Power
Travel without worry
You want more than just a holiday. You want to experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip with your family or group, where an expert visits you to understand all your wishes. One dedicated contact person ensures a completely tailor-made journey, from departure to return. No stress, just enjoyment. That's what TUI at Home stands for.
Don't you just want to go on holiday, but want to experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip with your family or company? Where all the arrangements are taken care of by an expert who visits you to record all your wishes? One and the same contact person, who ensures a complete tailor-made trip, from departure to return. No hassle, just enjoy. That's what TUI at Home stands for.
You are really looking forward to a holiday, just to get away for a while. But you're a bit dreading the hassle sorting out and booking everything. You prefer to pass on your wishes and receive a number of proposals from an expert for trips as you have in mind. And you are absolutely right, because your time is valuable. So it's good that there is such a thing as TUI at Home, an organization consisting of 130 experienced travel experts, spread throughout the Netherlands. The difference with a travel agency is that these independent travel agents work from home and can visit you at your office or home if desired.
Flexibility and expertise are just two of the advantages of the TUI at Home travel experts. They not only have advice for your holiday, business trip or weekend away, but also for your business incentive. They have knowledge of destinations and travel, from Maldives to Lapland to Formula 1 trips. From the first moment of contact until after you return from the trip, you will only deal with one and the same contact person. Each trip is tailor-made, fully adapted to the wishes of the traveler. In this story, a number of travel experts, 'At Homers', take you through an example of a special trip they organized. Just for inspiration, for beautiful travel ideas. Let them work on your holiday, so that you can enjoy it worry-free.
Mirjam den Broeder | Wedding ceremony with 75 people in Ibiza
“A nice couple, not even from my area, got married in Ibiza in September. The location had already been determined and a wedding planner had been hired for the festivities. However, everything still had to be arranged for the seventy-five guests: flight, transfer and overnight stay close to the location of the wedding ceremony. To this end, they approached me about eight months in advance. They had also submitted this search to other travel organizations. I was given a date and a budget of 70.000 euros was made available. Can you please help us with this? Because we can't figure it out on our own. I first drove to Tilburg to meet the couple. That short line is what is so nice about us self-employed. I worked in a travel agency for twenty years; one day one person works on an application, the next day the other. If you do business with me, all contact will be with me alone. By sending a daily text about what you are doing and the progress you are making, you keep people close to you.
To start, I started looking for flight options. It was only for a few days, so it was nice to get the most out of it: so an early flight there and a late flight back. I listed the options and decided to fly from Eindhoven after consultation with the customers. For a suitable stay with many rooms, I have consulted with various tour operators: what can you offer? The quotes I received were all above budget. So I started calling hotels and resorts in the area. Finally I found a hotel in a perfect location and with sufficient availability. A supplier was willing to purchase and offer the hotel especially for me, outside the range. Finally, I arranged the transfer from the airport in Ibiza to the hotel. In consultation with the customer, I booked a transfer bus for part of the group and had rental cars prepared for the other part. The evening before the flight I had booked a hotel in Eindhoven, so that I could guide people in the morning with their boarding passes and any questions they had. I even arranged a private check-in desk for the group. It's a wedding, right! Then everything must be really top-notch.
Moreover, I really enjoy meeting people in person. I was even included in the group app, so that guests could contact me with all kinds of questions. For example, someone had a leaky tap in the bathroom. Could I mediate in this? Normally you walk to the reception, but now it was about the group app: 'Mirjam, can you arrange that?' It was all very accessible and personal. I gave all guests a flyer with an explanation of how I work as TUI at Homer. I still book their own holidays for 80 percent of this group. By delivering a fantastic product, I put myself on the map among that group. The bridal couple also still books with me. And they also send all their friends and acquaintances who did not come to Ibiza to me. You can't get a better compliment!”
Joyce van der Stap | Group trip of 150 people to Valencia
“The management of a large office furniture rental company offers its staff an anniversary trip every five years, because it not only wants to give a bonus in terms of pay increase, but also in experience and solidarity. The management is already a private customer of mine and entrusted me with the organization because they had good experiences with me in terms of service, the way of working and being keen on details. The assignment was: 'An unforgettable weekend with 150 people in a warm country, with good food and good parties, nice drinks and fascinating activities.' And the trip had to be suitable for everyone. Because such a company naturally has a very diverse workforce, from sales managers to warehouse workers. I was sent on that assignment, for which I had a budget of 120.000 euros.
During the process we arrived at Valencia. I immediately went there for three days, because I wanted to see the possible locations with my own eyes to rule out that anything would be wrong. I went to all the venues with a local agent. I already knew instinctively which locations would be popular. That is my strength: I read between the lines what my customer wants. I booked Marina Beach Club Valencia as a party location for Saturday evening: on the beach, with a view over the sea and a disco and swimming pool. The place to see and be seen. I made reservations for restaurants, organized a catamaran sailing tour and a cycling and walking tour... And I first tried out the hotel I had in mind myself. Then you know what the beds are like, the service, the breakfast. I don't want to leave anything to chance. They were all prime locations, so no concessions were made. And it was all within budget – I had really shopped around.
Together with the customer I then discussed the details, from menu to table arrangement, to do everything I could to ensure that it would indeed be an unforgettable weekend. The tour operator you work with is also important; who is responsible for the implementation of the script. And I want maximum certainty and expertise for my customer. Is there guidance at check-in, is someone waiting for the group at its destination, have the transfers been arranged, and the guides during the excursions? In this case, the management wanted me to come along myself, as a link between the customer and the local agent. Then I lead the way everywhere and ensure that the menus are on the table on time, the right champagne is served when entering a location, that dietary requirements are met, electric bicycles are also available for the bike tour... You name it all. on. People could choose which activities they wanted to participate in. For example, the management women opted for a paella cooking course, for which we first went shopping at the covered market.
During the entire weekend I guided the group in all possible areas and thus relieved them of their worries. What compliments have I received? 'This was by far the best thing we have ever done together, it has contributed so much to collegiality.' And someone else said: 'After every drink, activity or dinner I thought: it can't get any better than this. But it did, every time.' I had consciously done the build-up this way, working towards the climax: the party on Saturday evening. If you experience it that way, I see it as a great compliment. You can organize a group trip like this for a thousand parties, but I am on top of it and think three steps ahead. On the return journey the seats were incorrectly assigned. Then I will have a conversation and make sure things work out. At times like that you really have added value, so you just arrange it. Actually, I am a personal assistant 3.0.”
MASTERS MAGAZINE
Curious about the rest of this article? In the autumn edition of MASTERS an interview with LVMH boss Bernard Arnault (“being the richest man in the world meant nothing to me”), a driving impression of the electric Audi RS e-tron GT, a report with the 'tree matchmakers' of The Green Contractors , an interview with star chef Dick Middelweerd and a visit to Barcelona with Ronald Koeman. The war, the climate crisis, the energy problem... Leadership and entrepreneurship are being called upon more than ever. With MASTERS EXPO | The Colorful Edition (8 to 12 December, RAI Amsterdam) we want to contribute in our own way and give the world a push in the right direction. In this edition of MASTERS a colorful preview of the most exclusive business fair. Time to think ahead, innovate, connect!
MASTERS EXPO
Visit TUI Netherlands at MASTERS EXPO. From December 8 to 12 in RAI Amsterdam: MASTERS EXPO – The Colorful Edition. Order your tickets here.
