[gs_uppal]

A SUGGESTION TO INDIAMIKE

Mike, Just like the Hotels listing that you have given on the site, give a Travel Agents listing too, where the IMers can post their post trip experiences about Travel Agents/Tour Operators/Car-Taxi Hiring Agencies etc., like
how reliable/helpful their drivers/staff are,
positives,
negatives,
phone nos.,
contact addresses,
and maybe RATE/GRADE them.

This would help IMers a lot in their Taxi/Car/Van bookings. They can contact these Agencies, and they dont get into traps of Pahadganj type operators, i hope you understand what i mean.

[indiamike]

Originally Posted by gs_uppal

A SUGGESTION TO INDIAMIKE

give a Travel Agents listing too, where the IMers can post their post trip experiences about Travel Agents/Tour Operators/Car-Taxi Hiring Agencies etc., like

Well we do have the section in the forum where people can post about them.

However I don't think we will be expanding on it, though the idea is appreciated.

I am considering going in the opposite direction and getting rid of the whole travel agents section that we have on the site and going back to the DIY (do it yourself) approach.

Travel Agents, not all but some, are a big headache for us on the site and I am not sure if I want to encourage it. It's hard to explain why in just a few lines, but the forum leaders understand the reasoning behind this completely.

Those shonky travel agents in Paharganj are even shonkier in the cyberworld and keep us busy.

I hope that makes sense.

Though again, the idea is appreciated.

[SHIMLA]

Originally Posted by indiamike

I am considering going in the opposite direction and getting rid of the whole travel agents section that we have on the site and going back to the DIY (do it yourself) approach.

Travel Agents, not all but some, are a big headache for us on the site and I am not sure if I want to encourage it. It's hard to explain why in just a few lines, but the forum leaders understand the reasoning behind this completely.

Those shonky travel agents in Paharganj are even shonkier in the cyberworld and keep us busy.

I hope that makes sense.

I agree !

[himadventures]

indiamike

I would say-do something- and right moment to do is now ! ( If it is that easy I type these words )
this website is good sources of information and lot lot of people trust what is being discussed and mentioned. Some memebers contribution are real worth award !

I agree with uppal - let us maintain the soul of this website and crap should be filtered !

[indiamike]

Originally Posted by himadventures

indiamike

I would say-do something- and right moment to do is now ! ( If it is that easy I type these words )
this website is good sources of information and lot lot of people trust what is being discussed and mentioned. Some memebers contribution are real worth award !

I agree with uppal - let us maintain the soul of this website and crap should be filtered !

The future of how we organize and arrange things with travel agents is still up in the air. Currently we allow this section and travel agents are welcome to give themselves a free plug here. At the time of this writing though, this section does not appear on the front page of the site, and the reason behind that was that we were getting slammed with travel agents posting 'just to be seen'.

There are a few travel agents and hotel owners on the site that have benefited from here just by answering questions and participation in the site. And we encourage it since they are a great source of information.

Our history, over the last few years, has left a sour taste in regards to agencies and it is a constant headache for us. I am not sure if creating seperate review area for it is on the plate right now. Maybe in the future I may implement a pay per listing program, but nothing is planned for now.

I will give a few examples of why it's frustrating for us.....and these are taken from real life examples on the site.

-- Sometimes posts asking about a travel agents are just fake plugs for them. A good example would be Irene asks about a tour company, waits a few days for some responses, and then Joe pops up and says "oh I have heard good reviews of this agency".

Okay maybe it's legit. But on our end we can see the two accounts and see that they are both coming from the same computer. This happens quite a bit, multiple membership accounts to praise an agency.

-- Joining and slamming through the private messages or emails -- Travel agents join up and go through the memberlist sending emails or pm's just advertising their company.


-- Hotels Listings -- Occasionally travel agents will list Hotels in the Hotel Sections and surprise when you call the number or email them its going through the agency and must be booked through them. Every now and then I will whip out a calling card and call some of the numbers in that section to make sure they are legit.


These are constant problems for us and happen each and every week, no lie.

Maybe I am doing a bad job here and not explaining it well enough to travel agents who join the site, or maybe they just don't care.

If I told you how many times I have gotten burned you would think I would be smart enough to just shut the whole section down completely and wipe my hands of it.

So it's a constant battle for us and it's hard to find a winning solution.

[himadventures]

indiamike !

you really worked hard to explain-i am personaly obliged and with this feeling,writing these lines.

1. On lines of dmoz-you can appoint editors who will edit and keep an eye on thes guys. It is not hard to find good people around. For exmaple: I am of the feeling that Avid and shimla are not linked with any agency directly or indirectly -although I am. So,people like them can be given a chance to keep an eye on the 'agents'.

2. Better STOP ! It saves time,money and exploitation also. Day by day IM is geting more and more popular and people are really enjoying being here-I personaly think that psudo and fake things should not be left with a 'open door'

Internet is strange medium and cyberlaws are not that much tight as in US or other countries. And country like INDIA ,do not have any.

I am of the view..either you can use good and reliable people or just stop this practice.

* What few agents thinks is that overseas clients are 'walking dollars' hardly they realize that these people trust them and part with thier hard earned money only in faith in them.