Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Wanted: A couple are looking to celebrate their anniversary in September with a four or five‑day all-inclusive spa break to Marrakech plus an excursion to the Atlas Mountains.
Budget: £2,000
Co-operative Travel
Cross Church Street
93%
I was acknowledged immediately and the agent was very friendly and enthusiastic. I was recommended a five-night stay at the Marrakech Ryads Parc & Spa for £1,019, flying from Manchester on September 9 with easyJet. I was also offered insurance for two adults with White Horse Insurance for £73. The agent asked a lot of questions and I felt the hotel was ideal for an anniversary all-inclusive holiday. The agent offered airport parking and car hire, and discussed the excursions available. She also allowed me to choose our seats on the aircraft. I really enjoyed my experience at this agency. The agent showed easily the most passion and enthusiasm towards me and my holiday.
Althams Travel
Cross Church Street
75%
The agent gave me quite a bit of information on the holiday but did not show much enthusiasm. I was recommended four nights at the Riu Tikida Garden, flying with Thomson from Manchester on September 11, for £1,032. The hotel looked very suitable and I was shown pictures on the computer. The agent offered extra leg-room and extra luggage but not insurance or excursions, explaining that I could book the latter in resort with a Thomson representative.
Wallace Arnold Travel
John William Street
48%
This agent showed little interest in my enquiry and asked me only a couple of questions. I was offered four nights at the Kenzi Club Agdal Medina resort, flying with Thomson from Manchester, for £1,371. The agent did not outline the hotel’s facilities and did not try to upgrade the holiday or tell me about any excursions. My contact details were taken but no offer was made to follow up my enquiry. The agent lacked enthusiasm; I felt as though I was a nuisance.
Winning agent
Janine Hawksworth, travel consultant
“I am pleased I came top in this Mystery Shopper. It is about finding the holiday the customers wants, not what I think is best.”
Verdict
All the holiday suggestions fitted the brief but the levels of service varied markedly, with the top agent outshining the others by a mile.
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