Why Everyone Should Use a Travel Agent in 2018
As business for 2018 begins to build, we asked travel agents why they think travelers should never travel without an advisor behind them heading into the New Year. Here’s what they said:
1. Storms and natural disasters are making travel more difficult.
This year has been a particularly tough one for travel, with natural disasters and system failures overwhelming some suppliers. But travel agents have the access and the knowledge to help speed your re-accommodation, and act as your advocate when there are problems. When you book with an agent you can reach out to an actual person with whom you have built a trust relationship. Travel agents can help change travel dates due to weather, or change the destination completely. They can hold cruise and air options for you and confirm your hotel before booking a non-refundable reservation. And in these weather-affected times, no client wants to sit on hold with the airlines or a tour operator for hours—so let a travel agent do the work for you.
2. Life is busier and more demanding than ever, and vacation time is more valuable.
There is no do-over for a vacation gone wrong. Travel agents can help you achieve the vacation you desire because they listen, suggest, adjust, understand and become a friend... not just a search engine or an anonymous voice. “They do the work, you pack and go!”
3. Travel agents add a human element.
A travel professional ensures that you are a person, not a number. They are invested in their clients' happiness and satisfaction and want to make sure each and every trip is packed full of positive lifelong memories. They are with you before, during and after your trip—kind of like "for better or for worse." Travel agents answer their phones and respond to their email no matter where you are on the planet.
4. Trips are more complicated than ever, as the number of multi-generational vacations and destination weddings continues to grow.
Multi-generational vacations are still very much in demand. Baby Boomers are paying big money to take their kids and grandkids on high-end vacations. Because planning travel with a multitude of people is a challenge, a travel agent is a perfect choice to be the “middleman” and provide assistance to plan a perfect family vacation.
5. The world is constantly changing, and travel agents are on the ground experiencing it.
Has the Caribbean recovered from the latest hurricane? Can Americans travel to Cuba these days? Has the smoke cleared in Napa? Travel advisors don't just sell a destination—they discover, research and experience the places they offer over and over, sharing the actual and current status quo with their customers. Just like in everyday life, it takes a village to understand the dynamics of every destination. Why do it alone if you don't have to?
Read the full article here.