Sometimes when I tell people I’m a travel agent, they give me a funny look and say things like “I didn’t realize that was still a thing” or “who uses travel agents anymore?” Would it surprise you to know that in 2018, nearly 43% of travelers in the United States said they preferred to use a travel agent when booking trips with air travel involved? In fact, according to MMGY Global’s “Portrait of an American Traveler,” more people have booked travel through a travel agent in the past three years than ever before. As the world opens up again in a (mostly) post-covid environment, that number is only expected to grow.
“But why should I use a travel agent?” I hear you asking, “I already know how to use the internet and TripAdvisor and Yelp and all the things!“
Scroll on, dear reader, and find out.
Travel Agents are experts.
I haven’t been EVERYWHERE but I’ve made a pretty good start at it. In other words, I have a lot of personal experience with several vacation destinations domestically and abroad. And if I’m not super familiar with a destination, I have lots of resources to help me do the research: training from suppliers, in-country partners, and even the other agents at WDWGetaways.
Speaking of training, I’m required by my agency to complete a certain number of hours of training every year. A lot of it comes in the form of webinars or online classes, but some of it is on-site training (like a cruise ship tour) or a conference/trade show. Additionally, to be able to sell travel, an agent needs to be affiliated with one of the recognized industry organizations, like IATA or CLIA. Our agency happens to be affiliated with CLIA even though we sell a lot more than just cruises. Every time I call in a booking, I’m required to give my IATA/CLIA number before the supplier will even talk to me. These organizations regulate the industry and ensure that travel agencies remain in good standing by following the rules and laws and ensuring that agents complete the required training every year.
Travel Agents are FREE to use (usually).
Yes, really. It does not cost anything to use a travel agent (most of the time). Hotels, resorts, theme parks, cruises, and other destinations have figured out two important things when it comes to travel agents that make them want to share a bit of profit with us. First, these travel suppliers know that clients who use a travel agent typically have a better experience on their trip and are more likely to turn into repeat customers. And second, travel agents are a vital part of the marketing strategy for many of these suppliers; in other words, we help their brand get in front of potential customers. Using a good travel agent to book a trip shouldn’t cost anything more than you would pay to book the trip on your own – and sometimes it can even cost you less.
There are a couple of exceptions to this rule. Airlines largely do not pay any commission on flight-only bookings, and some agents may choose to charge a small service fee to cover the time they spent researching and booking those flights for you if you don’t book anything else. Similarily, an independent trip with many components that requires a lot of research and coordination may come with a planning fee. I typically do not charge fees, but if I were going to, it would be clearly outlined prior to booking.
Travel Agents save you from headaches.
Traveling with a group of 14 other people coming from four different cities? Getting ready to board a flight when a hurricane strikes your destination? Itinerary change by the airline results in a fourteen-hour layover when you previously had a nonstop flight? Yep, been there with at least one client over the past several years.
If you’re planning a trip with me and the airline changes your itinerary, I’ll be the one contacting the airline to get you rebooked to a more convenient schedule. And if hurricane Dorian hits Florida ten hours before you’re supposed to be getting on an airplane to Walt Disney World, you just get to call me, and then I’ll rearrange your entire trip so you can check in a week later instead.
Travel agents can also save you from making a big mistake, especially now that Covid has scrambled some of the international entry requirements. If your destination or travel supplier has special rules, a good agent will make sure you know what those rules are before you put any money into a trip. I flew to Europe in August 2021 and saw more than one person denied boarding because they did not have the proper paperwork needed to meet their destination’s entry requirements. They would have avoided an expensive disappointment if they had worked with a travel agent before showing up at the airport.
Travel Agents can save you money, or get you more for the same money.
Most travel agents have spent quite a bit of time building relationships with vendors in the travel industry, and many belong to a consortium of some kind. The agency I belong to is a part of the Travel Leaders Group, which is a group of over 9000 travel agents in the United States. Because there are so many agents in the consortium, lots of travel suppliers want to work with us – and are willing to give exclusive deals, upgrades, amenities, or gifts to our clients. For example, many cruise lines will give an automatic onboard credit for certain sailings to anyone who books through a Travel Leaders agency (and this is on top of any onboard credit our agency is offering). Another example might be a free room upgrade at a resort, or a welcome gift like a bottle of champagne when you arrive.
Additionally, as a Travel Leaders agent, I have access to special booking engines and discounted pricing on certain package components like airfare when bundled with a hotel or car rental. If you’re working with me on a trip and you find a better price, I’m happy to look over what you’ve got to see if I can match or beat the price.
Am I going to find you a lower price or a better deal every single time? No, probably not. But I’m sure going to give it a heck of a try.
Travel Agents can be involved or uninvolved as you want in planning your trip.
I get it. You like to be in control. You’re worried that if you work with a travel agent, you won’t be able to make any changes to your trip. You don’t want to bug me too much. You’re afraid I’ll get annoyed if you ask too many questions.
Seriously, stop. Answering questions is one of the parts I love about my job! You aren’t bugging me. And you don’t have to give up any control over your trip. Most suppliers provide both airline and hotel confirmation numbers which I will pass on to you. You can use those to log in to your favorite airline’s app and upgrade your seat or check in online or whatever. You can still make your own cruise shore excursion reservations, your own Disney dining reservations, or choose your own activities if you like. In fact, most agents can incorporate self-booked parts of an itinerary into an overall document or app so everything is all in one place at your fingertips.
Here are some examples of itineraries that I have put together for clients!
Travel Agents really love to see their clients have a great time on vacation.
There’s a famous saying that National Park rangers are “paid in sunsets.” Well, if that’s true, then I am paid in happy client photos and memories. My ultimate goal when working with a client is to help them plan a happy, stress-free vacation with their family, whether they are going around the world or down the street. Travel was the source of many happy memories created when I was a kid, and travel continues to be an ongoing priority in my life as an adult and as a mom. After all, in the words of the infamous anonymous, “travel is the only thing you buy in life that makes you richer.”
