BY NICOLE DEFOREST
Whether you’re planning a family vacation or a flight for business, using a travel agent to assist your travel needs is a lot easier than you think.
Searching for trips online can get overwhelming fast when all the hotels start looking the same. Many turn to Trip Advisor and read mixed reviews over and over again. Take the stress out of travel planning and talk to the experts who have years of experience and first-hand knowledge of hotel chains and destinations. After just a few questions to determine your budget and preferences, we can give you the best options for your needs and will keep you in the loop during the entire process.
Booking with a travel agency doesn’t cost more. Most agencies don’t charge a fee to book with them as they get paid from the supplier directly. We work for you, we’re here to assist in making your dream vacation come true.
I get so many calls where the client wants to book a deal but didn’t fully look into what this “deal” includes. What they thought was a weeklong all-inclusive trip was really only a three or four day stay. Or what they thought was “all-inclusive” actually includes no meals at all. They are so excited in the moment they don’t realize until they’ve received their invoice and going through all the details – if they even take this next step to review their purchase.
If you made a mistake in the spelling of your name or you decide to change your travel dates, you can wait hours trying to get through to the tour operators on the phone and sometimes incur hefty fees. When booking with an agent, we will do the hold times for you and have more resource tools to get it done faster.
We’re in the know for rules and regulations. We will go over all the terms and conditions of a sale, review the best insurance options for your needs, as well as consider what type of documentation you need when traveling to your chosen destination.
Since travel agents book continuously with suppliers, we’re given discounted rates on airfare that you don’t have access to. We also get tour companies emailing us specials daily that you might not have found if you were looking on your own. We search all the options and might notice if you travel a week earlier you could save hundreds of dollars. Trust the experts who do this daily.
The next time you decide to travel, take the hassle and stress away and call an agent. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised by your painless experience and five-star service.