Why use a Travel Agent?

Does it cost money to use a travel agent?  Maybe with some travel agents, but not with me.  The only time that I add a fee to a quote is when I am working with a supplier that I am not contracted with or doesn’t provide commissions.  When this happens, it is discussed with the customer so they are aware of the charge.

How do you get paid?  The company that I work for has contracted rates/commissions set up with the travel suppliers that I use.  Many of the suppliers are wholesalers and only deal with travel agents……or if they deal with the public, the prices they provide to us are better than to the public.

Why use you, because I can look it up, research it and book it?  Yes, you can and how long does that take you to check all of the different websites and go through the different options. This is my job, plus since I work with so many travel suppliers, I know who has the best pricing for the different destinations.  I can’t tell you how many times a customer or a potential customer will contact me after they have spent days looking at prices and seeing the changes in the pricing (which then they have to re-figure the dates to get the better price…..to only have to change it again, when they finally decide to make the reservation) contact me and most of the time I can find a better route or deal that you didn’t know about or think about.  Once again, this is my job.

 1. Someone to call if having an issue during your trip…your trip/consumer advocate:  If you should have a problem during your trip, travel agents can act on your behalf to see that proper restitutions are made.

 2. Expert guidance:  Travel agents are experts in helping travelers get where they need to go and in helping to create possibilities most people never would have dreamed were possible.

 3. Save you time and less stress:  Avoid the headaches and let the travel agents call around and do all the time consuming work of planning a complex itinerary.

 4. Trip cancellation:  Something has come up and you need to cancel your trip.  If you have used a travel agent they are the only person you need to call.

 5. Busiest travel times to avoid:  If you want a quiet trip, travel experts know what dates you should avoid and can help you plan your trip accordingly.

 6.  Anticipating trouble:  Travel agents are extremely useful if you are planning a trip to a known weather troubled area such as the hurricane plagued Caribbean islands. In the event of a natural disaster, your travel agent can work to immediately reschedule or cancel your trip so there are no worries for you.

 7. Group reservations:  Trying to organize a trip for big group of people? A travel expert can help get all the details finalized and update everyone in the group.

 8. Knowing the products, destinations, customer feedback:  Not all 5 star hotels are treated equally. Many times photos are outdated and information about the hotel you are considering may not be true. Travel agents can make sure that what you are seeing beforehand is what you get.

 9. Someone to complain to:  If that slim chance were to occur that you do not get what you were promised, you have a real person to go back and complain to. Travel agents will work hard to rectify the matter.

10. It makes traveling easier:  Once you find a good travel agent, your dream vacation is just a phone call away.

Happy customers = more business and referrals