Once in a Blue Moon - Who are the real travel experts?

Topical right? Well, lets get straight into it..........

Have you ever contacted one of the big high street Tour operators / Travel agents? You know the ones; big budgets, glossy brochures, branches up and down the country, looking to ask advice about booking your next holiday. You have a destination or type of holiday in mind but you need an expert to really make it come alive, put some flesh onto the rough ideas. You have also scoured the internet and you feel well informed, after all the internet is always right, right? You really just need someone who has seen it before, done it and has up to date knowledge about what's new, what's changed in the last 3/6/9/12 months.

Some of these big companies have truly brilliant travel experts, I should know I used to be one :-), or at least I used to work with them. The problem is, it's sometimes pure luck to get the right person at the right time, the real expert in the office, the person who has just come back from your chosen destination 3 months ago.