Travel agent or internet?

Every so often travel professionals hear those words..... "I saw this online..." Followed closely by the common misconception that Travel Agents always cost more than booking online.

Expert Advice

Travel agents make their living on knowing the ins and outs of all steps of the process, from initial planning to when and where to go to the best deals and the latest travel trends. If you have questions, your travel agent will get you all the answers. Not only that, a travel agent is there as your support and guide should something go awry while you're on vacation IN your destination. Your travel agent will also be able to advise you on the different entry and exit requirements of each country such as passport and visa requirements.

When considering whether to book on your own or to use a professional, here are a few other points to ponder:
 

• What do you do if the hotel has lost your reservation?
• What do you do if the car rental agency has run out of cars? 
• Do you have special requirements for your holiday such as a medical condition?

Specifically, who are you going to call? Who's going to help you? The hotel? The car rental company? Not booking via a Travel Agent means you're on your own.

If you book through a travel agent, all you have to do is make one simple phone call. And remember, most businesses are more likely to listen to travel agencies rather than an individual complaint, because they do not want to lose the relationship and repeated business that a travel agency provides.

Other benefits to using a travel agency are that you can tell your travel agent exactly what you want, including the type of hotels, activities and any special needs you have. And then the travel agent can take care of everything. If you are busy working and/or caring for a family, you may not have time to research vacations and select the best one, whereas a travel agent can do all the planning for you. And if you're not sure about what exactly it is that you want, the psychology of travel comes into play: a Travel Agent knows just the right questions to ask in order to fulfil a destination or travel style need you may not have known you had.

Deals and Sell-offs

Your travel agent has the inside scoop on sales and deals in the travel industry. If you want to get the best bang for your buck, a travel agent is your best bet. Your agent works within your budget and will always be on the lookout for seat sales and other discounts. Agents have the resources to direct you to age specific discounts, early booking bonus promotions, low season travel dates, two for one deals, kid's fly free specials, discounted group booking specials and much more!

How do you find a good travel agent?

Choose one like you would a doctor, lawyer or mechanic. Get advice from friends and relatives who use an agent they trust. Since travel choices are personal decisions that reflect individual desires and lifestyles, you will want to visit or call several travel agencies to find the one that best suits your needs. Consider everything from the appearance of the office to the travel agent's willingness to listen to you and answer any of our questions. The best agents want to establish a long-term relationship with a client, not just make one sale.

The Great Debate on Man (or Woman) vs. Internet

It's good to keep in mind that computers are just machines and cannot do the best job for everyone. You should definitely call a travel agent if you:

• would prefer to trust an agent with years of experience, who knows all the tips and tricks, who asks all the right questions and who cares about whether or not you get what you pay for out of your vacation experience.
• don't have time to enter the same data repeatedly on every different website (this can be so overly time consuming!)
• have become frustrated with the online booking tools.
• don't trust the internet with your credit card information - fraud is extremely rampant in this day of modern technology so why put yourself at unnecessary risk?
• have a complicated itinerary, with multiple destinations, open-jaws, or stopovers.
• want a round-the-world ticket.
• are totally flexible, are flying halfway round the world, and don't care how you get there, just as long as it's the least expensive flights available.
• have different people flying together, only part of the way, or are part of a group.
• are not convinced that the internet has the best options for you.
• have special requests, such as unaccompanied minors, specific dietary requirements, or disabled passengers, or want to take your pet along.
• are wondering if you need a visa, passport or inoculations to enter the country you plan on visiting.

 

In Conclusion

The question of whether or not to use a Travel Agent is ultimately up to you, but there are some very compelling reasons to do so. Booking a trip with a travel agent can save you both time and money as well as the headache and stress that may come from not using a professional.