News, Tips & Bargains : JUST THE FACTS : How to Choose a Travel Agent

The Institute of Certified Travel Agents, an international organization, has issued the following guidelines to help travelers select an agent.

1) Ask friends for recommendations. If possible, consult friends with similar tastes and needs to yours.

2) See if an agent has earned a Certified Travel Counselor designation, signifying that he or she has completed extra professional training and has at least five years of full-time experience.

3) See whether the agent and/or his or her company is affiliated with industry organizations such as the American Society of Travel Agents, the Assn. of Retail Travel Agents, the Cruise Lines International Ass., the International Airlines Travel Agent Network or the National Assn. of Cruise Only Agencies.

4) Find out when the agency opened and how long agents have been in the field. Be alert to rapid turnover within an agency.

5) See whether the agency is organized and well-stocked with brochures. Agents have access to a wealth of information, but they must be organized to take advantage of it.

6) Look for an agent who is helpful and friendly and willing to fill all your requests, even the small ones.