The onslaught of two hurricanes has got the Canadian Travel industry on its feet. One travel agent says she was left with little choice but to cancel or search for alternative flights for her clients. A number of them have been affected by the visiting hurricanes, either forced to go elsewhere or cut an existing vacation short.

Hurricane Harvey tore through the North American coast while Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc in the Caribbean and the southern part of the United States.

Mary Hiebert, who works for a Steinbach-based travel agency, says that the hurricanes, particularly the latest one, have had “a huge impact” for those working in travel agencies. It has been a “lot of work” for many personnel, who had to touch base with partner tour companies to check up on clients and see if they were fine.

Hiebert’s clients were on vacation at the Dominican Republic when news of Hurricane Irma broke out. At that time, Hurricane Irma was still classified as a tropical storm. There were also no reports that the island was in the hurricane’s pathway. It took some time to decide whether planes should be sent. The next day, five of Hiebert’s clients had already left the island.

She was grateful the tour company helped out in vacating the travellers, who would have been stranded in the island while the hurricane surged on.

Those were only a few clients affected by Irma. A group was set to leave for Puerto Rico last Friday but the trip was cancelled for safety purposes.

Heavy storms like Irma and Harvey had to be monitored on a regular basis. According to Hiebert, obtaining airline advisories was necessary in order to keep abreast with the situation and adjust or reimburse tickets where necessary. Airline advisories also guaranteed her clients’ safety.

Having people on their planes or at the airport can be a logistical headache for most airlines. Travel agents need to be aware of all weather-related news so that they can address the issue prior to any travel schedule.

This is one of the reasons why some people prefer to hire the services of a travel agency. They always find a way to iron out any travel issues for the benefit of travellers. As a travel agent, Hiebert says it is her duty to work close with the tour company and seek a refund if applicable. Her job is to provide value to the people she serves or works with. Whether or not they are able to go back is not always within her control, but her efforts hope to lessen any travel complications.

She also recommends purchasing Travel Insurance. A comprehensive travel insurance or travel medical insurance package offers numerous benefits for travellers from trip cancellation to baggage loss to medical insurance. However, Hiebert does warn about certain loopholes especially where hurricanes are concerned. Not all travel insurance companies will consider hurricanes as natural disasters. Travellers had better check the policy and see what is written there before deciding to buy travel insurance. Canada is home to some of the best travel insurance companies in the world, but research is the key to getting the right provider for specific travel requirements.

Present travel disruptions are somewhat uncalled for, says Hiebert, but such issues can be resolved by either preparation or travel insurance.