Mystery Shopper: Lisburn travel agents sell Cyprus

The brief: A couple of female friends wanted a week-long relaxing break to Cyprus this winter.

The budget: £1,500 for both.

The verdict: A strong set of results from Lisburn, but the winning agent narrowed down the options to ensure she met my brief fully.

Simpson Travel Worldchoice

23 Sloan Street
Score: 69%

The consultant asked about my request and selected an Olympic Holidays Summer Sun brochure.

She chose two properties, which were not specifically spa hotels, but she said they had both got whirlpool baths. This consultant didn’t appear to be genuinely interested in the enquiry and seemed to give me the first two prices she thought were good enough.

I felt the enquiry was rushed. The quotes included £585 per person at the Pernera Beach Hotel on a half-board basis. The consultant didn’t try to add on any products to the holiday such as car parking at the airport or even travel insurance and didn’t make any attempt to close the sale. I wouldn’t rate this store as highly as the other three.

The Co-operative Travel

11a Antrim Street
Score: 84%

The consultant here was a pleasure to deal with. She took time to look for holidays that matched my requirements as best she could and made sure she kept within my budget.

The consultant used her own personal knowledge to recommend two hotels and showed them to me in the brochure, detailing each part of the property and the local area. Quotes included £1,230 staying at Vrissiana Beach Hotel through Thomas Cook. 

She mentioned insurance, which she included in the costings of the quote, but she did not push to close the sale. My overall experience and the level of customer service in this store was very good.

Thomson

Unit 26, Bow Street Mall
Score: 85%

This store was clean and tidy, and the consultant who served me was friendly, polite and helpful. She was happy to spend time looking for deals and tried to give me the best prices possible. She also attempted to sell me add-ons, such as insurance and airport car parking, and mentioned they could be added on at a later date.

She attempted to close the sale by saying that because of the current popularity of Cyprus, I should book as soon as possible to get the best price as the holidays tend to sell fast. She gave me the Olympic Holidays Summer Sun brochure and quotes included £1,210 staying at the Napa Plaza hotel.

Oasis Travel

28-30 Railway Street
Score: 92%

The consultant could not have been more helpful. Her enthusiastic approach to my enquiry was second to none. She listened to my request, then tried to find the best possible deal within my budget.

She mentioned the Grecian Park Hotel and looked it up online. She showed me all the services it provided and went through all the details of the facilities at the hotel and the way to book extras within the property.

She also explained how to book extras, such as spa packages, directly with the hotel. She gave me an Olympic Holidays Summer Sun brochure, website address and quotes including £1,532 at the Grecian Park. She said it was a good price for a five-star property. She also offered me insurance and airport parking. Her friendliness made me feel valued. 

Winning agent: Wendy Harper, retail manager

“As an independent travel agency we pride ourselves in being able to meet individual customer needs and we feel that product knowledge is paramount in achieving this – and my motto is a happy client is a repeat client.”

Tips: Selling Cyprus

1. Customers can still enjoy warm holidays well into the winter, with average temperatures for November at 23 degrees. 
   
2. Look out for discounts and incentives for this autumn and winter, particularly room upgrades or half-board accommodation for the same cost as bed and breakfast.
   
3. Check out the newest spa hotels in Cyprus including the Asimina Suites Hotel in Paphos and the Ayii Anargyri Natural Healing Spa Resort. 
   
4. Most types of spa treatment are available in Cyprus but check the specific types of treatment offerred by individual hotels. The trachana wrap is the local treatment, made up of sour milk and wheat, which is normally made into soup.
   
5. For more information on hotels and resorts in Cyprus, visit gazetteers.com.