Over 95% of trip requests are accepted by Heroes, but in rare cases, a Hero will decline a request if they don't feel they have adequate time or information, or if they feel they are not a good fit for the traveler. To reduce the possibility of a Hero declining a request, travelers can message a Hero (for free) prior to submitting their request to provide the Hero with details about their planning needs and confirm availability.
If the Hero cannot accept the traveler's request, they may be able to recommend another Hero, or the traveler can browse other Heroes on the ViaHero site and continue messaging until they find an available Hero. There is no limit to the number of messages a traveler can send before submitting a request.