Andaman is a hidden Eden, but it is not without its glitches. Finding the right travel agent to book your holidays and plan your trip can be a bit difficult. Local agents are your best choice for Andaman tours since they know the archipelago inside and out. However, contacting them and staying in touch with them from afar, only via emails and phone calls can be taxing.
Points to remember when looking for an Andaman tour package
Your Andaman holidays should be seamless and smooth sailing, just like a cruise ship on the Andaman seas. You simply need to keep a few points in mind while booking anAndaman holiday.
A great looking website is not a certification
Any con company can put up a good-looking site within a couple of days. You need to check the website. Check their real customer reviews, traveler blog contributions, real website content and verify their contact details before you invest your time and money. Pay close attention to the company’s interaction with their previous clients and check their client feedback.
Double check their tourism registration
There are hundreds of “local” Andaman tour guides and agencies that you can find online. However, the only way to know their authenticity is by checking their registrations with Indian Association of Tour Operators, Network of Indian Mice Agents, Andaman & Nicobar Chamber of Commerce and Travel Agents Association of India. These are certifications that guarantee a high-quality travel experience.
Be wary of “unbelievable” prices and discounts
When you come across “unbelievable” discounts on travel and tourism websites, think twice before you believe them. Slashing the prices down by 50% can mean that the agency is skipping a few major experiences to keep the trip within budget. Cost cutting during travel is a smart move, but finding yourself in a second-class hotel without food service nearby can be a solid bummer even for a super-saver Andaman tour package.
Check out their social media activities
Everyone is now on social media. If your travel agency is legit, they are bound to have an active social media presence. Now, find out how the tourists and travelers speak about them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. These sites often couple posts with images that support their claims. This is one of the best ways to verify if you are stepping right into a con game or if your vacation is going to be a real-life dream.
Speak with them before setting sails!
There can be nothing worse than setting foot on Port Blair and finding out that the agency’s claims were a sham. Even though face-to-face meets might not be possible in most cases, you can give the local agent a call to find out how they interact with a prospective client. Are they all about payments and money? Then that is a red flag you should heed. Their quality of responses to your questions about scenery, hotel booking, romantic getaways, adventure packages and kid-friendly activities should give you an idea about their working principles.
Most importantly, you should get all the conformations and booking references in writing. Do not rely on word of mouth, no matter how reputable your travel agency is. Mistakes are often made by the best of the best agents when it comes to ticket booking and hotel booking. So, unless you get your papers in hand (in the mail), do not take things for granted.
