Benefits of Using a Travel Agent : Louise at Ocala Travel

My husband and I traveled extensively until his death in February 2015. I now travel with grandchildren, as the travel urge is still strong.

My husband and I booked through a travel agent almost 100% of the time. I worked several years ago as both a travel agent and a group tour planner. When I left the travel industry and we moved to Florida, one of the first things I did was find a great local agent to do our bookings. This wonderful agent is Louise Williams (352/750-0548 or, cell, 352/552-7136), an outside agent at Ocala Travel (The Villages, FL; 352/753-9969, www.ocalatravel.com).

Louise is a concierge travel agent who works from her home, offers great personalized service and is always available. She works with suppliers and belongs to a consortium, which enables her to get those unpublished bonuses.

I always did most of the planning for our trips, but I turned the bookings over to Louise. She has always been able to find me cheaper rates, better amenities and upgrades that I couldn’t get for myself. Her knowledge and attention to detail are much appreciated.

Louise can smooth over problems that might arise with booking, air routing, tours, etc. If there’s a problem, her intervention can move mountains. This saves much personal frustration and gets things done.

Louise can also offer great suggestions for tweaking an itinerary. She knows her clients’ travel likes and dislikes and has come up with great ideas which we didn’t even know we wanted. Does this cost any extra? Not on your life! Louise is paid by the suppliers. 

 I took a 3-week trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand early in 2016. My 24-year-old granddaughter accompanied me. I will be going to Machu Picchu and the Galápagos with another granddaughter in September and to Japan with a grandson in 2017. Louise Williams is still my travel agent and continues to do a spectacular job, aiding in all phases of travel.  

MURIEL TRULSON

The Villages, FL