What Is A Travel Agent?
Photo Credit: Travel Leaders Corporate
What is a Travel Agent?
Your here because you don't know what a travel agent is? Or perhaps you don't know how they are different than say a PVP (Personal Vacation Planner) which is usually for a specific cruise line ( like A Carnival Vacation Planner).
A travel agent DOES NOT charge you to book ever. We work with multiple cruise lines and multiple destinations even non cruise land vacations including Disney.
What we don't do is get paid if you don't book with us. We are not paid an hourly wage. We are only paid commission on trips we book, and only after you return home from traveling. If you cancel, we don't get paid. So that Disney vacation, cruise, all-inclusive resort stay, etc. that you book on your own - we could have booked it for the same price but you would have helped us build our business. AT NO COST TO YOU. Booking with a travel agent is a win-win! On top of that we can offer you more, better rates, OBC (on board credit when cruising), or even other gifts (like free bottle of wine when cruising, etc.), etc.
The cost of our commission is already included in the cost you pay, whether you use an agent or not. Essentially you are paying for a service you are not receiving. We get paid a percentage from the company (Disney, Carnival, Delta, Expedia, etc.). Less money in their pocket but you help us make a living and build our business.
On top of that, If you refer a friend (for a cruise) and they book and pay in full I'll give them (on their first booking) and you on your next an OBC $25 and up (amount depends on several factors: room, ship, how long, etc.).
Please consider always using a Travel Agent for your next trip. We would love to build a relationship with you!!
So Why Use A Travel Agent?
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Photo Credit: Tico
People still use travel agents to book travel because they still offer value for some people. Using a Travel agent can get you a better deal for certain types of travel (especially cruises). Not to mention you get a happier travel experience and peace of mind.
1) It also saves you time, travel agents have done the research they know if the place is a good place or not, often times they have even been there themselves so that can give you a first hand detailing of their experience. This helps you to have a better understanding and to know if you want to book that place, take that cruise, or do that excursion, etc. So if your not having to do the research and planning, you'll have more time to spend with the family.
2) If you want to book an around the world trip or a trip that involves multiple stops in multiple countries, multiple guided tours, hotels, cars, trains or whatever else you can think of, then an experienced travel agent can help you put everything together more easily and faster than you could ever do on your own. They'll also be able to get you the best deals and the cheapest rates.
3) A travel agent or consultant is privy to certain deals that aren’t available to the public. Also, they can suggest travel dates and times you didn’t know about to save you money. For instance, maybe flying to Hawaii on a certain airline is cheaper on Monday rather than Thursday by a few hundred dollars. Some airline companies get you with hidden surcharges and other fees that increase the total cost of your trip that they don’t tell you about until you pay. Travel agents can help you avoid these hidden charges or at least make you aware of them.
4) Travel agents are real people you interact with. They have a face and a voice unlike Google Search. Agents can suggest things you hadn’t thought about; alternate routes, cruise lines, advise you on visas and act, well, more human than a search engine. They can guide you, rather than you searching the internet hoping to find answers.
5) A travel agent has access to secret deals and preferred rates and can negotiate the price of a vacation. they can find the best prices even for those on a tight budget.
6) The internet is an amazing research tool. However, It can also have to much information and before you know it you have mess of information your not sure what too do with. A travel agent can help you cut to the chase, so you don’t have to deal with all that.
7) Travel agents are better connected and have special relationships with the travel industry than mere mortals like us who don’t have access.
They can sometimes get you free room upgrades, private guided tours, a better seat on an airplane, event tickets, line cutting and cheaper deals on premium airfares.
8) A travel agent will usually work hard to find their clients the best deals and upgrades to make sure they keep coming back. If you are a frequent traveler, this can be invaluable because once you’ve established a relationship and trust, you can keep going to that person over and over again because you'll know they will get you what you want at the best price.
9) If your flight is cancelled, you’re stuck someplace or face some other unforeseen problem; a travel agent may be able to help you find a better solution more quickly than you could on your own. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call them. They'll take car of the rest and you to your destination. If you book a flight yourself you have to call the airlines and take care of all this yourself taking valuable time form your vacation or trip.
10) Many of the restrictions and fees imposed by airlines, baggage fees, hotels or car rental companies are not obvious to the casual buyer and can often be very confusing. A travel agent can help you understand them all so that you can make more informed choices.
11) Obviously, sifting through all the information can be very frustrating so it goes without saying that you can avoid a whole lot of frustration by letting someone else do most of the heavy lifting in planning your itinerary. All you have to do is tell them what you want. A good travel agent will find the perfect deal and present it to you to decide. If your satisfied they'll help you book it. If not they'll look even further.
12) Travel agents are travel professionals and travel advisors. If you would like to book a vacation but aren’t sure where or what to do, a travel agent can act as your travel advisor and help you choose between locations, cruises, activities and more. Travel agents also have inside information on the best times to go to crowded destinations.
Most travel agents, or at least myself, enjoy researching and putting together vacations for you. We get to put our creative minds to work all while having fun planning. We do this job because we enjoy it and enjoy helping you.
#barelycruising #vacation #travelagent #info #whatisatravelagent #whyuseatravelagent #planning #researching.
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