Travelers planning a trip must perform due diligence with the task of choosing a dependable travel agent. This becomes crucial when the planned trip is to Antarctica. The harsh and unpredictable weather and remote and inhospitable geographical conditions of the region demand that experienced and capable people handle the affairs of an expedition, be it by air or sea.
Choosing a dependable travel agent is a tricky job, as there is a dismayingly large number of travel agencies out there. Anyone with a little knowledge of Internet ticket booking and awareness of travel destinations can set up a travel agency. It is hard to expect quality and dependable service even from registered travel agencies. The registration process is simple and doesn’t require much more than filling out a simple form and paying fees. Airliners and cruise liners’ affiliations are also meaningless. Let the lure of visiting the White Continent not make you overlook some basic factors in choosing a travel agent. If I were traveling to Antarctica, these are the things I would be concentrating on for selecting a travel agent.
Reputation
This is the prime consideration while choosing a travel agent. Usually, the more reputable a travel agency, the better its service. Ascertain whether it’s lower cost or quality service that makes a particular travel agent special. Your target is clearly reputation-based on the dependability of service. Cheap and best are not always applicable. You don’t drive the cheapest car, don’t wear the cheapest dress, and don’t eat out in the cheapest restaurant. So why choose a travel agent that specializes in providing cheap services? You are going to Antarctica, remember. Everything should be top-notch. It would help if you concentrated on getting that. Getting better rates becomes secondary to getting top equipment, facilities, and services.
People assume that the longer a travel agency is in business, the better its service will be. This is purely a common assumption, and there are no statistics to support this. Not how long the travel agency has been in service, but how well it serves travelers now should be the question uppermost in your mind. The fact is that there are many old travel agencies on the verge of running out of business, and many new travel agencies are offering better services with newer and appropriate policies. Reputed, experienced, and efficient should be the preferred criteria of your choice. Equally important is to choose tour operators that specialize in expeditions to ice-covered lands like the Arctic and Antarctica.
