Misinformed retailers lead to lost bookings

The gambia experience

Misinformed retailers lead to lost bookings

SPECIALIST operator The Gambia Experience is losing bookings because multiples are mistakenly providing customers with false information.

The Gambia Experience managing director Sandra Wilde claimed agents are telling customers that tour operators only run winter programmes to the west African nation and that no holidays are available during the summer.

However, The Gambia Experience will be operating two flights a week from Gatwick to the destination over the summer, making it the only operator to do so.

Wilde said branches of Thomas Cook, Going Places and Lunn Poly have been wrongly advising customers.

“We are disappointed travel agents are apparently unaware of Gambia as a summer destination,” she said. “We have been selling summer holidays to the country for 10 years and will continue to do so.

“I believe that because the major tour operators don’t operate summer flights, in-house travel agents believe that no-one else does.”

The problem emerged after customers contacted the operator to make a booking and claimed they were given incorrect information by agents.

Wilde said: “Some people doubted the advice and checked with us. The worry is that potential customers will believe the advice and go elsewhere with another operator. Agents must be aware we run a summer programme.”