Let’s deal with some misconceptions some persons have about travel agents:
- I can easily book the same trip on my own without using a travel agent.
- Travel agents are a waste of time.
- It is expensive to use a travel agent.
- Travel agents don’t have information as updated as the internet.
- The need for travel agents is being replaced by the internet.
- No one uses travel agents anymore.
Read through and patiently see why you need a true and trusted travel agency like us.
Although technology has given us the power to plan every aspect of our trip, yet, the whole process of traveling has never been easier. There are things technology can
never replace, and personal touch is one of them. The internet is a valuable
resource, however, it cannot replace the expertise, guidance, and personal
service of a travel agent. They have hours of research and comparisons at
their fingertips and can also offer insider tips, generally based on personal experience.
International travels are much more complex than travelling to the next state. When one has hiccups and misses an opportunity to travel, it will always be because he/she never gave much credence to travel agencies.
Travel agents still have immense value.
Has it ever happened to you, you visited a new place and wasted much time in finding hotels, food or vehicles and felt like you could have planned well?
For example, we traveled to Dubai for a vacation and someone in our company needed to eat our local food cooked in a special way. We searched around different restaurants on the ground and online and groceries to get it, but to no avail. I put across a call to a friend who has lived in Dubai for 10 years, I asked about how we can get the ingredients to cook such local food and in less than 20 minutes, someone rode in, on a bicycle and brought all we needed to cook the food. We paid and we were satisfied with the delivery. Now, that’s because we had someone who knows the city well enough to know where to get what we needed.
Here are facts that buttress the necessity of a travel agent:
1. Saves Time And Money
There’s a common misconception that travel agents earn more money than they’re worth.
You probably have plenty of responsibilities that often don’t leave you much time to plan a business trip. While searching for hidden deals is a fun thrilling experience, there’s no denying that it takes time. Travel agents are specialists in searching for and keeping up with deals and promotions.
Looking online for a holiday is very time-consuming; deciding where to go, researching what there is to do in the area and if it’s safe finding the right hotel, finding the right price, how to acquire a visa, how to get to the airport, how to get to the hotel when you land and so on. It’s stressful, by the time you finish booking your holiday, you are stressed out. A travel agency does all of this for you so you don’t actually have to lift a finger. If you factor in the cost of your time you are actually saving a fortune by working with them.
They know exactly where to go to get the information they need and can find travel options within seconds. That’s why planning a vacation with them saves time and money and they’ll handle all travel arrangements.
2. Always Available To Solve Existing Problems.
You don’t live in a perfect world where everything always goes right. If anything, more things go wrong than right. Sometimes, flights are canceled and other times you miss them. The first reaction is to worry and stress when something doesn’t go as planned. If you’re on a tight schedule, calling an airline’s customer service seems like a nightmare.
Travel agents typically have the resources to help you to rebook your flight and can make sure that you get to where you need to go on time. Plus, if it’s the season for winter weather and holiday travel crowds, having a travel agent as a backup will make the travel process easier to manage.
If any changes and cancellations will need to be done, it will be rightly handled by a professional travel agency. Whereas if you try to do it yourself, you might have to go over the process of getting the work done.
3. Provides Human Touch.
Travel agents are more than itinerary fillers, they’re people who care about what you want and how you feel. Yes, there are good-looking deals online. But what you see is not always what you get.
If you book the same travel agent each time you’re going on a business trip, they’ll become more familiar with your preferences. You’ll be able to call them and let them know your plans and they’ll make sure that you have everything you need. That personal touch can make your trip much more enjoyable and save you unnecessary stress.
You have the opportunity to speak to someone face to face when booking a flight ticket, acquiring a visa, or making hotel reservations. If there is a problem at any point in your journey, you have someone to talk to. This gives you the confidence to travel.
4. Gives Expert Guidance
With industry experience, travel agents have both the knowledge and firsthand experience to help clients decide which destination or resort is best for them. Travel agents have all the information – from the best flight to board, to the best attractions to see, to the most exciting activities to do, and the most affordable way to get there… they’ve got it all covered!
As earlier said, they know the best flight to board, especially in this Covid era, some airlines are restricted from entering some countries, to book such airlines means you will not travel because they are restricted. Therefore, the travel agent gives professional advice to clients on which flight to board or not to board to their respective destinations to avoid losses.
Sometimes, some travelers don’t actually know what they need, they check the internet themselves, and try to work with all the information they gathered, only to discover that they couldn’t work with them because of the complexities.
But, when they work with a good travel agent, they get professional advice and guidance on how to go about their travels. This is because the travel agents are experienced and have worked with multiple travel information over the years.
5. Have The Best Connections.
A good travel agent because of his years of experience in this travel industry is highly connected with sectors that deal with all immigration and migration services, building quality relationships and trust with them. As a result of this, they give priority to service and attention to travel agents which are of great advantage to the travelers.
6. Ensure Stress Reduction.
Travel agents devote time and effort to making sure people are happy and satisfied with their travel options. If clients need any assistance, they are just a phone call or email away, so the travelers will receive immediate attention when they need it.
There’s also the advantage of getting all your travel documents through one means. You don’t have to run around, making inquiries and working on the different documents. All you need is a good travel agent who knows his work, he does the running around, many phone calls, checking all around the web, working with the right persons to meet all your needs.
7. Provides Additional Perks.
Even if you spend hours searching the internet for the best prices and deals, as an average consumer, you won’t see everything an airline or hotel has to offer. Depending on your travel agent and their connections, they might be able to provide you with a better seat on an airplane and better-priced package deals with the airline and hotel.
Their job is to make sure you get the best deals possible, so often they partner with chefs and tour guides. Don’t be surprised if the hotel’s chef arranges a special dinner just for you, courtesy of your travel agent. They can do the extra for their clients.
In a nutshell, you need a good travel agent because:
- They save time and money.
- They are always available to solve existing problems.
- They provide human touch.
- They give expert guidance.
- They have the best connections.
- They ensure stress reduction.
- They provide additional perks.
Now, you see why you need a good travel agent.