes. Because I said yes. Yeah, yeah. Make that clear. Is that if someone says no, don't trouble me on WhatsApp, that's personal. Then, you know, do it.
00:38:11:12 - 00:38:11:27
Doug
That's right.
00:38:11:27 - 00:38:13:26
Chris
But why wouldn't you? It's such an obvious one.
00:38:13:29 - 00:38:14:25
Doug
Such brilliant. Yeah.
00:38:14:25 - 00:38:31:15
Chris
So it's not included. Before we went, I think when we got there, just made sure that everything was okay. Yeah. And when we got back. Yeah. And it was just just lovely. And thankfully, we didn't need to be contacting you for anything. It kind of went swimmingly, which I think after last year we deserved. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
00:38:31:15 - 00:38:38:06
Chris
So that's that's good. So we get the proposal. What's the booking process and what do we need to look out for?
00:38:38:08 - 00:38:55:12
Doug
Deposits, I suppose. Just make sure that you know what your deposits are going to be before you set off. And then obviously, if we get the payment plan set up. Yeah, you can we can work out what your payment plan is. Passports need to be in date. I think Schengen area is three months. After the travel, you can have three months left on it.
00:38:55:12 - 00:39:15:00
Doug
That may be changing. There could be new stuff coming in about charges into the European Union. That's probably restarting. It's all that sort of stuff that we're going to, let you know about and or, you know, ask you and you might know about it already, but, you know, we we do all that sort of thing. Watching it, you know, watch exactly what you've got.
00:39:15:00 - 00:39:32:09
Doug
So I go through before we actually do the booking, I reiterate to you what your flight times are, and you know, what you've booked and the hotel and the room type and, you know, board basis, all that sort of stuff. And again, any excursions we can we can pre-book excursions quite often. So there's a group going to Italy.
00:39:32:12 - 00:39:53:15
Doug
Next year where we only there four days. We've got three excursions booked, you know, we're going to to Naples and then we're off to Capri for the day, and then we go around the Amalfi Coast for a day and then, you know, so it's getting all those pre-booked, in the back ready. So, yeah, it's knowing it's having a clear idea of what you, what you're booking, what you want to do and you see it.
00:39:53:15 - 00:39:58:03
Doug
Right. You know, just checking in information. You still got time hopefully to to to tweak it.
00:39:58:08 - 00:40:17:04
Chris
Yeah, absolutely. And I mean so that leads on to the things that you keep us updated with pre and post and during travel and whatever you look at Passport Village, see any visa requirements, the monthly health advice for where we're going as well. Yes. Yeah. Yeah that for us I know that should be on us. But you're make it no know.
00:40:17:04 - 00:40:33:16
Doug
Just make sure you're aware of it. You know like going to it's probably even going to the USA getting this esta you know the American entry visa. You need to do that I think. And it's a case of well I didn't realize, you know. So I didn't may have realized I didn't remember to do it because life carries on, doesn't it?
00:40:33:16 - 00:40:36:06
Doug
Life isn't life. Correction. And, you know, I've got.
00:40:36:07 - 00:40:37:15
Chris
Work to do for the holiday.
00:40:37:16 - 00:40:41:22
Doug
Yeah. That's right, that's right. So, yeah, it's, and.
00:40:41:22 - 00:41:05:17
Chris
That includes even local customs and laws. Yeah. Things like that. Yeah. Emergency contact information. Who do you contact if there's an issue or who do they contact if there's an issue with us. Yeah. Out of that during trip support any updates or changes. Absolutely. Yeah though to find you make sure we know and I think we I don't I can't remember what it was might not been an actual change but we got notification.
00:41:05:17 - 00:41:14:00
Chris
And then the next thing we got the contact from you guys. What about the. And we got caught. Thank you. We got it. Whereas if that had gone into our spam folder or we got.
00:41:14:00 - 00:41:14:18
Doug
It and throw.
00:41:14:18 - 00:41:15:18
Chris
Our on the ball as well.
00:41:15:21 - 00:41:16:14
Doug
Yeah that was a.
00:41:16:14 - 00:41:17:17
Chris
Great piece of mind.
00:41:17:17 - 00:41:25:29
Doug
Yeah. That's right. No it's just making sure that yes you've got it. But you know what I mean. I want to make sure you've got it as well. So, you know, it's nothing like a nothing like that. Everyone hates to surprise.
00:41:26:02 - 00:41:42:03
Chris
Absolutely. I mean, is, you know, can be fairly stressful getting everyone to the airport and everything anyway. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, that kind of talks us through what it happens if I missed anything out that you want to, to specifically touch before we look at the,
00:41:42:05 - 00:41:44:28
Doug
So now I think now I think I see it now, I think we've covered it pretty well. Right.
00:41:44:29 - 00:42:03:04
Chris
Okay. So we're going to now look at a specific, set of experiences. And I love this one because you said these tools are designed to stir the soul and spark of the imagination. I think if I go this way, we should bring up the montage image.
00:42:03:08 - 00:42:04:28
Doug
Yeah, look at that.
00:42:04:28 - 00:42:07:00
Chris
I speak to us. What's this?
00:42:07:07 - 00:42:15:18
Doug
So this is a tour. A 12 day tour. Victoria Falls, Botswana Safari and Cape Town.
00:42:15:18 - 00:42:16:06
Chris
Wow.
00:42:16:06 - 00:42:38:12
Doug
Okay. I mean, can you just imagine this? You know, I like to inspire people. And, you know, if there's nothing that doesn't inspire about this, then there's something wrong. So nine nights accommodation in a hotel, you got return flights and transfers. You've got eight included experiences. So, a tour manager and your luggage. A sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, aboard the African Queen.
00:42:38:14 - 00:42:54:05
Doug
Four nights in Cape Town with a guided tour. A safari through Botswana's vast Chobe National Park. Explore the stunning Victoria Falls. And then you've got an optional helicopter flight. I mean, who wouldn't? South Africa's beautiful winelands with wine tasting.
00:42:54:12 - 00:42:54:29
Chris
You know, from.
00:42:55:00 - 00:43:14:07
Doug
Us, and, and my partner would really love this cape of good hope and a penguin colony visit. Who doesn't want to see a penguin? So, Yeah. So, you know, some highlights. You've got sundowner drinks, views of the African wilderness. About safaris. You should see elephants close up. And it's a small group. Shows no more than 22 on the group.
00:43:14:10 - 00:43:19:15
Doug
But you get guided. And it's that thing about when you go on holiday. Quite often, I think, what should we do today?
00:43:19:15 - 00:43:19:27
Chris
Yes.
00:43:20:03 - 00:43:42:03
Doug
What should we do? Oh, what should we do today. Should we go and sugar. No, I don't know. We've got a high car perhaps something like that. But you know what this you go, all the food's included, everything's organized for you, and it's relaxed and it's. It's just something that, you know, it is a bucket list trip. And I think it was a comedian once said, you know, a once in a lifetime trip.
00:43:42:03 - 00:44:03:11
Doug
I won't do that again. You know? But, but, yeah, you know, it's the sort of thing that everyone wants to see, everyone wants to do. And this puts it all together for you, you know? And, yeah, it's just a wonderful thing to to think about and imagine planning that. And then waiting for it to happen and then going and doing it.
00:44:03:11 - 00:44:21:12
Doug
And the memories I keep on about it, the memories that will make, you know, for, for you and, whoever goes on that sort of thing. So, yeah, I mean, as I'm not sure we can, even with this company, get door to door transfers from your house, you know, to the to the airport. So, yeah, I mean, it's it's just brilliant, you know, and, yes, there's a price.
00:44:21:12 - 00:44:26:17
Doug
There's a value on it, but what's the value of going to someone like that? You know, isn't it?
00:44:26:20 - 00:44:43:24
Chris
It's massively huge. So presumably the whole idea with things like that is that if I jump back again, we've got, your website turner dot not just travel.com. Yeah. But the big one to look at for you is on your Facebook page, I believe is.
00:44:43:25 - 00:44:47:12
Doug
Yes, the NJT dot NJT.
00:44:47:12 - 00:44:59:22
Chris
Yeah. Facebook, because I keep sort of like popping up with, not just clips from these episodes. Also we've got, you know, these, these special offers or these example experiences.
00:44:59:22 - 00:45:00:04
Doug
Inspiration.
00:45:00:07 - 00:45:01:02
Chris
It is exactly.
00:45:01:03 - 00:45:16:28
Doug
I try not to put offers on because people will go, yeah, but I don't want that now or I'm not going there or something like that, but it's a case of the offer that you see is an agent is a sample correct. And and use that as you go. Yeah. But could I do this?
00:45:16:28 - 00:45:39:29
Chris
Which is why I would always recommend people go back through your, your, your past post, not because it would be all too easy for me to go. There's no point looking back because that that offer won't be valid anymore. That would be for like beginning of the year or last year or whatever. It's like, no, no, no. There there for inspiration, go back, get in touch and go, Doug, I saw you did something last year that was this, you know, South Africa, you know, safari tour or whatever.
00:45:40:02 - 00:45:46:19
Chris
Yeah. You know, speak to me. I'm interested in doing something. I know that one's gone, but what can we do? And that's where you've been wrong. I mean.
00:45:46:19 - 00:45:52:27
Doug
Something like that. Some people come to me and say, I want a safari and beach. So we do the safari, and then we send them off to Mauritius for a week.
00:45:53:00 - 00:45:58:09
Chris
And no wonder a lot of people have done this. Sri Lanka and Maldives about really appeals to me. Yeah.
00:45:58:13 - 00:46:07:16
Doug
There you go. So and you know it is so much out there to go and see. And it's just wonderful to, to you know send people on on amazing trips.
00:46:07:21 - 00:46:26:23
Chris
You've made it hard for me. I'll be honest, where we keep speaking because I want to do things like Vietnam. Thailand appeals to me. There's there's some, it's still river cruises. I want to do the fjords cruise. I want to do a real one. And the Italy one sounds like a wonderful example of that. And it's just open up that things that I'd never have thought of.
00:46:26:24 - 00:46:36:00
Chris
No, I would just go, oh, well, I'm on the go to, you know, Mexico or Tenerife or. Yeah, you know, the cliche ones. Yeah. Which is still there.
00:46:36:02 - 00:46:37:06
Doug
Yes, absolutely.
00:46:37:06 - 00:46:47:08
Chris
But I mean, your example of, Turkey, the gentleman you sent to somewhere that I've never heard of, the place where he sent me there at he by the sounds of it. And they come back. God. Oh, my word, that was amazing.
00:46:47:11 - 00:47:04:18
Doug
Anyway, because it's a bit like it's a it's the, you know, it's the, the ruins and all sort of stuff, much like the great, but the, you know, the it's not so well known. Therefore it's not crammed with people. And, you know, it was a it was a great experience. So yeah, you know, I'm learning I'm picking up learnings all the time, you know, and things like that.
00:47:04:18 - 00:47:19:22
Doug
So and talking to Vietnam, there's a, there's a I've had an inquiry for a tour through Vietnam again all guided and again, you know, what you do in each day, but there's plenty of free time to go and explore. Yeah. So, no, it's it's great. There's so much I invite you to do it. Go and enjoy it.
00:47:19:24 - 00:47:26:01
Chris
Enjoy. On Facebook. We've got the website up there Doug Turner dot not just travel.com email.
00:47:26:03 - 00:47:35:10
Doug
Doug kind of know Doug dot kind of yeah Doug dot China at not just travel.com and lots of teaching not just travel.com.
00:47:35:12 - 00:47:47:17
Chris
So get in touch just start the conversation even if it's for next year. And you go oh that's miles away. Yeah definitely equally by the way the other way presumably we could go right. Doug, do you know I've left at the last minute? I'd like to do something this August.
00:47:47:17 - 00:48:00:04
Doug
Yeah. That's there's lots available. You will be restricted on the rooms that you get because, you know, that's left, as I said, but yes. No, there's still there's still holidays available and, yeah, let's, let's talk and.
00:48:00:04 - 00:48:08:16
Chris
Potentially not just the holidays, but the, the different things you can do when you're out there and the things that this end, say, Park in the hotel at the airport.
00:48:08:17 - 00:48:13:23
Doug
I think holidays you quite I like term I think in more of an experience I think absolutely. You know I.
00:48:13:24 - 00:48:18:01
Chris
Think you're right that the later we leave it sort of you are correct and we need to book something.
00:48:18:01 - 00:48:21:12
Doug
And that's when you just get the simple book bang. But but.
00:48:21:12 - 00:48:38:06
Chris
Yeah. And then it's like, yeah, okay. And now I think that's where we got to as well. Thought just got a little bit older 13 years old now you kind of go didn't feel satisfied last year. Yeah I couldn't put my finger on it fully but it was like no we want to do a bit more. And so yeah, I recommend it as the ten.
00:48:38:09 - 00:48:44:14
Chris
Yeah, exactly. Just, one. Absolutely brilliant. Doug. Absolute pleasure. To chat to you about this.
00:48:44:16 - 00:48:45:07
Doug
That's always for you.
00:48:45:11 - 00:49:01:15
Chris
I personally recommend very highly. You know, I'm not bound by this, but I haven't experienced it as well. Get in touch. Go and find out who knows what possibilities could be stirred up with this one. It's really well worth it. But Doug, thank you very much for joining us for episode six.
00:49:01:18 - 00:49:02:24
Doug
You're welcome. Cheers.
00:49:02:27 - 00:49:03:09
Chris
Cheers.