Location: Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
Wanted: A family with a four-year-old child would like a 10-14 night break in Florida in late September. They want to hire a car to explore Florida after they have visited the theme parks.
Budget: £4,000
Baileys Travel
28 Waterborne Walk
95%
The staff were very helpful and had great knowledge. The agent was very friendly and enthusiastic and created a relaxed atmosphere. She mentioned that she had worked there for 11 years, so I had great confidence and trust in her to help me pick the perfect holiday. She suggested a 10-day stay from the US Airtours brochure, flying with Virgin from Gatwick on September 7 for £3,561 including car hire and theme park tickets for Disney World and SeaWorld. The agent was chatty and informal and asked lots of questions to determine what holiday would best suit us and offered to upgrade our flights too.
Thomson
16 Waterborne Walk
67%
The agent was very friendly and had great knowledge of the destination. However, the information was quite general and although enthusiastic, the agent asked if I wanted to go to Disneyland Paris instead as my child was only four. The eventual quote was for Thomson flights and a hotel for £2,200 for two weeks in September, which were not specified, at one of three Rosen hotels with two-week theme park tickets for £595 per person. I felt the agent rushed due to how busy the shop was.
The Co-operative Travel
94 Queensway
60%
I was acknowledged straight away but I had to approach an agent for help. The agent was friendly, but unenthusiastic. I was recommended 10 days at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel, flights from Stansted with Thomas Cook on September 7, car hire and car insurance for £2,926. The agent had good knowledge, but lacked information about the hotel location and didn’t offer theme park passes. No attempt was made to close the sale.
Winning agent
Stef Trevett, senior travel consultant
“I am so shocked and pleased to have won. I love my job as every day is never the same and all enquiries are different. ”
Verdict
The winning agent had very good knowledge and took the time to understand what I was after, and used more of the budget by offering extras and upgrades.
Top-scoring agent each month will win use of a car for 10 days.
The winning agent must be at least 25, for insurance reasons. Winners under 25 will win a week’s all-inclusive holiday at an Elite Islands Resorts property. The prize is non-transferable and the car must be driven only by the winning agent. The winner must not have any serious driving convictions. Elite Island Resorts will endeavour to supply the car to the agency but reserves the right to request the winning agent to collect and return the car from Essex or a central location