Why we charge a Design Fee

When I began researching becoming a Travel Entrepreneur, I realized that in order to make the commitment to serve clients fantastically, the bookitbox TRAVEL business model had to not rely solely on commissions. You see, when we as Travel Advisors book travel, as an incentive, hotels, cruise lines, tour companies, and travel suppliers pay a commission as a “thank you” for selling their product. What is that percentage? It varies, considerably! 

If we did not charge a “service fee”, we would be largely motivated to select a product (hotel, tour, experience) based on the commission fee; not what creates the best travel experience for you, our client. And that does not align with our mission: to create an out-of-the-box travel experience, in a box. 

Our Design Fee (AKA “service fee”) is your insurance that we will make authentic decisions based on our thorough research of getting to know you and your travel style. If you are a boutique hotel lover, and we find that perfect fit in Paris for you, but they only pay 8% commission, we’re going to book it anyhow.

What else is included in our Design Fee?

Each vacation we plan includes hours of research, plotting, planning, and reserving. We sift through reviews on both public and private Travel Advisor forums. We plot your trip on Google Maps to create an efficient itinerary. We communicate with our onsite partners to create authentic, VIP-style experiences. 

When we are not planning vacations, we are consuming media on destinations, properties, and experiences. Continuing education events require hours of time (and financial investment), but help us further our expertise of the industry and suppliers. Meetings with travel partners deepen our understanding of their offerings that help elevate our client’s travel experiences. 

Our fee also includes access to VIP treatment, amenities, and our travel networks. Our affiliation with Gifted Travel Network and Virtuoso gives us access to professional opinions on destinations and perks that you won’t find otherwise. Love a room upgrade? We can hook you up! 

We save you time. Our client demographic is compiled of a high volume of professionals and business owners that value their time. They understand that outsourcing their travel planning is a smart decision because their time is more valuably spent on their own business, or more importantly, with family. 

Bottom line:

Our Design Fee is in place to ensure you have the best travel experience. After all, it’s your out-of-the-box experience, in a box.