Category: Travel

Wondering whether or not to use the services of a travel advisor, or a travel agent? Confused by the two terms? Wondering about the differences between them? Or even if there really are any differences? We’re here to help. The term “travel agent” dates back to the 19th Century, when Thomas Cook organized his first rail trip for paying clients, in 1845. By 1865 he had opened his first store front—the world’s first travel agency—on Fleet Street in London. It wasn’t long before travelers around the world were taking the firm’s advice: “Don’t just book it…. Thomas Cook it.” And for about 150 years or so, that’s mostly what travel agents did. They helped their clients book railway, steamship, and airline travel and hotel stays. And the best agents did a bit more than just selling tickets.

Travelers who are members of the LGBTQ community need to pay attention to which countries are safe and which countries have discriminatory policies for people outside the dominant paradigm of heterosexuality. If you want to travel and truly be yourself, safely keeping your finger on the pulse of which countries are welcoming is important. This varies around the globe.