As a school teacher, I had to pull information from students with leading questions and prompts. As a traveller wishing to take advantage of your friends’ first hand experiences, you have to pull the true meaning from their statements. You’ll love, you’ll hate or any opinions in between are those of your friends and won’t necessarily be parallel with your own wants in a vacation.

Travellers today have information overload. Too many choices and opinions can be confusing especially when contradictions cloud the process. Some of the worst problems can come from listening to your friends advice. It may be genuinely well intentioned but…

My in laws had close friends (veteran visitors to Florida) who insisted they could have a wonderful shared vacations. A hellish two week bus tour ensued. The experienced couple just pulled out a deck of card and insisted on 4 handed whatever every time the bus stopped. They wanted to go nowhere because they had already been and it’s “not that great anyway”. A friendship was lost as well as the vacation.

Quotes that can be very opinionated and biased:

• I hated the room
• There’s nothing to do there
• It’s too expensive
• What a cheap trip
• My wife like it but I hated it
• Don’t worry about pre-booking
• Booze when ever you want it
• Lots of things for the kids to do
• Everything is old and tired looking
• A place for an active vacation or a nightlife

Each person has definite ideas about what they like about destinations or travel.

A Thought
Most people brag about bargains and exaggerate, just like in advertising. You may wonder how their $99 bargain flight is costing you $624! Exaggerating the deal, to make themselves feel better may be misleading. Is it per person, for two, return including taxes? It makes a difference in your perception not necessarily your friend’s deception

Just as a counter point for some of the vague statement above:

• wide variety of rooms, rooms change over time, amenities and exclusions come and go, any accommodation has some advantage to it
• friends mean well, but nothing at all in a city of a million – dig deeper
• What is your definition of expensive?
• Your friends are not going to brag about over spending.
  • Is the cheapest what you really want?
  • What is a reasonable price?
• Compromise – what is a great vacation combination?
• What is your adventure level
  • Hardly ever use public transportation at home – don’t try and adapt to it in a strange land
  • If you are a careful, safety first type with routines galore then pre-book and know what you are getting
  • Adventuresome, hiker, biker, then go for it
  • Are you travelling with kids or elderly?
• Liquid refreshments are a matter of taste and tolerance – be wise, be careful
• Vacationing with different aged children will always be a challenge
• Maybe you like old and tired – relics and antiquities can be an important vacation consideration
• I wanted a place for sitting on the beach and drinking at the beach bar.

Be sure to compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. Take what your friends say with a grain of salt and ask for details as to why, how, when, what, who to support their feelings.

Don’t dismiss all of your fiends advice and rely completely a trusted travel agent. Don’t get overwhelmed in the process of enjoying a vacation. The best choice is simple, what feels right to you. You won’t be inclined to feel buyer’s remorse about your vacation if you stay true to your principles and desires.

If your choice is not what your friend recommended from their point of view, that’s fine. Tell them maybe they should make a different choice next time.

Read The Fine Print As Soon As Possible After Reading The Headline Hook

TravelOFFEN.com does not like fine print. The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) does not like fine print. But you still get it all the time when you are looking for vacation options.

We do not use many advertisements as they come directly from the cruise lines. They are too ambiguous and require too much time to interpret the doublespeak and cause deliberate misinterpretations to arise. Travel agencies in Ontario get these ads all the time. Some just pass them on and hope to generate business and then explain the extras later. Travel consolidators, wholesalers and cruise lines can advertise the misleading headlines as long as they have disclaimers (fine print) included. Of course Ontario consumers are also subjected to the American ads with misleading hooks and such that are not regulated in many of the originating states.

This advertisement headline Read:

Explore the Transatlantic

FREE AIR*

- and -

xxx Veranda Views

for the price of a xxx Oceanview Stateroom

The fine print at the bottom is below

†xxxxxxxxxxxx CRUISES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO IMPOSE A FUEL SUPPLEMENT ON ALL GUESTS IF THE PRICE OF WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE FUEL EXCEEDS US$65 PER BARREL. THE FUEL SUPPLEMENT FOR 1ST AND 2ND GUESTS SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN US$15 PER GUEST, PER DAY TO A MAXIMUM OF US$200 PER VOYAGE.

Applicable gateways: ATL, BOS, BUF¹, BWI, CLE, CMH, DEN, DFW, DTW, EWR, IND, JFK, LAS, MCI, MCO, MSP, ORD, PDX¹, PHL, PIT, SAN, SEA, SFO, SLC, STL, TPA, YUL, YYZ
¹BUF and PDX not available on JR 4/11/10.

*Rates are per person, cruise only, in USD, and based on double occupancy. Free air offer available for select gateways and categories, based on availability, and subject to change. Book a Veranda for the price of an Oceanview offer available in select categories and is based on availability. Both offers are valid for bookings made by March 31, 2010. Please book price code starting with xxx to take advantage of both offers, or price code starting with xxxxx to take advantage of complimentary veranda upgrade offer only. Voyage rates vary by ship, departure date, and category. Certain restrictions apply. Offer and itineraries subject to change without notice, and offers may be withdrawn at any time. Offers not valid for charters or contracted groups. Government taxes & fees are additional. Other terms and conditions apply. Please contact your travel agent or visit xxxxxxxxxxxx.com for more information.

• US dollars, check current rates. The actual conversion costs can often only be finalized at time of booking.
  • TICO agents advertise in Canadian dollars or clearly specify the USD pricing.
• Prices are starting prices.
  • TICO agents can not mislead with low entry bargains for limited or non-existent prices.
• Booking restrictions:
  • gateway
  • book before date
  • booking codes applicable
  • TICO agents must include specific itinerary information.
• Rates vary:
  • by ship
  • departure date
  • Quotes by TICO agents always include all variables and inclusions and exclusions.
• Government taxes and fees are additional.
  • TICO agents must include all fees and taxes in any kind of sales communication, verbal or written.
• Other terms and conditions apply. Find out what they are to determine the real cost of a vacation package.

If you book a vacation yourself, check out and tally up all the costs including Travel Insurance. TICO agents must advertise the total fixed costs in any quote.

See our contact information at top right of this page, to discuss your vacation plans with our travel consultant, Jennifer.

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Do airline customers have a right to know taxes and fees before buying their ticket?

The above headline appeared as the United States debate over disclosure of all fees and charges.

• “After a long day of negotiations between Senate aides and committee staffers over wording regarding when passengers will get to know what taxes and fees will be added to their airfares, there was no final agreement.” 1

Ontario travel retailers must include by law all fees, taxes, befor the advertisement begins. Travel agencies registered with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario TICO must include full disclosure of all costs covered by the advertisement including but not limited to applicable airport taxes, departure fees, arrival fees, port fees and taxes, fuel supplement fees, provincial and national taxes, applicable service fees, etc. In other words the bottom line must be quoted and not in the fine print on page 57 of the advertisement.

• the Menendez amendment mandates that travelers get to know all applicable taxes and fees before they begin the purchase process.” 2
• “shall establish rules to ensure that all consumers are able to easily and fairly compare airfares and other costs applicable to tickets for air transportation, including all taxes and fees.” 3

Currently, airlines in the U.S. can hide their fees. They are allowed to mislead its consumers until the final stage of purchase. At least one online discounter also denies the customer much knowledge about their flight purchase until after the non refundable price is paid.The Mendendez amendment will end this deception. The U.S. airline lobby is opposed to laws that will make them tell the truth up front.

The best way to insure transparency in airline ticket pricing is what TICO mandates from Ontario travel retailers.

Most veteran travellers are aware of fees involved in travel. They can be quite hefty. Airlines, consolidators and wholesalers can advertise big bold discount prices but have to include disclaimers. So you will still see many misleading headlines that leave lasting impressions on the vacationers subconscious. Ontario residents are subjected to American ads too. $39 flight to Florida doesn’t indicate $130 airport fees. Read beyond the headline.

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Image via Wikipedia

When “Go Travel South” went south, it left many questions on the minds of travel customers.

Foremost among these fears is what can I do if my tour operator or travel agent suddenly goes out of business?

• Travel customers who book their vacation using a credit card should contact their credit card company for a refund for services not rendered.
• Travellers who opt for travel insurance should check if the coverage includes operator default, which provides reimbursement should a tour operator or air carrier go out of business. Travel Insurance usually covers all services not refunded by other means.
• The Canadian Transportation Agency accepts complaints from consumers dissatisfied with the air portion of a travel package. You will not get a refund, but registering complaints may help someone else down the road.
• If your retailler was a registered TICO travel agency then you are covered for bankruptcy losses.

No matter how you slice it, it is darned inconvenient to have to make claims, provide proof of claims and wait for payment of claims.

If it is not discretionary money you are earmarking for your vacation then I would recommend all precautions be taken when paying for your trip. Foremost of which is to use a trusted Travel Professional. They and their past knowledge and experiences can guide you through pitfalls and around mine fields that pock mark the online travel industry. The travel agent is on your side.

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Nova Scotia-based online travel agency “Go Travel South” announced Wednesday afternoon that it is “ceasing all of its operations due to economic circumstances.”

The company founded in Ottawa in 2000 by Hugh Boyle as Go Travel Direct, changed its name to Go Travel South in 2008 and moved its operations to Halifax. Boyle also was connected to Zoom Airlines which declared bankruptcy in 2008.

• Zoom stated it was “desperately sorry” for the inconvenience to customers who were stranded in 2008.
• Go Travel claimed it was “extremely sorry” to have to cancel all the future trips.

Go Travel South sold direct flights to warm destinations including the Dominican Republic and Mexico. The charter company flies out of Ottawa using Flair Air Ltd. Flair Airlines said it would fulfill its obligations and fly back those already away on vacation. Over 2,000 Canadians in the Ottawa area are having their paid vacations shortened or cancelled without much notice. Go Travel South was advertising specials on its website right up to the closure.

To get refunds, customers are urged to contact their credit card providers. The monies will be refunded, but it could take 45 to 90 days or more to credit accounts. If you paid by cheque you are on your own.

A spokesman with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) said because the company is based in Nova Scotia, it isn’t registered with TICO, which offers consumer protection through a compensation fund. TICO is advising travellers in this province to make sure they travel with a TICO-registered travel company.

Editor’s Comment:
These all too common stories of deception and outright fraud cause plenty of tears and anxiety for the helpless customers who can do little about their plight. Vacationers are not much different from others in situations where goods and services are not provided as paid for. Home renovators, car repair people, car salesmen, investment brokers, elected politicians and in deed anything connected to politics are but a few of the well known liars in our society. We don’t need safety nets for Canadians, we need true and honest disclosure in all interactions. More truth and less smoke and mirrors protecting the unlawful persons and practices are needed. Don’t hold your breath waiting for our leaders in government or business to respond openly and honestly.

Sources:

• 680NEWS
• CFRA NEWS TALK RADIO
• CBC
• CTV Ottawa
• Toronto Sun