If I had a nickel for everyone who said that there is no need to use a travel agent. They can book their own travel. It’s so easy on the internet.
If I had a dollar for everyone who after saying that, had an issue with a flight delay, missed connection, issue with their hotel, had to be on the phone for hours with an airline…and then said they now see the value in a travel agent.
The internet makes it so easy for people to book their own travel. The value of a travel agent is so much more than booking a trip for a client.
We travel. Many times we have been to resorts or hotels, we have done site visits or stayed at the hotel. The first thing we do when we work with a client is to talk to them, find out their wants and needs. We may know that Hotel A is a party hotel and that is not what a client wants. Or that Hotel B is a spread out resort and our client with mobility issues may have issues at that hotel. If we haven’t been to hotels ourselves, many times we have fellow travel agents who have that we can bounce ideas off of them.
We handle any issues. If there aren’t any issues, fantastic! But if there are any issues, do you want to spend your vacation trying to rectify them? Do you want to be on hold for hours with an airline? Or do you want to call/text/email your travel agent and let them handle the issues for you?
We build a package for you. We can get you the rail tickets in Europe, the private transfers, the excursions. Due to our travels, in many locations we know private reputable tour guides. Sometimes your package will have some of your party flying from one airport and others from another but staying at the same hotel. We have no issues building that package for you.
We work with different suppliers. Why should you look to find the best deal when you can have someone do that for you? You may find a really cheap deal but it may be with a supplier that won’t be there for you with any issues, or has hidden fees. We not only look for the deals but we also work with reputable suppliers.
We keep up with the rules and regulations. We keep up with what paperwork is needed to enter a country. Especially since Covid-19, that has changed a lot. Don’t go to the airport and find out you didn’t fill out forms you needed to fill out prior to traveling, or pay a tax that needed to be paid. We are the ones to keep up with the forms and let you know what needs to be filled out.
We are here to take the stress out of your vacation – you should be enjoying your vacation and not handling any issues that may arise.
Your question shouldn’t be “Why would I use a travel agent” but instead “Why wouldn’t I use a travel agent?”
JZW Travel Blog 