What to Include in a Package Enquiry
Give the agency the details that matter and keep the rest private when you ask for a quote.
A good enquiry gives the agency nine details: dates, travellers, places, rooms, meals, transfers, activities, budget range and special needs. With these, the first quote is usable. Leave out passport scans, IC numbers and payment details until you have chosen an agency.
What should the enquiry contain?
The trip basics
- Dates: exact dates, or a month and the days of leave you can take.
- Travellers: how many adults, the age of each child and any older relatives.
- Places: the cities you want, and any you are happy to drop.
- Rooms: twin or double beds, connecting rooms, ground-floor needs.
- Meals: which meals you want included, and any halal, vegetarian or allergy needs.
Getting around and extras
- Transfers: airport pickup, private car or shared, and flights you want arranged.
- Activities: what you definitely want, and what you would rather skip.
- Budget: a range in ringgit, and what you will not trade away.
- Special needs: stairs, strollers, wheelchairs, prayer breaks.
If you are still sketching, use the route chooser and the trip budget builder first. They give you a range worth sending.
What should you leave out?
Keep your first message free of anything that could be misused.
- Passport and IC numbers, and photos of either.
- Card numbers, bank login details or one-time passwords.
- Your home address, unless the agency needs it later.
Passport expiry is the exception, because it affects whether you can go. Vietnam lists a passport validity requirement of at least six months after arrival1, and a Malaysian ordinary passport holder can enter for 30 days without a visa2. Both can change, so read checking Vietnam entry rules from official sources.
How do you write the message?
Use the same wording for every agency. Put the facts in a short list so nothing is buried. State clearly whether you want flights included, since some quotes cover land only.
End with the date by which you need a reply.
Then ask the agency for the quote in writing, with a validity date. The questions to ask before accepting a quote give you what to check when it arrives.
What do you do with two replies?
Put both side by side on the same basis: same dates, same rooms, same meals. The package inclusion comparator and our guide on comparing two quotes show how. For the bigger picture, see the Booking and travelling well hub.
Send us your draft enquiry with the dates, travellers and trip style, and we can check it reads clearly before you send it to any agency.
Common questions
How much detail should I give in a first enquiry?
Enough for a quote, no more. Dates, number of travellers and ages, places, room needs, meal needs and your budget range are plenty. A short, complete message gets a more accurate answer than a long one with gaps. You can add detail once you have chosen between two replies.
Should I send my passport or IC details with the enquiry?
No. A first quote does not need them. Passport and IC numbers are only needed for bookings, and you can send them later through the channel the agency confirms. Never send card numbers in a chat message. Keep these for the stage where you have already checked the agency.
Do I need to share my exact budget?
Share a range, not a ceiling. A range helps the agency choose hotel level and activities that fit. If you give only a maximum, you may be shown the most expensive option that fits it. Say which parts matter most to you, such as location, meals or private transport.
How many agencies should I ask?
Two or three is enough to compare. Send each the same enquiry, word for word, so the quotes can be compared on equal terms. Different wording leads to different assumptions, and then the totals no longer line up.
What if I do not know my dates yet?
Give a month, a range of flexible days and the leave you can take. Then ask whether the quote changes between the start and end of that window. Prices change by season and by holiday periods, so a flexible enquiry can show you a lower-priced week.
Sources
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival in Vietnam. vietnamtourism.com visa page. Check before travel.
- Malaysian ordinary passport holders can enter Vietnam without a visa for 30 days. Wikipedia. Check before travel on official Vietnam immigration / MOFA channels.
Keep planning
Send us your draft enquiry with the dates, travellers and trip style, and we can check it reads clearly before you send it to any agency.