Location: Lincoln
Wanted: A family with children aged eight and 10 would like to go on holiday to a beach club-style resort in Spain or Italy with lots of activities for the whole family.
Budget: £4,500
Imp Travel
17 Sincil Street
82%
This travel agency offered exceptional customer service. I was acknowledged as soon as I entered and the agent was very patient and enthusiastic during the enquiry process. I felt she really wanted to find me the perfect holiday. I was offered seven nights with Jet2holidays staying at the Servatur Puerto Azul hotel in Las Palmas, Spain, flying from East Midlands airport on August 1 for £3,080. The resort had restaurants, bars and free entry to a water park. I felt comfortable and well informed, and the agent gave very personal recommendations. She did not take my details, but said I could contact her anytime, and they were not the type of company to bombard a customer with calls after an enquiry.
Michael Carter Travel
77 High Street
75%
The shop looked inviting and the brochure displays where very neat. The advisor was knowledgeable and polite, but did not have the same genuine warmth as the first agent. My holiday suggestion was also with Jet2holidays; seven nights at Iberostar Lanzarote Park from East Midlands on July 23 for £3,796. The agent provided lots of information, and spent time going over what I wanted from a holiday.
Thomson
11 Stonebow Centre
41%
I browsed for two minutes before being approached. The agent was very professional and offered a genuine warmth, however the systems were down because of a power cut. I was only offered the First Choice Summer Sun brochure. I am unable to rate any higher due to the enquiry being cut short due a system outage. I am aware that is not the fault of the agent, but I was not called back later as promised.
Winning agent
Dawn Wilson, travel specialist
“I’m so pleased to have won. I adore the fact that no day is the same when you work in travel. You could have a customer asking about a local tour or a bespoke holiday on the other side of the world.”
Verdict
Two agencies offered great holiday choice, however staff at the Thomson store fell short due to a power cut.
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