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This week our intrepid secret shopper was in Bath to book a fortnight’s escorted tour to Japan for two. How did the sellers do?
The mystery shopper visited two travel agencies in Bath, Somerset, and requested a 10 to 14-day escorted tour to Japan for two people in their 40s, with a budget of £13,000.
They then made two Google.co.uk searches using the term ‘Japan escorted tours’.
2nd: C The World
3rd: Wendy Wu Tours
4th: Titan Travel
Miles Morgan Travel
8-9 New Bond Street
Mystery Shopper said: The agency was very welcoming and clean. All the consultants were dressed smartly and as I entered were smiling and ready to help. The sales process was very good. The consultant showed me two brochures and offered to ring both tour operators to find out more information and prices. They also provided me with a quote for both companies, including flights, which were within my budget. The consultant offered two dates in spring, which they said were best for seeing the cherry blossoms, and they recommended a trip to Hiroshima. The Spring Elegance tour with Inside Japan had two places left. The consultant took my email to send me the quote for the £12,000 package and encouraged me to book quickly to ensure a place. This was a very positive experience for me. I would definitely recommend this agency because I felt they cared and wanted to find the best price for me.
David Croft,
Cruise development specialist,
Miles Morgan Travel
How long in travel?
I was with Royal Caribbean in the casinos for seven years and I’ve been with Miles Morgan for almost a year.
Do you sell lots of Asia?
Yes, I mainly sell escorted tours of Vietnam and Cambodia but also the Mekong and Irrawaddy rivers.
Any tips on how to sell Japan?
It may not be a destination all agents are familiar with, so work closely with operators such as Inside Japan and Wendy Wu to soak up as much you can.
Best-ever booking?
A £41,000 P&O cruise on a 65-day sailing around Cape Horn.
What’s on your bucket list?
Antarctica – and it’s becoming more achievable as more and more ships go there.
C The World
21-22 The Corridor
It was a bit dark in the store but the agency was well laid out, clean and tidy. The friendly consultant greeted me and asked how they could help. They asked my preferred travel dates and recommended March or April for the blossoms. They didn’t ask my budget but said the trip depended on the money I wanted to spend. I was presented with a nice brochure but the consultant could have shown me an alternative to widen my options. They discussed the trip in detail explaining what was included. They said they’d been on a similar tour in Vietnam and would highly recommend it. The consultant found a holiday with Inside Japan for £12,000. They suggested booking quickly as there were only a few spaces left. They didn’t take my details but gave me their business card.
Wendy Wu Tours
The website used bold colours that drew me to the key parts. The site promoted good deals with business upgrades and explained that tours were hassle-free, which appealed to me. When I clicked on Japan tours, I felt there could have been clearer price breakdowns rather than an overall price. It was quite time-consuming. When I phoned, the consultant said they would provide me with a detailed quote of what they had on offer within my budget. The consultant seemed enthusiastic but when I searched the site I found it really hard to find a match for all my requirements. The consultant agreed to email further details but I didn’t receive these.
Titan Travel
The company slogan – “See the world differently” – was catchy and made me interested in what they did. The site had a special deal for a cruise with a £99 deposit for July. On the site I didn’t really get a clear idea of what the tour included – only the price. When I called, I was told to look on the website for information on what the tour included. It would have been nice to be given a quote and more detail by email. The consultant gave me their number to discuss matters further, but I would have preferred to discuss it at the time. They found me a quote for £5,000pp but didn’t say if this included flights. The consultant referred me back to the site and didn’t take my details.
TTG has teamed up with React Surveys to simulate a realistic booking process each week – that means a mystery shopper looking for the best deal from agents and operators on the high street, online, on TV or in newspapers. The Mystery Shopper research is carried out on behalf of TTG by React Surveys,and no further details or information can be disclosed. Researchers take into consideration first impression, sales process, product and budget match and extras offered before giving an unbiased opinion of which channel/company they would have booked with on that occasion. We do not claim that the winner is the best in an area or specialist sector, as we may report on competing travel firms in the future. Please note that the aim of Mystery Shopper is not to criticise individual agents or companies, but to promote good sales technique for the benefit of all in the travel trade.
