When it comes to selecting travel agents, there are a few pointers to remember. First you have to know your needs. Of course, a good travel agent will without doubt ask about your needs, but it is still easier if you volunteer the information yourself. You have to share with your agent the following information:

o Vacation purpose
o Vacation spot and activities you’ll want to engage in once you reach your destination
o Transportation e.g. cruise, long drive by car, etc. and if you’ll need a car to rent while in your vacation spot
o Your maximum budget

Part of the process of remarkable travel agent selection is for you to ask the right questions. You should find out if the agent has his or her specialties e.g. cruise line specialty, island hopping specialty, and the likes. Prior to selecting an agent, you should also ask if you can contact your agent 24 x 7, or if there are only specific times within the day that he or she is available for questions and concerns. Another essential question to ask is what kind of services the travel agent offers and how much is the fee per service.

When choosing travel agents, you also have to consider how knowledgeable they are. For example, a travel agent who only knows everything about cruises, but is not that knowledgeable about vacation sprees involving hiking, camping, etc. may not be suited for you if you and your family love being one with nature during your trip. Likewise, a full time agent may also be more knowledgeable and may be able to give better deals than an agent who works part time.

In the process of selecting an agent, you should also decide whether you need an agent with good product knowledge, fine destination knowledge, or both. For instance, you have travelled to Hawaii for a couple of times and know which hotel you want to stay at, but have no idea about the current price of tours and activities in the island – what you need is one with the product knowledge who will be able to present you with affordable packages that suit your likes or needs. A person who is a first time traveler to Hawaii, on the other hand, may benefit more by selecting a traveling agent who has both the destination and the product knowledge.

Finding the right agent for your planned vacation may seem difficult at first, but by knowing what you want to do, where you want to stay, your budget, and so on, you will easily get to transact with a good travel agent who will make your trip worthwhile.

Popular holiday destinations for many Europeans still included Spain and the islands of Majorca and Menorca.

But people have become more adventurous, and trips to Egypt, Jordan and other destinations not really thought of a decade a go are now very much in vogue.

The traditional two week holiday is fast becoming redundant too, with many families now taking two, three and sometimes even four shorter breaks a year, with some of those two or three day trips.

Traditional travel agents are certainly having to adapt to the new world of travel, for not only are they having to rise to the challenge of a different market place for the number of holidays and time taken from a decade ago, but unless they have a strong on-line presence they are in a declining market, as more and more people change from booking at a bricks and mortar store to creating their own holidays on the internet.

A good example of the changing tourist scene is the Menorca holidays market.

The Spanish island’s economy is pretty reliant on tourism, and in the seventies, eighties and nineties marketed itself successfully as a quiet destination, with two week package holidays typically taken between June and September the normal tourist season.

But now in an effort to stay as a major player in the European holidays game, the season has been extended from June back to April, and from mid September to early October.

In addition as not only is the typical holiday no longer two weeks but one, the island is also marketing itself as a holiday destination good for three and four day breaks.

Although the scenery and terrain may be enough in itself to keep holidaymakers busy for a fortnight, Menorca is rich in culture and history for those who take culture breaks for three or four days. Examples are the collection of ancient stone monoliths which bear tales of prehistoric times.

Daytime summer temperatures hover around the mid to high seventies farenheit on the island, and are mid sixties to mid seventies in the months Menorca is broadening her season for, tourists who might visit in April, May, September and October.

Menorca, like many holiday destinations, has adapted to a fast changing holiday mix, but will no doubt hope that there aren’t too many change of habits coming along in the future – but if there is they will respond quickly enough to esure the island’s place in the tourists plans.