The brief: A couple want to visit their son in Sydney and then see Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. They would like flights and the itinerary, excluding Sydney, booked for them and would like to go in October.
The budget: about £5,000.
The agencies
Thomson
16-18 Queen Victoria Street
Score: 66%
The experience here was fairly uninspiring due to the fact that the itinerary was being put together by a third party at the other end of the phone.
The agent seemed to have little knowledge of Australia, and all information was gleaned from brochures or over the phone from Austravel. However, the agent made sure my requirements were covered, and adjusted certain aspects to keep within budget.
A price of £5,108 included international and internal flights, a tour of Uluru and seven nights at the Rydges Sabaya Resort in Port Douglas. The agent was friendly but rather robotic, and the process was uninspiring to sit through. She did suggest a stopover.
Thomas Cook
121-122 Broad Street
Score: 76%
This was another visit where I spent a lot of time twiddling my thumbs while the agent was on the phone – this time to Thomas Cook Signature. There were long breaks in conversation and the whole process took an hour, which was very boring.
The agent wasn’t terribly knowledgeable about Australia, but took good note of my budget and gave me a printed quotation for £4,850, which included international and internal flights, Uluru tours and dinner, a Barrier Reef tour and 12 nights at Le Cher du Monde Resort in Port Douglas.
She offered to book car rental, travel insurance and airport parking too. The basics were right but there was little to excite me, or incite me to book.
Goldcrest Travel
11 Prospect Street
Score: 87%
This was an extremely enjoyable experience due to the agent’s enthusiasm and knowledge. From the start she enthused about my requirements and invited comment on what I was looking for.
Every aspect of the trip was covered and she made recommendations, leaving me feeling very confident. I was disappointed she felt she needed more time to investigate options fully, and I didn’t receive a quote for two days – though I was given a business card and an Anzcro brochure to take home.
The quote was excellent, with a huge number of tours and activities in both the Red Centre and the Barrier Reef included, plus accommodation, all flights, and transfers, for £5,600. Very thorough indeed.
Flight Centre
27 Queen Victoria Street
Score: 93%
The agent showed great enthusiasm and knowledge, which made the whole experience an exciting and pleasant one. Each option was explained and recommendations were made based on making the best of our time in each location.
I felt really confident in the agent’s expertise. She built each aspect of the trip, after confirming it was what I was looking for, so I felt that I had contributed to the choices rather than just accepted hers.
I was offered international and internal flights, a three-day tour of the Red Centre and a four-day tour of Port Douglas and the Barrier Reef, with AAT Kings, and seven nights in the Grand Mercure Rockford in Palm Cove, for £5,090.
I was given a full itinerary and a brochure covering all aspects of the holiday, and a business card. The agent took my details and offered stopovers, visa provision and insurance, too.
Winning agent: Lynsey Smith, assistant manager
“I sell a lot of Australia and was supposed to be going out for Corroboree in May, but someone left so I couldn’t. Hopefully this should push me to the top of the list to go next year!”
Top tips
- Sign up for Tourism Australia’s online training programme at aussiespecialist.com. After completing the course, specialists get product updates, a listing on australia.com, invitations to events and exclusive agent deals.
- Sydney, Rock and Reef is a classic itinerary and popular with first-time visitors as it allows them to tick off sights such as Sydney Harbour, Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef.
- Uluru is the highlight of the Red Centre. It is possible to climb it, but alternatives include hiking around the base, or watching the sunset before dining under the stars next to the rock.
- Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches along the east coast of Australia. Visitors can go sailing, snorkelling, diving or relax on the sandy beaches.
- For more on Australia’s regions, resorts and hotels subscribe to Gazetteers.com