By Gilly Bachelor, Travel Expert

There are many wonderful perks to being a travel agent — we get to be part of some of the happiest moments in people’s lives. From honeymoons and bucket-list adventures to long-awaited family reunions, it’s a privilege to shape those memories.

And yes, we’re incredibly fortunate that part of our work involves visiting destinations, experiencing hotels, and seeing the world first-hand. It allows us to provide honest, firsthand recommendations rather than relying on guesswork. It’s inspiring, exciting and something I never take for granted.

But behind the glossy brochures, Instagram sunsets and familiarisation trips, this can be an extremely stressful role — and this week has been no exception.

In the past few days alone, colleagues across the industry have been working around the clock to support clients affected by the hurricane in Jamaica. Their priority? Ensuring everyone is safe, arranging repatriation back to the UK, and taking care of clients who are yet to travel by cancelling, reworking itineraries, shifting to alternative destinations, or refunding entirely. Every scenario is different, and every traveller needs personalised advice.

Then, this weekend, we received the news that Tanzania has moved to ‘all but essential travel’. When this type of directive is issued, plans change instantly:

  • If you’ve booked an ABTA-protected package holiday, your trip is cancelled and you are entitled to a full refund.
  • If you are already in the destination, your travel agent must work to bring you home safely and promptly.
  • If you’re due to travel soon, alternative arrangements need to be discussed urgently.

It might sound straightforward — but the reality involves hours of negotiations with suppliers, airlines and insurance teams, while simultaneously reassuring understandably anxious travellers. It’s not uncommon for agents to pull regular all-nighters when crises like these occur.

And yet… this is a wonderful industry. We do it because we care. We do it because we genuinely want our clients to have exceptional, safe and seamless travel experiences. When everything is going smoothly, you’ll rarely notice the work going on behind the scenes — and that’s the point.

So, if you’re supported by a travel professional, whether independent or part of a larger agency, give them a little appreciation today. When the world throws storms, travel advisories, air-traffic strikes or unforeseen events our way… we are the ones who quietly step in to fix it.

To my fellow agents: I see you, I’m proud of you, and you’re doing an incredible job 💗