If you don’t know whether you should use a travel agent to plan your next vacation or take things into your own hands, we’re here to help you decide.
Whether or not you should use a travel agent to assist you with your vacation planning is a debate that many people have.
Why use a travel agent when there are so many helpful websites and apps available?
Why spend days planning the perfect vacation when you could get someone else to do it for you?
There are a number of aspects that should be taken into account when deciding whether or not to hire a travel agent, your destination and budget being two of them.
We’ve outlined a few pros and cons of using a travel agent so that you can decide for yourself.
Good Reasons to Use a Travel Agent
- They’re the first to find out about great deals. Finding exclusive deals is a big part of a travel agent’s job, something that customers can benefit from. Many of these deals come in the form of packages that include everything from flights and accommodation to meals and activities. There’s always a chance to save money when you use a travel agent.
- They can help you out if you run into problems. If your hotel loses your booking or your luggage just never arrives, a travel agent will be there to sort the problem out for you.
- They care about the details. In most instances, when you use a travel agent, they will go the extra mile to make your trip even more special. Arranging a room upgrade or making sure you arrive to a bottle of champagne in your room are all small touches that travel agents are known for.
- They always have advice to give. Experienced travel agents are the best people to ask about travel trends and exciting destinations. You may end up seeing places you hadn’t even considered before by using a travel agent.
Good Reasons to Plan Your Own Vacation
- You can find cheaper flights yourself. Most travel agents won’t focus on getting your discounted flights, mainly because there are already so many websites that customers can use to do this themselves.
- Travel agents don’t understand your personal preferences. Even though you can give a travel agent a good idea of your likes and dislikes, you might find yourself spending a lot of time going back and forth trying to get the suggested accommodation and activities right. Very often, the amount of time spent conversing with a travel agent could be better spent doing your own research and booking everything yourself.
- You’re in charge of your trip. If you end up choosing the wrong travel agent, you could end up having to deal with issues yourself because you can’t get hold of them. When you plan your own vacation, you’re in complete control of all your reservations and plans.
If you do want to go the route of a travel agent, ask family and friends for referrals – it’s always best to use someone that has a good reputation. It also helps to chat to more than one travel agent before you decide to go ahead with the planning process. You will quickly be able to tell which agent will provide you with the best experience.
