The Safest Way to Travel - Book with a Travel Agent

Here’s why using travel agents is the safer way to protect your travel plans.

We’ve all learnt lessons from the negative impacts of coronavirus on our travel plans. Consumers like yourself have lost time chasing refunds and have been affected by new, complex travel requirements, and it’s hard to keep track of these ever-changing rules.

What’s key is to protect your package booking, especially given the changing nature of national and international regulations. The only way to do this is to book with an ATOL registered travel agent like Brightsun Travel. We can advise you of the latest safety measures and restrictions and provide excellent customer service – we are rated 4.6/5 by independent reviews on Trustpilot. You know you can trust Brightsun with your travel plans and here are all the reasons why:

Money

• Brightsun offers options to pay a refundable deposit on packages, rather than the whole amount.
• You can buy coronavirus protected travel insurance
• You’ll receive expert advice on the flexibility of refund and cancellation policies for your flights, hotels, transfers, and tours.
• Your money for a package holiday is fully protected and will be refunded even in the event of an airline or hotel going bust. It may take a few months for the refund to be returned due to the complicated administration involved, but if you booked this online individually with an airline and hotel, your money is not protected and you could lose it, or be offered vouchers instead. Travel agents like Brightsun Travel know your consumer rights so you can trust us to get your money back.

Safety

Airlines and hotels have varying safety measures and requirements. Your travel agent will be able to advise you of how this may affect your travel plans with expert advice on your itinerary. For example:

• Currently Emirates offers travellers from the UK to Dubai a complimentary Covid-19 PCR test upon arrival, or alternatively travellers can take a test 96hrs before departure, and must provide a printed negative certificate.
• Lufthansa requires travellers to have a face mask for travel, and visors (face shields), FFP2 masks with a valve, and scarves are not permitted on board. If you are exempt from wearing a face mask due to a medical condition, you are required to provide a specific form signed by a GP, along with a negative Covid-19 test certificate dated no earlier than 48 hours prior to departure.

At Brightsun Travel, your travel agent can provide you with the latest personalised advice for your trip so you can be reassured and experience the smoothest journey.

Travel Regulations

Our travel agents will be fully up to date with the now complicated regulations around travel and can advise you on the best way to fulfil your trip which you may not be able to find easily as a consumer. For example:

• They will know which countries have airbridges with each other internationally
• Agents can advise on quarantine requirements for each destination on your itinerary
• You may be required to take a test to travel with an airline to your outbound destination. Whilst the UK may not require you to take a test for your return if you are arriving from a country on the “safe list”, the airline may still require you to take a test before boarding the return flight and you may need to arrange this yourself at your overseas destination, or the airport may offer a testing facility, but you will need to allow extra time to get the results.
• The opposite scenario may apply, where the airline doesn’t require you to provide a negative test result prior to boarding, but the country of arrival does. Travel agents can advise you of all the regulations for you to make an informed decision on your travel.
• Some hotels may require you to provide evidence of a negative test results within 48 hours of arrival, and others may provide testing facilities but require you to isolate for a day until they receive the test results. Hotel policies, facilities, and requirements all vary and the last thing you want is to be caught out.
• With ever-changing regulations and quarantine requirements, you’ll be kept up to date with information on if and how this may affect your booking.

Prices

• Due to the large booking volumes travel agents usually give to airlines and hotels, they receive discounted fares and prices that are not necessarily published online, as well as access to booking systems with varying priced options for flexibility.
• Brightsun Travel agents have access to exclusive fares and offers with airlines, hotels, and tour packages.
• Our travel agents collaborate with Destination Management Companies and tourist boards on a target-driven basis and often negotiate cheaper or more flexible holiday packages than you may find yourself online, which is another reason to book with us.

Customer Service

 We understand how frustrating it can be to be on hold for literally hours on end to amend a booking or chase a refund. Brightsun Travel offer a 24/7 customer service line where we will acknowledge your request, prioritise it in order of urgency of travel, and keep you updated to save you time and give you peace of mind.

As an established travel agent with over 30 years of experience, having weathered many storms and recessions, we are able to ride this wave and take the stress out of travel by giving you up-to-date expert advice, providing you with your options and keeping you informed.

Even Eamonn Holmes agrees that travel agents are invaluable! Check out why: https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/381576/eamonn-holmes-travel-agents-are-amazing-professionals