Location:Havant, Dorset
Wanted: A family with two teenage girls, aged 13 and 15, want an active week on a Greek island during the half-term in May 2017. They would ideally like to fly from Southampton.
Budget: £3,000
Thomas Cook
27 West Street
90%
The agent had a can-do, confident attitude and showed her knowledge of the destination. There was a slight delay due to the store being busy, but once seated the agent was very friendly, organised and experienced. She recommended eight nights at the Cyprotel Faliraki Hotel in Rhodes for £3,027. It was from the Thomas Cook Greece & Cyprus brochure flying with Thomas Cook from Gatwick. On top of the facilities at the hotel I was given a list of bookable active excursions. The agent was extremely knowledgeable. She said Faliraki was a clubbers’ paradise in the height of summer, but at the time of year I was booking it would be an ideal place for a family.
Thomson
32 West Street
78%
The shop was spotlessly clean, but there was only one desk occupied and it was dimly lit. I received three half-board quotes departing on May 28, flying from Gatwick with Thomson. The options were the Alexandra Beach hotel in Thassos for £2,858, the Sunny View Hotel in Kos for £3,002 and the Kefalonia Palace Hotelfor £3,275. The agent also made sure there would be enough to do for teenagers and was knowledgeable.
Hays Travel
11 Market Parade
68%
The agent seemed to have all the time in the world for me, however, she seemed inexperienced and unsure of what was available. I was given three all-inclusive quotes travelling with Skytours from Gatwick on May 28; the Sunshine Hotel in Kos for £2,475, the Avra Beach Hotel in Rhodes for £3,006 and the Anti Beach Club in Kardamena for £3,214. The first two were unsuitable as they returned the day the girls were going back to school.
Winning agent
Louise Edwards, sales consultant
“I can’t believe I am the winner, I have worked at Thomas Cook for almost 20 years now. I just treat every customer like family and how I would want to be treated if I was booking a holiday.”
Verdict
The agent was helpful and found a holiday that matched the brief, however, none of the agents could secure flights from the preferred airport of Southampton.
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