When it comes to using a travel agent, you might not realize what benefits they bring to the table. After all, it seems that so many travelers are doing their own bookings using online travel sites, so shouldn't you?
Not really. There are multiple ways that travel agents can help you to save.
More people are finding the benefits of using a travel agent. According to reports, in spring 2017, the number of people who lived in a household that used a travel agent service within the last 12 months amounted to 14.48 million. While it's a reduction from spring 2008 (when the number was 18.4 people), it still goes to show that the travel agency industry is alive and well.
If you still don't know the benefits of using a travel agent, here are five just to start:
Saves You Stress
"Vacation planning should be fun," said Emily Steinkamp, travel agent with MickeyTravels, LLC.
"Leave the logistics to your travel agent. You select your experiences and resort amenities, etc., and allow your agent to be on hold with the resort or work through transportation details. Logistics can be the non-glamorous part of a vacation, where it's time taken from your day to complete the task or to learn what is involved in planning your trip."
Saves You Money
You know that phrase "time is money?" asks Maureen McKamey, an agent at Edina, Minnesota-based A1 Travel, a Travel Leaders Network affiliate. "It's true when it comes to planning a vacation. Instead of sifting through thousands of resort and flight options online, let your travel agent do it for you. We can, more efficiently, present you with a curated selection of options to choose from and save you the headache of having to do all the planning yourself."
In many cases, McKamey said that travel agents offer a deposit option to help those who can't pay all at once:
"That means you can book your trip by putting down a small portion of the balance and pay the rest as you go before a final payment date. It allows you to lock in those early booking discounts since you won't have to worry about paying the whole balance up front."
Saves You Peace of Mind
"We plan for the unexpected," said McKamey. "Travel agents encourage our clients to buy travel insurance because travel really is unpredictable. We can set you up with a policy that covers those unpleasant (and expensive) surprises, like flight cancellations, or getting sick or injured while you're on your trip."
If you want to use a travel agent, ask friends and family for recommendations.
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