5 Reasons You Should Use a Travel Agent

By: Mike Franks, Owner-Operator, Cruise Planners-Orange Park, FL

Sometimes, making vacation travel plans is easy. Technological advancements, particularly the internet, have made booking travel seemingly simple. Some travelers feel they can do it themselves and save time and money. A travel agent just isn’t necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth!
If you are an inexperienced traveler or just don’t have the time, patience or personal knowledge to do it yourself, using a travel agent makes a lot of sense.
Here are five reasons why travel agents are still a wise choice for booking travel: 



1. Travel Agents Are Educated, Experienced and Have Valuable Resources

For most vacations, whether it be cruising, all-inclusive resorts or touring, there are many decisions to be made. It’s important to know what those decisions are and have some understanding of what options are available. For example, which cruise line offers on-board amenities that are important to me, or which resorts offer the activities I’m most interested in?
There are also logistical concerns such as how will I get from the airport to the cruise terminal and what about my luggage? Will I need to arrive a day early to my embarkation port and if so, where will I spend the night? The questions are endless, and so are the solutions.
A good travel agent has spent an enormous amount of time learning the travel business and spends many hours each week updating their knowledge to better understand industry trends. Many travel agents have personal experience in different modes of travel, service providers, and destinations. Their personal knowledge can help guide you through the process of where to go on vacation, how to get there and what to do once you arrive. They can give you tips and advice about things to look for and things to avoid.
In addition, a good travel agent follows up with clients to learn about their travel experiences. Their own personal experience, feedback from clients and their network of other travel agents, provide a knowledge base you simply don’t have.  

2. Travel Agents Have Clout with Travel Providers
Just as in any industry, volume leads to power and clout when dealing with travel suppliers. Travel suppliers respect their relationship with a travel agent much more than any individual traveler.  Agents often have formal relationships with suppliers that ensure their access to the best deals and accommodations. They can find better deals, overcome obstacles and generally ensure a better vacation experience simply based on the leverage they have attained through personal relationships with travel providers. In any case, experienced travel agents often have access to resources the average traveler doesn’t even know exists.
Vacations are supposed to be about fun and relaxation, getting away from the daily grind and just enjoying time with family and friends. The last thing you want is problems and issues that can delay or even ruin your vacation.That’s where the travel agent comes in. In addition to helping you get more out of any particular trip, they can step in and fix problems when things go wrong.  They want your vacation experience to be carefree and enjoyable so you will come back to them for your next trip and will tell your friends what a great job they did for you.
If anything should go wrong before or during your trip, you can rely on your travel agent to handle matters. A good travel agent will suggest and arrange alternate travel arrangements, help you to deal with any travel emergency you may encounter and if necessary, act as your advocate for getting problems resolved.
On average, consumers take one or two trips per year, usually two different places and with different transportation so they have little or no leverage when things go wrong. Remember the special relationship seasoned travel agents have with travel suppliers. That leverage not only ensures they can get you the best deals, but they are also equipped to mediate for you when things don’t work out as planned.
Travel providers value the continuing stream of business that travel agents bring them and want to keep them happy. That’s why having an agent represent you makes all the sense in the world. 

3.  Using a Travel Agent is Cheaper Than Going It Alone.

You may think you will save money by planning a trip yourself. The fact is that it’s highly probable you will end up spending more money if you don’t use a professional travel planner. It just makes sense to let an expert do all the research, investigation and planning for your vacation. Why spend your valuable time blindly searching the internet and making calls trying to find the best venue and deal for your vacation?
Travel agents receive their commission from travel suppliers.  As a result, their services don’t cost clients a thing. So not only are their services free to use, they can save you money or at the very least ensure more value for your dollars spent. Add in the savings of time and frustration searching for the perfect vacation experience, and it makes good sense to use their knowledge and expertise.
The best travel agents have unique access to benefits that can save you a lot of money and provide you with a better travel experience.  Hotels, airlines, cruise lines and tour companies make sure travel agents know about their inventory and have ready access through dedicated booking engines not available to the general public. A good travel agent understands what you want from your vacation and knows your budget. Armed with that knowledge, they search to find you the perfect match for your dream vacation without busting your budget.  They won’t present you with options that don’t interest you or that you can’t afford. 

4.  Travel Agents Stay on the Cutting Edge of the Travel Industry
Travel agents live the business. A big part of what they do is keep abreast of the latest and greatest offerings out there. They know about all the latest trends in the industry as well as day to day special offers, new cruise ships, resorts and tours and have the resources to connect you with the best and most appropriate vacations available anywhere in the world.
As with any sales professional, they will focus on your needs and wishes in order to find the best fit for you. For example, if you call any travel service provider directly, they won’t know or won’t tell you if another provider is a better fit for you.  Travel agents sell everything, so they focus on your particular needs to make sure you are matched with the right provider.
If you want the latest and greatest, travel agents are the way to go! 

5.  An Ongoing Relationship is Mutually Beneficial
Vacations are investments of time and money. Travel is probably one of the the greatest expenses you will have in any given year, along with your limited time, so you want to make sure it’s done right. 
It shouldn’t be out of the question to expect a good return on your investment. A good return includes good value for the money spent and a problem free experience full of fun and relaxation. That’s why it makes good sense to trust a reputable travel agent to guide you through the vacation planning experience. They want your return business and a long-term relationship.  This means they will go out of their way to put your best interests first to provide you and your family with a memorable experience.
A good travel agent is like any other consultant you entrust to help you make decisions regarding your health, retirement, legal issues and many other daily activities. Once you find a good one, you’ll never want to give them up.

What is your dream vacation destination? Visit my website www.landorseatravel.com or call me 1-844-TRAVEL to discover the value of a professional travel advisor.

Mike Franks is an owner/operator of Cruise Planners in Orange Park, FL. Cruise Planners specializes in ocean and river cruises, land tours and resort vacations.