How to Plan and Book With Confidence

Travel is back baby!

Goodbye border closures, travel restrictions and lockdowns! We all got through it guys. And now it’s time to travel!

Start ticking off that bucket list;
Visit your family interstate and overseas;
Plan that group adventure with your mates;
Take the kids on a once in a lifetime family holiday.

If there is one thing I learnt from 2020/21, it was that nothing is certain. Unfortunately we have to be prepared for the worst which means booking your holiday with flexibility is still very important. With a surge or travel deals and the offerings of exclusive discounts, it is easy to overlook the terms and conditions.

That’s where I come in!

My job as your travel agent is to not only be a destination expert and logistical genius, but also be a wizard when faced with having to make changes and cancellations. How did I come to learn such wizardry? I have literally cancelled, rebooked and rearranged more holidays than I care to share!

We are here to ease your mind

When you book a holiday with Make It Travel, you don’t need to be across the ‘nitty gritty’ surrounding the changes and cancellation terms of your holiday. That is our job and we are really good at it.

Our reservation systems and agreements with suppliers gives us the ability to service you better than any online booking platform. Full transparency is our approach because we believe keeping you informed is the best tool to have when making the decision to book your next holiday.

“The only trip you’ll regret is the one you don’t take.”

HOW we book your holiday makes all the difference.

If you are a seasoned online travel booker, you will know that some sites require you to pay in full and others only require a deposit. An attempt to plan your own trip has you with multiple booking numbers across an array of sites all with different rules which can all get very overwhelming. We as travel agents don’t book ‘online’; we have our very own booking platforms with a multitude of suppliers who sell only to us. Hello tailor-made!

So, what does this mean for you?

It means we can piece together an extensive itinerary with all sorts of moving parts and you only have to pay one deposit for it to be held confirmed for months or even years. Our dedicated suppliers work closely with transport, accommodation and tour providers to put what’s called ‘contract rates’ in place which allows us to bundle your whole holiday together in one place. These suppliers are given exclusive prices and availability so even when something looks like it is booked out online, there is a chance a travel agent will be able to book it for you.

Don’t make the mistake of booking a ‘non-refundable’ rate.

Paying in full usually comes with a cheaper price tag, but make sure it is not accompanied with strict cancellation terms. Taking the risk of booking something that is non refundable and non changeable just to save a dollar is risky business at the moment.

A word of advice, the stress that is put on ALL parties when you agree to book something so restrictive and suddenly need to make changes or want a refund because of a border closure, is never worth the savings. Ever! And more to the point, it is unethical to request your money back when you had the option to pay a little more for the flexibility in the first place.

Take out Travel Insurance

You’d be silly not to right? We have all heard the horror stories.

Travel Insurance companies have mostly tweaked their policies to allow travelers to make claims for Covid related cancellations and rearrangements, along with the standard coverage. Reading the fine print, or purchasing a policy off someone who has, is always a good idea. We all know insurance companies look for any loop hole to not pay out a claim so make sure you are on the front foot with what is and isn’t covered.

We suggest purchasing your travel insurance when you make the first payment towards your holiday. This will cover you for any non-refundable deposit payments if you have to cancel.

Make sure your travel insurance adequately covers the amount you are spending on your holiday. There is no point having $5,000 worth of cancellation cover when your trip cost $15,000.

We offer our clients insurance with Go Insurance. We have found them to be fantastic thus far so feel free to contact us for a quote anytime!

“We always book with Sara because she makes everything so easy. ”

— miranda peters

Book your flights early.

Were you stung booking last minute in 2022?

We certainly had clients who paid big bucks for the last available economy seats on flights to Europe June/July. The worst part? The person they sat next to on the plane who booked months in advance probably paid half the price… for the same seat. Ouch!

Domestic and international flights are released 11 months in advance to the day. And the airlines work on a ‘first in best dressed’ ethos. As the cheap seats and filled the price goes up to the next tier. In saying that, the cheapest tickets also come with the most restrictive cancellation terms. It is important at the booking stage that you have this discussion with your Travel Agent.

Are you happy to lock in the cheap but restrictive fare and purchase travel insurance? Or would it suit you better to pay for a fare with more flexibility?

You can hold that dream holiday with a deposit.

Our holidays don’t usually need to be paid in full at time of booking. The only time we will ask for full payment is if you are travelling within the next 5 weeks.

If you are planning a group adventure with a tour company, only a deposit is required to hold your seat. These can be booked 12 - 18 months in advance.

Ocean and river cruises can be booked up to 2 years in advance with just a deposit.

Same goes for tailor-made itineraries that we design just for you. A deposit of $100 per person is all we need to lock everything in.

Knowing you have time to pay off your holiday, makes planning your next fabulous adventure affordable and stress free… and we hear that having a forward planned holiday really makes going to work a lot more motivating!

“Don’t forget we are here to help”

— Sara doyle

Planning a holiday in a post-covid era does still require some caution. The industry has changes dramatically and those online retailers may not be as trustworthy and easy to deal with as we first thought.

You as a traveller can save precious time by using a professional, and you can book that holiday with faith that your travel plans are going to run seamlessly and that you have someone to call. All too often, unforeseen events can very quickly disrupt your holiday and become an extremely stressful situation to navigate.

Having me (Sara) on your side, with all your bookings and information on hand, is your best travel ally.