What is a "traveller agent"?

 

I coined the term: I don't sell trips; I serve travellers, my clients!

I personally take charge of your travel project to specifically search for services and destinations that match your particular expectations.

 

Due to my experience with the destination, I have good knowledge of it, but everything changes very quickly. For each request, I search for places that might suit you (location, type, rate), I check the recent reputation (a change of ownership is possible).

For example, I spent 18 days in New York City twice (spring and winter), and I still have many places to visit. I haven't left Manhattan, so when you ask me to work on a destination I don't know, I have to study it based on your criteria. If I've already been there, I go back to my preparation to find what might please you, whether I had the opportunity to test it or not.

 

If I have to work for you in a territory where I haven't been, it's my experience and my preparation and organization skills that I put at your disposal. Of course, in this case, my work will take a bit longer, but mainly on determining the route and proposing activities. I assume another client will also want to go to that region soon, and anyway, it doesn't change the price.

 

 

Who is your service for?

 

For any individual or groups of people who:

- Want to save time

- Want to surprise the person they are taking with them

- Would like to enjoy the element of surprise like other travelers of the group

- Don't dare to do it alone and want reassurance

- Are taking their first "big long-distance trip"

- Want to discover a territory, its inhabitants, and avoid over-tourism: where to stay, which routes to take, what mode of transport to choose, when to go, etc.?

- Want to talk with someone for their project

- Are traveling in a group and want a neutral facilitator for their discussions and decisions

- Want to be sure that their personal expectations and needs will be well taken into account

- Are willing to pay for this tailored service

 

If you identify with one of these situations, call me on +33680411408 or email me at contact@globulevoyage.fr to discuss it, in English, of course.

 

 

On which destinations can you work?

 

All of Western Europe, especially France, and North America. Your trip can cover different countries.

 

 

What's the difference from a travel agency?

 

It is a high-end, personalized service, a single point of contact throughout the mission.

 

I can take you off the beaten track, find accommodation that is not accessible to travel agencies.

I read a lot of travel guides for the same destination (at least 2, more often 3). For the USA, I only buy American guides that are more original than the French guides.

 

I don't have hotels or flights to fill, I don't have a pre-made itinerary, a group to complete to ensure departure, which is the case for most travel agents.

There are no commissions or quotas, except for your satisfaction.

The providers I propose do not pay me.

I have more time to devote to you than a commercial agent from a tour operator.

 

If you wish, you can book the places directly yourself.

 

 

I don't really have an idea. Can you make suggestions for destinations, durations, routes, and on-site activities?

 

The first interview allows us to get to know each other and listen to your needs and expectations. Given the multitude of destinations and types of travel I have done over the past 30 years, I should be able to find a project that suits you.

 

Some events only happen once a year, or every two years. Depending on your desires and interests, I can search for a place where an event that you might like is taking place and structure a trip around it. We visited Washington DC during the embassy open house week-end, what a pleasant surprise. The New Year's Eve fireworks in Hong Kong are impressive, plus it's the dry season. Some sports disciplines are only held during part of the year. Seeing Swan Lake in Prague, Die Fledermaus in Vienna, or The Nutcracker in New York, those are great ideas, aren't they?

 

This initial interview is free and non-binding, so if there is nothing conclusive at the end of the exchange, you are free not to work with me.

 

 

What does your service include?

 

My service consists of providing you with the necessary elements for the realization of your project under agreed conditions and according to your request.

- An itinerary or urban walk

- Two budget proposals for accommodation per stop based on your criteria

- Two budget proposals for transportation (plane, car rental) according to your needs

- Personalized activity proposals for the daytime, evening, and night according to your wishes

 

For each proposal, I explain the criteria taken into account and the reasons why.
If you can easily take care of finding your own plane ticket, some accommodations, etc - In this case, an internet search is not part of my mission.

 

We offer two optional services:

- "Booking Assistance" to help you with the booking process, via screen sharing using Teams.

- "Departure Assistance" to check that everything is ready and to finalize the final preparations, via video call, or by phone, about a month before your departure.

 

We also have a business partner who is a travel operator who can take care of all your bookings like a traditional travel agency with complete assistance and guarantees.

 

Travel according to your desires, with a single point of contact, thanks to Globule Voyage!

 

 

Is it more expensive than elsewhere?

 

If you do everything completely by yourself, it will necessarily be cheaper. There's no mystery here.

 

Likewise, if you choose a complete project with our partner, the cost will also be higher than if you book it yourself. You have to remunerate the work of taking reservations, and the guarantees and assistance that you get in this case.

 

 

What are the limits of your services?

I build a detailed travel project with you, including the description of all the services and rates and the contact details for making your reservations.

 

If you stay in one place for a long time, I will probably have obtained special conditions, outside of the basic rate. Don't forget that I used to run a hotel.

 

My mission ends with the delivery of the digital travel guide, except for the "Booking Assistance" and/or "Departure Assistance" options.

 

French law prohibits me from purchasing any service for you without being a registered travel agent, even a show or museum ticket. Don't forget that you may have cancellation insurance with your credit card and assistance/repatriation insurance with your multi-risk home insurance. We can check it together.

 

If you do not wish to book for yourself, I have partnered with a registered travel operator (like a travel agency) who takes over after the project is validated with you. The great quality of this operator, in addition to being insured and offering all the guarantees and quality of service (24/7 assistance, full responsibility, etc.), is that it allows me to work with the providers I want.

 

So booking by yourself or with my partner does not add any additional constraints to the project, just a different level of service including responsibility from departure from your home to your return home, as well as taking care of the relationship with each provider as needed.

It ensures that you will board the plane, enter the destination country, ensuring all the necessary formalities, for example.

 

Why Use You Services ?

 

To experience travel like others do: Similar to how the car driver misses out on the scenery when driving, the one who plans the journey may not fully savour the element of surprise during the trip.

To save time: Preparing for a trip involves hours of sifting through guides, studying maps, searching for airfare and rental car rates, choosing attractions, and finding events or shows.

For peace of mind: Being able to discuss ideas with someone who knows the country can help avoid errors and make the journey a success.

To travel more often: Bid farewell to the tedious research for destination ideas, beautiful hotels, charming bed-and-breakfasts, or unique accommodations, along with great restaurants. Embrace the joy of a simple departure.

 

 

How Can I Reach You? When?

 

You can contact me via phone, email, or on Facebook. My contact information is provided at the top and bottom of each page (the small icons). The initial conversation carries no obligation and is completely free.

Commitment only comes into play after you've placed an order and signed the quote.

 

What Types of Trips Are My Services Suitable For?

My services are adapted to several types of travel, for example :

- A tour lasting a week or more.

- A stationary trip spanning a week or more, with detailed programming by neighborhood, theme, or day, including excursions.

- A shorter trip with specific needs (guide, transportation, activities, group size and composition).

- A romantic getaway within a 3-hour drive from home for a few days. Discover the world just around the corner.

 

 

How Much Does It Cost? How Do You Determine the Price?

 

To determine the service price, I evaluate the time spent with you (listening, presenting, assisting), researching service providers (flights, car rentals, accommodations, outings), and communicating with these providers in the case of specific requirements.

 

Prices vary from 200 Euros for a complete one-week travel plan to 500 Euros for multi-stop journeys over three weeks, suitable for 2 or 4 people with airplanes transfert during the tour. For a weekend discovery near your location, it costs around 60 Euros. This represents approximately 5% of your travel budget.

 

 

How Do We Make Payments? When?

 

Payment is made after signing the quote, through bank transfer or the Zettle system (without sharing your credit card data). If you have chosen a full-service package, payments for services are made directly to the travel operator.

 

 

Is It Too Early or Too Late to Contact You?

 

Airline tickets usually go on sale about a year before the flight date. Personally, I have always booked well in advance to secure the best rates with major airlines (I've used Air France for approximately 90% of my flights, but that's a personal choice).

 

As for other aspects, prices remain relatively stable over time, except for significant events (sports, shows, conferences).

So, you can initiate the planning process as soon as the travel services become available. As long as there are still openings, it's never too late. The determining factors are typically budget and availability.

 

 

How Does the Process Work?

 

The process unfolds as follows:
 

- Initially, we discuss your expectations, desires, and constraints for your trip during an in-depth interview.

This comprehensive conversation is guided by a set of questions I've created to assist you in articulating your explicit and implicit needs.

- Within 24 hours, I provide you with a transcript of our discussions, allowing you to reflect on the conversation.

- After 48 hours, I have a follow-up session to confirm your validation or any potential adaptations that have occurred during your reflection period.

- I present a quote for the conception of your journey within 2 days. This quote encapsulates the validated recap of our discussions and provides an overview of the project's contents, including duration, number of participants and their ages, starting and ending points, desired services (flights, accommodations, activities, routes, budget, etc.).

- Upon your acceptance of the quote, you proceed to make the payment, and I initiate the research process on your behalf.

- In about a week (the actual timeframe is indicated on the quote and may vary depending on travel characteristics), I return with two cost proposals for each planned service.

- We engage in a discussion about these proposals, and you indicate your selections based on our exchange. We then finalize the chosen services. Please note that prices, especially for airfare, can fluctuate rapidly.

- Within 48 hours, I provide you with all the elements of your journey: your travel plan.

 

 

What is a Personal Travel Guide?

 

Your personal travel journal will be presented in the form of a digital wall (Padlet) organized into sections:

- The first section will contain all the general information for your trip (route map, a detailed itinerary of stops, a summary of planned transportation modes, accommodations, reserved activities, etc.).

- A second section will serve as a travel preparation guide (climate, equipment, stay formalities, time zone, currency, diplomatic representations).

- Then, there will be a section for each day of travel, neighborhoods, or stops according to your preferences, including:

- The itinerary (transferable to your smartphone) adapted to the chosen mode of transportation (car, bus, train, bike, etc.), including schedules if using public transport.

- Weather for the starting and ending cities of the day (if different) to help you decide what to wear.

- Photos from Streetview of your intermediate and final destinations with their addresses, phone numbers, emails, stay dates, bookings, and services.

- Websites of public transportation for the destination.

- A map of proposed visits for that stop, that day, with detailed informations (address, hours, website, phone) validated together during the preparation (monuments, museums, parks, attractions, tours, walks, etc.).

 

 

How Does It Look?

 

Think of it as a private mini-website for your journey that contains all the information related to it.

 

 

Why Choose a Digital Padlet?

 

This allows it to be continuously updated, and you can add data yourself. It's more flexible than a printed paper or PDF file.

 

 

Can You Handle Everything or Only Part of the Trip?

 

We take care of what you entrust to us, no more and no less. You decide the scope of the mission. Just accommodations? No problem!

 

 

Where Are Specific Travel Formalities (Vaccination, Visa, Documents, etc.) Listed?

 

They will be included in the second part of your travel journal. Its digital format allows you to access up-to-date information from official French websites, the destination country, or any relevant authority on the subject. You can also find details about restaurant, hotel, and museum hours.

 

 

Can I Cancel If I Encounter an Issue? Is There Insurance for That?

 

For bookings, you choose a rate with or without the option to modify or cancel your reservation at the time of booking. The same applies if you entrust our partner with reservations; cancellation options will be presented to you before making a decision. Your credit card cancellation insurance policies apply.

 

 

Once I'm There, How Do I Manage?

 

If you have only purchased the travel journal, even though I remain available and at your service during regular working hours, you will not have any assistance. The same applies if your flight is delayed; you are responsible for the consequences on other services (car, accommodation, etc.).

 

However, if you have chosen the complete travel package, from the moment you sign the contract, our partner's 24/7 assistance will answer you, help you, and take care of any travel-related contingencies and their consequences.

 

 

Why Choose GLOBULE Voyage?

 

Because by the end of reading this, you're convinced that I'm the right person for you!