Tourism agencies, home or away?

Despite a lifetime of travelling and years of working in the tourism business as a DMC based in Scotland, there is a lesson to be learned somewhere with almost every job which crosses our desk. This week was one which has got us thinking.

Our client is Donna, a USA national, who wants to spend three weeks touring Scotland with her husband who has Parkinson's. Their brief is simple and specific, they know what they want, and what won't work for Donna's husband.

The USA has plenty of travel agencies offering tours of Scotland, but having done her research, Donna knew that what they are offering isn't what they want, as they were being inflexible in their itineraries and trying to shape their clients' requirements into one of their off-the-peg trips.

Speaking to Donna, it became quickly evident that, without local knowledge, the travel agencies simply could not provide the type of holiday which the couple not only wanted, but also physically required. Living and working in Scotland however, we have the understanding and resources to create the itinerary to suit them. We don't sell travel to other countries, we are experts in Scotland, living and working in Scotland, so only sell Scotland. Makes sense.

But then came a twist - Donna's first question to us was 'Are you based in the USA?' which came as quite a surprise to us, and exposed this dilemma. She was initially delighted that we were in Scotland and therefore able to accurately tailor their trip to meet their needs, but at the same time was anxious about using a travel company based outside her home country, one which she couldn't speak to face to face. We thought about this and quickly realised that if we were travelling to another country we would almost certainly use a UK based agent.

Donna's concerns highlighted to us the importance of using an agent local to the area, particularly if health issues are a priority, such as in her case. We have experienced and understand the implications of a road closure in Scotland, which can result in a three hour diversion, and know that for Donna's husband this could be disastrous.

It appears to be quite simple, it is obviously a better option to use an agent based in the country which you wish to visit. For example, a few years ago I wanted to visit the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador, but very last minute, so the only available options were obscenely expensive ones. The hotel (where I was staying) owner called her brother who had a friend who had a boat.... and we were sorted. No UK travel company could have managed this so quickly and easily, and on such a personal basis, we ended up spending every evening playing Uno and drinking Pisco with Jose and the crew, which was a highlight for us.

But despite understanding this, the feeling of security which travellers achieve by using a national agency is entirely understandable. As a DMC (although we are far more than that) we comply with regulations and are fully insured, so that no matter where our guests reside they will be secure booking through us, but the instinct still remains to make the booking in the traveller's home country.

We need to reach out to, and reassure, our potential clients that using a Scottish agency might be a better solution for them, and is an equally safe alternative, to buying a tour of Scotland from an American travel company.