Travel agents should plan ahead to anticipate emergencies and protect their clients—and their agency— Amadeus said in a new advisory to travel agents. Amadeus also offered a few simple tips and tricks that will help—including technology tools—that may prove useful.
Amadeus said that travel agents must be proactive, especially when dealing with natural disasters such as a hurricane or earthquake.
“While there is no foolproof solution for avoiding a hurricane, earthquake or worse, staying ahead of the curve is key to minimizing hassles and stress,” Amadeus advised.
The company offered the following tips:
As soon as you hear about a potential precarious situation, alert your clients. Give them fair warning that they might need to collect their things quickly or plan to stay put for a few extra days.
Synch up. It’s not unusual for couples and/or families to consolidate when traveling and bring only one cell phone. Ask which number they will be using and their preferred mode of communication—e-mail, text or phone—in case of emergency, so you can easily get in touch to provide updates/counsel on travel plans in the midst of the disaster.
Build in an additional layer of protection to any trip, and add to your commissions, by tacking on travel insurance, such as Amadeus Insurance, which is available from the Amadeus Selling Platform.
For travel warnings or assistance in emergency situations, contacting a local embassy is a smart move. For more information, go to www.usembassy.gov.
Sign up your agency to automatically receive travel warnings and alerts from around the world from the U.S. State Department’s Safe Traveler Enrollment Program. To sign up, click here.
Visit www.amadeus.com.
