Coastal Mosque in Kalkan
I am a facilitator of travel in Turkey (and a few other places). My Turkish agents (Equinox Travel) and I can handle virtually any possible program there. Whether you’re planning an international convention, a family vacation, or a weekend escape for two—we can help you from the beginning or merely apply the final polish to your program.
My compensation is derived from the time-based fees I charge for my travel consulting services. This keeps me impartial and makes me a better consumer of services on behalf of my clients, especially with Turkish yacht charters. Clients may also save significant sums: we find your charter boats, many of which are not marketed through agencies. Usually, we pay boat owners directly.
You can buy as much or as little of my time as you like. Perhaps you’ve found a bargain price for a package tour and want to know how to mold it to your own style and particular interests. I’ll vet it for you and help you get the most for your money—even if most of that money is being spent with someone other than me. My clients range from those who charter Lear jets to back-packers happy with buses and beds in hostels.
My Turkish colleagues at Equinox Travel provide extensive information about travel in Turkey. Especially, if you are planning your first trip to the region, you may want to visit Equinox Travel before you phone or email me.
Are you a travel agent or a tour developer for a museum or other institution? Do you have individual clients who need special arrangements? There are many ways we can cooperate. Always, I offer you and your clients my decades of experience and meticulous attention to detail.
Although recent travel writing has tended to emphasize Turkey’s western coast, inland areas are equally fascinating and accessible. After you’ve had a look at the Asia Minor Tours website, I can make additional recommendations for books and Websites on the arts, cultures, and cuisines of Turkey, the Middle East, and Mediterranean.
Consulting (in the U.S.)
Initial telephone consultation, free of charge
Tour consulting and planning:
$100 per hour, plus any related expenses
(phone, fax, postage, courier, photocopying, etc.)
If you’d like to work with me, I ask for a $100 deposit before I suggest or make any arrangements for you. For that initial deposit, I prefer that you mail me a check. However, if the time before your trip is very short, PayPal may be more convenient; we can discuss your mode of payment in our first conversation.
I’ll also need your email contacts, a physical address, and phone & fax numbers. After our initial phone acquaintance, we’ll set up mutually convenient times to discuss your needs. Using electronic mail saves lots of time. My e-mail address is: holly@hollychase.com
I ask for a retainer fee from all new clients. It will vary, depending on the complexity of your requirements. For example: the customary arrangements for a party of 2-12 travelling together, for a two-week tour with a sailboat and land program, take roughly 8-12 hours of my time at $100.00 per hour, plus any incidental costs, e.g. FedEx. In such a case, I’d ask for a tour-planning retainer of $800.00. (If you’d like a point of comparison, $800 would be an average per person deposit for a typical museum-sponsored tour to Turkey.)
On the other hand, if you are making most of your own arrangements and just want to check some details with me—that initial deposit of $100 for the first hour may suffice.
I meticulously track incidental expenses and time (by the minute). You’ll receive itemized invoice-statements against funds you have advanced to me. Of course, any excess advance will be promptly refunded when all your arrangements are in place.