▲ Sung See Soon, the customized trip planner who works at only U Tour.Photographed by Choi Ji Won.

Many people travel through package tours. A group of people take a bus, visit places together, and travel under the direction of a tour guide. How about a trip planned just for you? Planning one’s own special trip with a help of a customized trip planner has begun to grab many tourists’ attention. The Granite Tower (GT) had a special chance to meet Sung See Soon, a customized trip planner who has been working at Tourbaksa for ten years.

Customized trip planners provide clients with personally customized trip plans through a one-to-one consultation. They listen to clients and create customized tours based on their unique requirements. After listening to clients’ requests, planners come up with a draft plan. Planners always work toward maximizing clients’ satisfaction by helping them achieve their dream trips.

Only U Tour from Tourbaksa provides customized trips of countries around the world. Sung See Soon is a professional trip planner who specializes in tours to Japan. Sung usually helps and provides special trips for couples who want to enjoy luxurious honeymoon trips, families who want to have their own specialized family trips, or families who prepare special trips to celebrate their loved ones’ birthdays.

Being the customized trip planner who always has to communicate and interact with clients, Sung kept a smile on her face and talked in a calm, polite manner throughout the interview. She also answered every question with thorough and detailed explanations. When asked what the most attractive aspect of being a personal trip planner was, Sung answered, “A personal trip is just like a tailor-made suit. We try our best to provide service to help people enjoy a trip that perfectly fits their requirements.”

Sung’s career as a customized trip planner did not begin in Only U Tour. She gained diverse experience both in Korea and Japan and first began her work in the Japanese branch; she was a member of web teams in Japan, organizing and studying tours in Japan in depth. “I also provided tour packages and became a one-day tour guide. This new experience was a great opportunity for me to learn every corner of the country,” said Sung. Becoming rich in experience, she naturally learned how to listen to and interact with clients and fulfill their requirements.

Among countless customized trips Sung has offered, one of the most memorable trips was for a client in a wheelchair. He wanted to travel without a tour guide, but did not know what to do especially when he had difficulty in moving. Sung added, “I had to spend a longer period of time to look for a hotel that provides an easy, convenient access to those in wheelchairs, transportation most convenient to the client, the location of an elevator in the airport, and other specific directions for the client’s delightful trip.” Although Sung admitted that it was one of the toughest, most challenging trips she has planned in her career life, she felt great satisfaction and achievement. The client was fully satisfied to have enjoyed a trip which at first seemed impossible. The client brought courage and confidence to other people with similar difficulties so that they were able to plan and enjoy travelling with the help of customized trip planners.

▲ The scenery of Kyoto in the summer. Provided by ucdavisabroad.com

Although Sung is an experienced, veteran trip planner, she also has difficulties dealing with some clients from time to time. Some people make inquiries about places of which the planner has never heard. “When I encounter such cases, I try to remain humble, feeling that I should learn from the clients and feel a strong need to study more,” added Sung. Not only that, she also has a hard time when she meets people who believe that customized trips are less costly compared to package trips and make inquiries on inexpensive customized trips. Sung emphasized that since she tries to fulfill every requirement of clients, it is challenging to offer such trips with lower prices. However, she is constantly making an effort to introduce cost-efficient travel that meets such clients’ demands.

Many people nowadays begin to prefer customized trips to package trips. Of travellers, elderly people are the most frequent clients. They do not have easy access to the Internet search tools. Many online users can gain a lot of information through blogs and web pages, but those who have difficulty using the Internet experience problems on gathering information. Although they want to travel abroad, lack of information remains a hindrance. Customized trip planners are definitely able to encourage these people by providing detailed information. “For instance, we organize detailed routes, informing clients of train schedules and locations of famous restaurants. Some clients even request personal guides or vehicles,” said Sung.

In order to become a professional customized trip planner, one should be highly aware of every little fact about the country. “When a client requests a trip to Osaka, I should be able to tell the client not only the list of hotels in the region, but also distinguished characteristics of the hotels. For example, I should be aware of which hotel is the most convenient for clients accompanied by children,” added Sung.

Sung also underlined the importance of constantly studying and absorbing updated information about the regions. Moreover, communication skill with clients was an aspect Sung said was crucial. Once the client requests a customized trip, the client keeps in contact with the planner. Because planned routes can change as the planner keeps receiving feedback from clients, interaction between a planner and a client is extremely significant.

Despite a long period of time working as a customized trip planner, Sung is still not fully satisfied with the trips she has designed. She sometimes discovers unexpected obstacles her clients encounter during their trips and therefore reminds herself to give careful attention and consideration. “My ultimate goal is to carefully consider every little aspect of my clients, including psychological and environmental aspects, and to provide them with dreams-come-true trips.”

▲ Provided by blog.daum.net/dlgudwns786/234