Why use a travel agent when advanced technology and the competitive industry make booking your travel easier? You no longer need agents for simple reservations. In addition, people not familiar with the services they provide think it’s an obsolete profession.
That’s not true, people need the help of travel professionals, although many options for booking are available.
Booking engines are just tools. Used only to make reservations, they do not give advice or consider your best interest. You need a travel advisor to guide and help you make an informed decision.
Use a travel agent because they will save you time and money. They know the industry and can get you precisely what you need. Sieving through the haystack of online options can be overwhelming. A travel advisor asking just a few questions can set you on a clear path.
You need a travel consultant’s service when traveling to unfamiliar destinations or arranging large groups. It is good to have somebody working on your behalf, especially when things go wrong.
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Why travel agents are important
- A travel agent spends hours researching and planning trips.
- They invest time in learning about the destination or packages that they sell.
- They have access to vendors who sell only to travel agents.
- Deals that an agent can access you might not even know to exist.
- They are like a lawyer who will negotiate on your behalf.
- When things go wrong, they are there to help.
- Their interest is to ensure that you have a glorious trip.
- A travel agent can save you time and money.
Modern travel agents
With the rapid technological changes, it has become more accessible for people to work from anywhere. As a result, travel agents no longer need to be in an office meeting face-to-face with a client. This gives them more time to travel and get first-hand experiences of destinations they sell to their customers.
They can plan trips for clients from home or on a beach in the tropics if a face-to-face meeting is what a client prefers; it is possible with Facetime, Zoom, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and Skype.
Travel advisors can meet with the client while riding on a camel in the Arabian desert, inspiring their next adventure.
Give the job to the professional.
Since the internet, access to information has increased at a rapid pace. You can learn about any topic if you know where to search. For example, if you had one, data could be at your fingertips on removing a cancerous tumor. You could even find videos showing you step-by-step how to.
I am sure you wouldn’t operate on yourself, despite having all the information on removing cancerous tumors. You value your life. Therefore, you would seek the best advice from an expert physician.
You wouldn’t trust Doctor Google to remove your tumor, so why trust him with your hard-earned money when you can use the services of an experienced travel advisor to get you the best results possible?
Equating a doctor to a travel adviser or comparing the removal of cancerous tumors to traveling would be crazy. But if you look closer, the similarities are striking. So let us make a few comparisons.
- A doctor is a health professional.
- A travel agent is a travel professional.
- Doctors spend years studying and perfecting their craft.
- So too, an experienced travel advisor.
- A mistake by a doctor could be deadly for a patient.
- So too, a mistake by a travel agent.
- Seeking the advice of an unprofessional doctor could cost you thousands of dollars.
- So too, an unprofessional travel agent.
Everybody working in their field of profession has insider knowledge. They gain this from experience or training. A travel advisor is no different. To become a travel agent and get access to certain booking platforms, you have to be a part of a professional body or affiliated with a member company. This requires some level of training.
An experienced travel agent knows the trade tricks and can satisfy clients. They meet regularly with others in their profession to share ideas and experiences. That is used to make travel safer and stress-free for their customers.
Booking travel to an unfamiliar destination could be costly and put you in danger. An expert travel agent could prevent that by planning an escort by a professional guide. That would help you navigate safely without unknowing to put yourself in danger.
With a good travel adviser, you get value for your money. Agents have access to suppliers who deal only with them. These suppliers buy bulk hotel rooms and airplane seats, package them, and sell them on travel agents. As a result, they can sell a lot cheaper than your average booking site.
Insure your travel
Travel agents will advise you to insure your trip. Insurance will protect you from eventualities, such as trip cancellation or sickness. You will also get access to medicine or medical evacuation in a medical emergency. Insurance will also cover your loved ones.
Your credit card or insurance at home does not cover you on international trips. In addition, some insurance company does not offer coverage outside of your country, and if they do, they limit the scope. Therefore, spending a little extra and buying travel insurance would be wise.
A little secret
Hotels calculate a commission in their price. If you use a travel agent or a booking site, that commission goes to them. If you book directly with a hotel, that commission returns to the hotel.
You get the best of both worlds by using the services of an agency such as Inteletravel. A travel adviser and a booking site if you want to make your bookings. You will get exclusive deals from some of the best travel suppliers in the travel industry. In addition, you will get outstanding deals and peace of mind, knowing you are booking with a reputable agency.
Conclusion
You don’t need a travel agent if you are an experienced traveler; if you are booking direct flights and have time to plan your trip, use this site for resorts and hotel booking: reservations.com.
Use an agent if you book for large groups and go to unfamiliar places. A Travel consultant can give you great options and eliminate the planning hassle.
Before contacting a travel agent, do a basic search. Don’t blindly accept everything. Let them know you know what is out there. Therefore, they cannot take disadvantage of your ignorance. Because not every agent is ethical, so please do your checks.