Many travel advisors preach the practice of charging fees to avoid the client who might consult with an expert for hours only to book online.

But others consider their commission enough compensation and think an extra fee might scare the client off, especially the ones already on a tight budget.

We spoke with both Caroline Fridley, an advisor with Protravel International in Atlanta who is an advocate for fees, and Stephanie Lockhart, an advisor with The Tropical Travelers in Malvern, Pa., who doesn’t charge fees, but understands why other advisors do. Here’s what they had to say.

Commission is Compensation Enough

“The public is very savvy and they know what the costs are generally, so charging fees isn’t a widely spread way to do business in this industry,” Lockhart said. “We are compensated by the hotels.”

Fridley, however, contends that clients who pay a fee may take an agent more seriously than other, more casual travelers who may not fully grasp the true value of a travel expert.

Service Fees Command Respect

“Sometimes new clients won’t find me until after they’ve already booked the bulk of their trip, or will have used miles/ points for their air and hotel but need assistance with tours, excursions or transfers,” Fridley said.

“By charging a set fee—whether by the trip or the day—for itinerary planning services, advisors can both increase their bottom line and show clients the value of working with a travel professional. And generally, next time those clients will have you book their full trip.”

'Time Is Money'

Although her agency opts not to charge fees, Lockhart acknowledged the need for agents to protect their time from being robbed. After all, one of the most common reasons why agents will charge a fee is to prevent themselves from being used as unpaid consultants.

“I do agree to charging a fee for excessive research on in-depth itineraries,” she said. “Time is money. Offering a service equals compensation.”