Sam Ion is an entertaining and opinionated Canadian Travel (We don't always agree, but that's why they call it freedom of speech)

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Nobody buys a house, without asking for advice about realtors, lawyers, and moving companies. When you buy a car you kick tires, you ask people how they like their car, and research the model and year of your potential investment.

Why is it then that so many people pick up the phone and book a holiday worth thousands of dollars strictly on the basis of an ad from "El cheapo ltd."? And in today’s world of the world wide web are you going to call 1-800-555-1212 or an Internet company to book your holidays?

Canadian consumer polls say we rank " vacations one of the highest priorities this year. The money you save for a trip is disposable income, but do you real want to throw it away to an unscrupulous or non-existent tour company?

Your Travel Counselor can save you thousands of dollars, help make your vacation, the fulfillment of your dreams, and help you if it turns into a nightmare. When you buy travel from a registered Province of Ontario travel agency your dollars are protected against bankruptcy or insolvency through the Ontario Compensation Fund. Always look for or ask for the license number that proves you’re dealing with a registered Province of Ontario travel agency.

The internet shopping will never replace the need for a real live travel professional, it does though add a very important component of information that will help you choose the holiday that is best suited for you. Research showed that in 1999 49 % of us who are net-linked use the web to research our travel plans, but only 9% are booking online.

Now we do have the luxury of booking our travel either in person or on the net, with trusted travel agents we know.

Yes, chat lines will often give you information about a resort, but I find the complaints about resorts I have visited are often exaggerated, and or don’t cover things that I feel strongly should be improved.

Your travel agent will have knowledge of the multitude of choices that you have in a holiday that meets your budget. They know what visas you need, what preventative health care is necessary, and the best time to go for the weather you prefer. Counselors can make arrangements for travelers with disabilities. They have access to information sources that allow them to provide you with multi price comparison and multi-flight options for your travels, the million and one choices that are out there. Wouldn’t you be angry if you found you could ride a camel rather than take a short but non-air-conditioned bus? Agents talk to each other and the industry, and they know or can find out the news as to whether guests have recently had trouble in a resort and what kind. They can save you hours of work comparing different coach tour companies.

If you’re looking for a travel agent who ranks with the best in the industry look for the designation CTC (certified Travel Counselor) and CTM (Certified Travel Manager). These counselors have in their own time, followed an educational path that includes seminars, workshops, conferences, and writing (and passing examinations, and then must keep up-to-date with product knowledge.

There are roughly 22,000 travel agents in Canada, and 1500 of them are CTC/CTM designated.

Peterborough has more than the average number...

Jane Tracogna CTC from the former Thomas Cook Travel (now called letsgo.ca travel), to tie in with a soon to be letsgo.ca travel Web site says, " Our comments come after they’ve surfed the net because they like to deal with real people, and I can help with the information you need about a destination in further depth than you get off the internet."

Margaret Byer CTM from Sears Travel says, " We care about your travel and the value you receive. In our office I’m the expert on weddings and Jamaica."