Better Business Bureau in the UK

[zoebartlett]

To all UK readers, is there an organization that is like the Better Business Bureau that we have in the US? I am having a hard time finding a travel agency in the US that deals specifically with travel to the Azores Islands/Portugal (for my honeymoon). I did find a company in England, Archipelago Azores, but I''m not familiar with it since I don''t live there. I wanted to look on a trusted site to see if it''s a reputable company. Any suggestions?

 

[Maisie]

ABTA is the regulatory body in the UK for travel companies. Your chosen company would have their logo on the brochure or web page if they are registered. I know that they may still not be a brilliant company to go through but having this registration is a good place to start.

We don''t have the same thing as the BBB here which is a shame.

The larger tour operators in UK are the likes of Abercrombie and Kent, Hayes and Jarvis, Thomas Cook, Thomson and First Choice.

 

[zoebartlett]

Hi Maisie,

Thanks for chiming in. I have brochures for this company mentioned above and it says "ATOL protected." It looks like they''re part of the Association of Independant Tour Operators as well. It seems like a ligitimate company and maybe I''m being too cautious. It''s just hard doing things with a company from another country when I''ve never heard of the company and it''s a big expense I''m looking into. I know you''ve done it before though, as have many others, regarding purchasing diamonds and rings from the US. As I said, maybe I''m being too cautious.

 

[Pandora II]

I must admit I''ve never heard of them here, but then again I and pretty much everyone I know just book everything independently online using expedia or lastminute etc

Hotels I use lastminute or the Eye Witness recommendations.

Do you need to go through an actual agent?

 

[zoebartlett]

Hi Pandora,

No, I guess we don''t need to go through a travel agency. I guess we could book it ourselves using Orbitz, Expedia, or one of the other online companies. We rarely travel and for some reason I''m hesitant to book our honeymoon plans ourselves. I love the thought of having an experienced travel agency do it for us -- for some reason it seems more reliable. Maybe I''m being silly though.