PHOTO: Be sure to ask a few questions before trusting your travel agent with your dream vacation. (photo via Pixabay/Geralt)How often have you been advised that you need to find the ‘right’ travel agent when planning a vacation?But how do you know when you’ve found that person?“Everyone loves to travel and no one wants to spend time researching, planning and paying for a dream vacation that turns out to be a nightmare,” said Georganna Cross, travel specialist with GG Travels.“The right travel professional can be the solution, but only if you take the time to ask a few basic questions before trusting them with your dream vacation and hard earned money.”Kelly Ortiz, owner of Guru Travel in Elgin, Illinois, said it’s imperative to shop for a travel agent just as you would for a doctor.“If you needed a brain transplant, you would not go to a heart surgeon,” she said. “The same care needs to be taken when you are seeking out a travel professional.”MORE Features & AdviceTo do so, Ortiz suggests you first ask for an agent’s certifications: “While these are not always an indicator as to how great the agent is, it is a good starting point."Some of these credentials include CTA: Certified Travel Associate; CTC: Certification Travel Counsellor; CTIE: Certified Travel Industry Executive; CCC: Certified Cruise Counsellor; ACC: Accredited Cruise Counsellor; MCC: Master Cruise Counsellor and ECC: Elite Cruise Counsellor.Next, ask for testimonials.“Agents should have a collection of current client testimonials somewhere for you to view, and you should be able to make contact with a client or two to gain a personal reference,” said Ortiz.If there’s an agent you’re interested in working with, check them out.  “When you visit their social media, website, office, email signature, it should be clear who they work with,” said Ortiz.READ MORE: What Questions Should You Ask Your Travel Agent?They should also be well-traveled: Stacey Hartmann has lived in Europe for several years and has been to 59 countries.“If you are only going to one place, find someone who specializes in it but, if you have a bucket list, find someone who lives for travel,” said Hartmann from Enjoy Vacationing in Waunakee, Wisconsin. “I can use my experience to help plan a unique experience for every client.”Some (not all) agents may charge a service fee before assisting you.“Know up front, said Cross. “If they do charge a service fee, ask it if gets applied to the price of your trip if you book or if it is in addition to cost. Know that you aren’t required to pay the commission to the agent. We get our commission from the vendors.”READ MORE: Working with a Travel Agent for the First Time              If you want to get to know your agent, Leila Coe, travel specialist of World Class Travel in Orlando, Florida said it might be best to find one that’s local: “That way, you could meet face-to-face. At least set up a time to do a quick introductory chat. I find that many new clients are wary until they see or at least speak to me to make sure I am a real person.”Once you have all the information you need, you can make an educated decision on the right travel agent for you.