Why use a travel agent?

Why use a travel agent? These experts offer much more than booking services. First and foremost, they can help you with the following: Decide Where to go by walking you through the pros and cons of destinations based on the varying interests (and ages) of the people in your group. Not only that, they’ll deliver insider insights and access. They can tell you how to avoid the crowds at major sights and where the locals eat. They can even pair you with designers and architects who moonlight as walking-tour guides, get a local artist to open his studio to you, and direct you to hidden corners of a city.And they also, crucially and most importantly, know how to put together a seamless travelling itinerary. I was reminded of this a few months ago when I foolishly tried arranging my own flights in Africa before a safari. After consulting with an advisor late in the game, I learned I was about to book with an airline that was notorious for last-minute, safari-ruining cancellations. Much of the travel industry is built on relationships, both formal and informal, and if your advisor/agent has the right ones, it can pay off really good for you. Many of the travel agents/advisors are part of large consortia that leverage their members’ collective buying power to deliver guaranteed rates as well as perks for their clients. What that may mean for example: if you book a night in a luxury hotel through the right person, you can get an upgrade, daily breakfast for two, a $100 restaurant credit, and late checkout, along with a welcome amenity of wine and treats. And then there are the informal relationships that top advisors cultivate with hotel general managers around the world. So chances are, if you’re looking to book with a major company, there’s someone who can get you more bang for your buck. So go ahead, ask an advisor where he or she has connections and what benefits they confer. Lower Rates and Fares: The most affordable rates and fares aren’t always found online, especially when it comes to luxury travel. Hotels and cruise lines that don’t drop their prices for online travel agencies often offer special deals and promotions to members of their partner consortia—who, in turn, alert their clients.