Jamie Biesiada
Advance bookings point to another gangbusters summer in Europe, and for travel advisors, this means setting client expectations early on.
Melissa Cohn, owner of a Dream Vacations franchise on Long Island, N.Y., said managing expectations will be critical for advisors whose clients are headed to the Continent during the high season.
"Make sure clients know — especially in Italy — that Rome is going to be crowded," Cohn said.
Rome will likely be particularly busy this summer with the Catholic Church's Jubilee Holy Year, a once-every-25-years event that draws millions to Vatican City.
"Be prepared for crowds," Cohn encouraged advisors to tell their clients.
Tips for Europe travel
Cohn also offered a few other tips for advisors planning European jaunts for clients this year.
First, ensure clients' passports are valid for at least six months, she said. Also, ensure that the names clients have given match their passports.
Cohn is also careful about how she arranges transportation and activities.
"I never schedule clients tours the day they fly in anywhere, because there's too much likelihood of missing a tour," she said. "And the same with the rail strikes in Italy. I try to avoid scheduling a tour -- an organized tour -- too close in time to when a train is supposed to get in."
She also encourages her clients to cross-pack in the travel party's suitcases, that way if a bag is lost, everyone still has some clothing options.
Working with in-destination partners
Julie Sommer, owner of Jewel Travel Co. in Jersey City, N.J., encouraged other advisors to get to know their supplier partners in Europe.
"I have pretty strong relationships now with my partners there, so I know that they're going to take good care of my clients and that they're in good hands," she said.
Sommer said she prefers when in-destination partners have strong ground services, so if something happens with clients in off hours in the U.S., they have someone local they can call for help.
"Become an expert on the partners and become an expert on the clients, and then you can always make sure that you're putting them with the right person," Sommer said.