Top10TravelAgents.com – Why Should You Book ATOL Protected Holidays in 2021?
We all love taking a holiday or vacation. That moment away from work or business gives us time to reflect on what is and isn’t working about our careers, business, and dreams. We get time to rethink and plan. In addition, studies have shown that taking a vacation has physical and psychological health advantages. Individuals who take breaks have less risk of heart disease, lower stress levels, are motivated to achieve goals, and have a better outlook on life.
While taking a holiday or vacation comes with many perks, planning one is not easy. Due to our busy schedules and lack of information, planning a successful trip can be daunting. This is where the need to work with a travel agent comes in. Agents have the experience and workforce to handle all our travel needs. The best agent will arrange everything from helping you choose a destination, to booking flights and accommodation, and organising transfers. But with many agents available today, finding the right one is not easy. Therefore, before working with an agent, it is important to always ensure that they are ATOL Protected.
What is ATOL?
Air Travel Organisers License (ATOL) protects you when you book a holiday with most travel agencies in the United Kingdom. ATOL ensures that you don’t lose money, or get stranded abroad if your travel agency, or other companies offering travel services as part of your holiday collapse. The United Kingdom Government backs this license. When you are ATOL protected, you can relax and look forward to your holiday with peace of mind, knowing you can never lose your money.
What does ATOL cover?
- Flights and accommodation
- Flights and car hire
- Flights, accommodation, and car hire
If you are booking parts of your vacation separately, you have to book them one day apart to receive ATOL protection. The license is also applicable when:
- You have booked flights but do not receive your tickets promptly. This happens mostly with discounted scheduled flights and charter flights. However, note that ATOL does not apply when you book directly with the airline.
- Your vacation/trip involves at least 1 flight to, or from the United Kingdom. For instance a holiday in France where you travel by rail, but fly home.
Why ATOL Protected Travel Agencies Are the Best?
Imagine what could happen when your fully paid holiday is cancelled, like what happened in early 2020 during the pandemic.This is where the need to book ATOL protected holidays comes in. Below are 3 reasons why you should book with ATOL protected travel companies…
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ATOL Protections Show Professionalism
One way to know you are working with a professional travel agency is to check whether they have ATOL protection or not. An agency with ATOL protection means that they care about their clients, and are simply not focused on just making a profit. Lacking this vital license should sound an alarm when looking for a travel agent.
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ATOL is Proof of Legal Compliance
On 1st Oct 2012, the UK government made it mandatory for travel agents to offer ATOL protection to travelers meeting the set requirements. Therefore when looking for a travel agent in the UK, it is essential to check whether they are ATOL compliant. With this protection, you can be sure you are in the right hands, as the company adheres to the laws of the land.
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ATOL Protection Gives You Peace of Mind
The main benefit of booking ATOL protected holidays is peace of mind. Nothing beats the thought of knowing your money is protected if the travel company and other service providers fail to deliver for whatever reason. Before ATOL became mandatory, a lot of travellers were used to losing money, or being stranded abroad due flight cancellations, if their travel provider went bust.
How to Check If My Travel Agent is ATOL Protected?
With the many benefits of ATOL-protected holidays, it is crucial to look for a company that is ATOL protected. But how do you know whether a travel company is ATOL protected?
While you can check for the ATOL logo on the travel company’s website, checking on the ATOL database is the surest way to know if your preferred company is ATOL approved or not.
