Leisure Travel Enterprises: What to Know Before Booking

What Leisure Travel Enterprises does

Leisure Travel Enterprises is a travel agency based in South Carolina that books trips, handles reservations, and arranges travel packages for leisure travelers. Like other travel agents, they work with airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators to put together itineraries and manage the logistics of your vacation. You contact them with your travel dates and destination preferences, and they search available options, compare prices, and book on your behalf.

The agency handles both domestic and international travel. They can book flights, accommodations, car rentals, and guided tours, or combine these into a complete package. Some travelers use them for straightforward bookings—a flight and hotel for a beach weekend—while others rely on them to plan complex multi-destination trips or group travel.

Key Takeaways

• Leisure Travel Enterprises books flights, hotels, car rentals, and tours through their connections with travel suppliers, and you pay them directly for the reservation.
• Travel agents typically charge a service fee, commission, or markup on bookings, so compare their total price against booking directly online before committing.
• The main advantage of using a travel agent is personalized planning and someone to contact if something goes wrong during your trip.
• You can reach Leisure Travel Enterprises by phone or in person to discuss your travel plans and receive a quote before booking.
• Travel agents do not set airline or hotel prices—they work within the rates those companies offer—so savings depend on package deals or negotiated group rates.

How travel agents charge for their services

Travel agents make money in several ways. Some charge an upfront service fee—typically $50 to $200 depending on the complexity of your trip. Others earn a commission from the travel suppliers (airlines, hotels, tour companies) when you book through them, and pass no separate charge to you. Many use a combination: a modest service fee plus a commission from suppliers.

Before booking, ask Leisure Travel Enterprises directly what you will pay. Request a total price quote that includes any service fees, and compare it to what you would pay booking the same flights and hotel directly online. Sometimes the agent's connections or package deals make the total lower; sometimes you pay more for the convenience of having someone else handle the details.

When a travel agent makes sense for your trip

A travel agent is most useful when your trip is complex or when you want someone else to manage the details. If you are planning a multi-week international itinerary with flights, hotels in several cities, and guided tours, an agent can coordinate all of that and ensure connections work. If you are traveling with a large group—a family reunion or corporate retreat—agents often negotiate group rates that beat individual bookings.

Travel agents also become valuable if something goes wrong. If your flight is cancelled, your hotel loses your reservation, or you need to change plans mid-trip, you have a person to call who knows your booking and can work with suppliers on your behalf. If you book everything yourself online, you are on your own with customer service lines.

For a simple round-trip flight and a hotel in one city, booking directly online is usually faster and sometimes cheaper. For anything more involved, or if you prefer not to spend hours comparing options, a travel agent handles that work for you.

What information to gather before contacting them

When you reach out to Leisure Travel Enterprises, have these details ready: your travel dates (or a range of dates you are flexible on), your destination or destinations, the number of travelers and their ages, your budget range, and any preferences (direct flights, specific hotel chains, particular tour experiences). If you have already researched some options online, note what you found and what price you saw—that gives the agent a starting point.

If you are traveling internationally, mention whether you have a valid passport and when it expires. If you need a visa, the agent can advise on requirements and timelines. If you have mobility needs, dietary restrictions, or other special requirements, mention those upfront so the agent can factor them into recommendations.

How to compare Leisure Travel Enterprises against booking on your own

Get a quote from the travel agency that includes the total cost of flights, accommodations, any tours or activities, and all fees. Then go online to airline websites, hotel booking sites, and tour operators and price the exact same itinerary. Add up what you would pay booking each piece separately. Compare the two totals.

The travel agent's quote may be higher because of service fees, or lower if they have negotiated rates or package discounts you cannot access as an individual. The difference is usually not huge—often within 5 to 15 percent either way. The real question is whether the convenience and support are worth the cost difference to you.

What happens after you book

Once you confirm your booking with Leisure Travel Enterprises, they send you confirmation details for each part of your trip—airline confirmation numbers, hotel reservation details, car rental information, tour vouchers. Keep these documents and have them available when you travel. The agency should also provide you with their contact information and let you know how to reach them if you need to make changes before your trip.

If you need to modify your reservation—change a flight date, add a hotel night, cancel a tour—contact the agency rather than the supplier directly. They know your full booking and can coordinate changes across all the pieces. If something goes wrong during your trip, call the agency first; they can often resolve issues faster than you can working directly with airlines or hotels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do travel agents get better prices than I can find online?

Not always on individual flights or hotels—those prices are usually the same everywhere. But agents sometimes access package deals, group rates, or negotiated prices with certain suppliers that are not available to the public. The best way to know is to get a quote and compare it to your own online search for the identical itinerary.

What if I want to cancel my trip after booking?

Cancellation policies depend on the specific flights, hotels, and tours you booked, not on the travel agency. Some bookings are refundable, others are not. Leisure Travel Enterprises can tell you the cancellation terms for each part of your reservation before you book, so you know what you are committing to.

Can a travel agent book cruises?

Yes. Many travel agents, including those at leisure agencies, specialize in cruise bookings. They can book your cabin, arrange pre-cruise hotel stays, book flights to the port, and sometimes include onboard credits or other perks that cruise lines offer to agents.

What if my flight is cancelled and I need to rebook?

Contact Leisure Travel Enterprises first. They have your booking details and can work with the airline to rebook you. If you booked directly online, you would handle this yourself through the airline's website or phone line. Having an agent means you have someone advocating for you if the rebooking is complicated.

Do I need a travel agent for a domestic trip?

No—domestic flights and hotels are easy to book online. A travel agent is most useful for international travel, complex multi-city itineraries, group travel, or cruises. For a straightforward domestic vacation, booking yourself online is usually simpler and just as cheap.