Courtesy of the internet, a number of travellers have become their own travel agents. The convenience of going online and exploring an array of world destinations and making and paying for your own bookings online has presented today’s traveller with more travel arrangement options.
While it is true that technology has greatly eaten into the travel agents’ business, there are many instances when using a travel agent is better than using an online booking website.
1. Great Deals and Promotions
It can be stressful to research the best rates in the market. Comparing prices from one airline to another, hotel bookings, excursions, etc., can be quite frustrating if you are doing it yourself. However, a travel agent does this daily. They know where the best rates can be found. They are experts at this, and the best deals land on their desks first. Leaving them to take care of all your travel-related bookings leaves you with adequate time to concentrate on what’s most important—enjoying yourself.
Travel agents go a step further to assist you in planning your holiday. Hunting for great online deals on your own can be time-consuming and at times confusing. However, a travel agent can handle all the work for you. Since they do this daily, the chances are good that they already have the best deals at their fingertips.
2. Travel Agents Take Stress Out of Vacation Planning
Instead of stressing yourself about hotel and flight bookings, meals, and excursions, why not leave all that to the travel agent? Just relax and look forward to your vacation instead of worrying over bookings and reservations.
3. You Get Personalized Attention
Travel agents align their services to your specific needs. Should you have any concerns, they will clarify whatever issues you may have. If you have special needs that require specialized attention, they can get in touch with hotel managers to ensure that all your special needs are taken care of. Making your bookings online may be convenient, but it does not give you the kind of specialized attention that a travel advisor will give you.
4. They Will Sort Out Flight Delays/Cancellation Issues
Sometimes, no matter how meticulous you have planned for the trip, things will go wrong. Flights are cancelled or delayed. During those times, you will need the active help of a travel agent, not an unresponsive website with mechanical chat engines. A travel agent would do all they can to provide a solution to your situation. They will get you on another flight and follow through until your trip is over.
5. They Go Beyond Booking Flights
There is more to vacationing than hotel bookings and air tickets. Depending on your travel destination, travel agents will advise on what else you need to do to arrive safely at your destination and have a wonderful stay. They will advise what the visa requirements are or whether you will need inoculations before you go.
6. Provision of Specialist Services
The majority of travel agencies offer group tours to many international destinations. There are those who specialize in Safari Excursions in tropical Africa, Disney Tours, or even religious pilgrimages to Israel and Mecca, among many other specialized packages. Choosing a travel agent for a specialized tour is highly recommended as it comes with extra value and huge discounts and deals.
Although a lot of people are making bookings for their vacations online, no website can beat the personalized and highly discounted services offered by travel agents. The added value and the diverse range of services provided by travel agents are simply irreplaceable.
