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Mystery shopper: Solihull, an LGBT-friendly winter sun holiday

Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Wanted: A couple is looking for an LGBT-friendly winter sun destination. Where does the agent suggest for a week in November?
Budget: £2,000-£2,400

Tui
55 High Street
94%
The shop looked inviting and a screen in the window showed the latest deals. All staff were dressed impeccably and the shop was tidy. The agent made eye contact within a minute and approached me soon after. She talked through some options, but focused on Gran Canaria as an LGBT-friendly destination. She suggested different hotels and their entertainment options. She gave me two all-inclusive quotes with flights on Tui Airways from Birmingham on November 5. They were Seaside Sandy Beach for £2,225, and the Taurito Princess for £1,835. I had the agent’s undivided attention. She made the holiday sound fun and added insurance to the price.

Co-operative Travel
82 High Street
92%
This tidy shop had the latest deals in the windows. A confident agent made eye contact right away. They established my requirements and showed me options, which we narrowed down to two. Both were for a week with Jet2holidays to Gran Canaria, flying from Birmingham. SuiteHotel Playa Del Ingles cost £2,268, departing on November 6 and IFA Buenaventura Hotel, Playa Del Ingles, was £1,328, departing November 3.

Carrick Travel
377 Warwick Road
89%
A modern waiting area with posters awaited me as I entered the clean shop with an inviting window display. A friendly, professinal agent gave me their undivided attention. They suggested Playa Del Ingles, in Gran Canaria. I was given two all-inclusive quotes, both with Jet2holidays and departing Birmingham on November 6 for a week. The SuiteHotel Playa Del Ingles for £2,268, or Labranda Hotel Marieta for £1,918.


Winning agent

Sharlene Weston, travel advisor

“I have worked for Tui in Solihull for almost two years and this is one of my proudest moments. I always pride myself on service and I’m passionate to find the right holiday for our customers. It’s great to hear that I am exceeding our customers’ expectations.”


Verdict

High scores for all three agencies this week, with Tui’s agent bagging top spot for the rapport they built up and selling additional extras.


Elite resorts caribbean

Top-scoring agent each month will win use of a car for 10 days.

The winning agent must be at least 25, for insurance reasons. Winners under 25 will win a week’s all-inclusive holiday at an Elite Islands Resorts property. The prize is non-transferable and the car must be driven only by the winning agent. The winner must not have any serious driving convictions. Elite Island Resorts will endeavour to supply the car to the agency but reserves the right to request the winning agent to collect and return the car from Essex or a central location

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