The Top Reasons to Book Vacations With a Travel Advisor Right Now

As more and more borders reopen to travel more than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic and travelers once again begin planning trips, it's never been more important to work with a travel advisor. For many, the thought of going to a professional invokes the common misconception of hiring someone for something they can do themselves but that notion is quickly dispelled when you remember all of the benefits of relying on a travel advisor, who is standing by to not only plan but ensure that your trip goes off without a hitch.

Time is money, as they say, so why waste it researching airlines, cruise ships, hotels and other travel suppliers when you can lean on an expert who has experienced them first hand? While you should definitely look into the places you want to go-after all, research shows that even the simple act of planning travel boost happiness-there's no need to spend your precious time stressing over the tedious and less interesting details such as hotel reviews and flight options.

Anything that requires a significant amount of time and money inevitably requires a lot of headaches and stress. If 2020 has taught us anything it's that self-care is more important than ever. Working with an awesome travel advisor who can do the heavy lifting for you is an easy way to reduce the amount of unnecessary stress in your life while still being able to get excited about travel again.

Travel advisors are travelers themselves and are constantly educating themselves on the industry and what's coming next. While COVID-19-related travel restrictions are constantly changing, it's your travel advisor's job to be up to date and in the know. For many, the thought of planning travel in the time of coronavirus makes them feel lost or overwhelmed but that's where a travel advisor can step in and provide an expert opinion or recommend an alternative destination.

Oftentimes the best travel deal isn't the one that best suits you. By working with a travel advisor, you'll ensure that you get the best possible deal for the trip you actually want to take. Unlike a search engine, a travel advisor will take your personal preferences into consideration before seeking out your ideal getaway.

Like many other small and family-owned businesses, travel agencies are hurting due to the pandemic and are in dire need of help from those same people who they've helped over the years. Supporting your local travel advisor is just another way you can support small businesses and do your part to help jumpstart your local economy.

Travel advisors have access that OTAs and average travelers themselves don't have, meaning they're more likely to enhance your trip with some unexpected moments. It might just be a surprise bottle of champagne upon arrival at your honeymoon resort or a last-minute suite upgrade. There's no guarantee but working with an advisor ensures that you have someone looking out for you behind the scenes.

The role of the travel advisor might be different than what it was decades ago but this group's relentless passion for exploration is among the many reasons they remain so vital today and have been able to overcome past crises including 9/11 and the Great Recession. A great travel advisor can get you excited to see the world and keep you inspired to stay the course in those moments when you aren't so sure. In the time of COVID-19, a good advisor will never pressure you to travel but can help plan your dream trip for a period of time down the road you're more comfortable with.

When you work with a travel advisor, you not only benefit from their expertise but from their many connections. While these travel professionals haven't been everywhere and it'd be impossible for them to know everyone and everything they've undoubtedly participated in FAM (familiarization) trips where they were able to network with other advisors and initiate lasting relationships with key players in the travel and tourism industry.

Unlike an online travel agency, your travel advisor is with you for the duration of your trip so if you run into any problems such as a last-minute flight cancellation you will have a real person to contact for assistance. Even in the event that an unexpected obstacle is outside of their control, a trusted advisor will go to bat for you and keep in communication until the situation is resolved. You're never alone when you have a travel advisor to lean on.