Many people love to travel independently and avoid organised tour groups. They do all of their planning themselves and spend hours browsing online travel sites, pouring through guidebooks and examining hotel and restaurant reviews.
However every now and again, these people decide to use a travel agent. They often find that this choice gives them the most relaxing vacation they’ve ever had, taking the tiny details off their plate and allowing them to hear suggestions from the agent for things they had no idea they could do.
Around a quarter of US travellers used a travel agent in 2015, and this number continues to grow globally. Studies are showing that satisfaction received from using travel agents is going up, while the satisfaction of booking online is steadily going down. Jennifer Michels Jones is the American Society for Travel Agents’ vice president of communications, and she said that the society found that travellers using an agent are far more satisfied when they return from vacation compared to those who choose not to.
Most of the time travel agents will save you money and beat out the internet to find the best deals. Travel agents have plenty of little tricks up their sleeve when it comes to booking flights, accommodation and tours, and access to a system that easily compares airlines from around the world, without the limitations of most online booking sites.
While savings are important, most of the time people are actually looking for value for their money. Giving an agent an opportunity to beat the hotel or flight you’ve found online can mean that if they can’t get the same price they can get one with much better value, like a better room with freebies or a flight with better connections.
If you’ve ever been stranded at an airport due to bad weather, re-routed to a different city or left trying to fend for yourself after a flight was cancelled, you’ll know that this feeling of powerlessness is unpleasant at best. Travel agents will be kept up to date with what’s happening and may be re-routing you before you even know there’s a problem.
Planning a trip is exciting, and looking through online sites and books, getting advice from family and friends and dreaming about all the things you’ll see and do is exciting. However having an expert available to work through your decision-making and help plan all of the details is a huge bonus. There’s a huge overload of information online, and what people really need is clarity. A travel agent will ask you the right questions to figure out exactly what you need, and work with you to plan the best possible trip.
And since travel agents are usually passionate about travel, you’ll often find that they’ve been to your destination or know someone who has. The average travel agent has been to around 65 countries and has cultivated relationships with many different people so they have contacts who can also give on-the-ground advice.
If you’re planning to take a trip, consider using a travel agent. You’ve got nothing to lose and time, money and support to gain.
