Do I need a travel agent for my vacation? I guess it depends on your needs. Travel deals are available from many sources who have put together great vacation packages. Cheap travel has become an expectation, with vacation packages available all over the internet. Travel deals include cheap airline tickets, vacation packages and basically cheap travel any where in the world. When choosing any of the available travel deals you often wonder if a travel agent can provide cheap travel with any of the travel deals they have to offer.
A competent travel adviser can be your greatest asset when you’re planning a trip, and putting together travel deals for you to consider. I mean a bona fide, certified travel professional, a true travel agent. To say that a travel agent is important for your travel needs is not a popular position to take, I know. There is no shortage of travel agent stories making the rounds these days, most of them horrific in nature. There are stacks of grievances that follow the same basic narrative, cheap travel results in you get what you pay for, or do you? Most complaints about travel agents or advisors goes something like this:
I booked a trip through an online agency who had the best travel deals, cheap airline tickets and a great vacation package. Something went wrong, terribly wrong– my flight was rescheduled, my flight was over booked or there was a problem with the hotel reservation, like the reservation was never made, or it was not the hotel promised. After hours of searching for the right number to call, I phoned the company, I was transferred to half a dozen departments, or should I say I was passed off to several different people who had no interest in my problem, or no authority to do something about it, and ended up speaking with someone in OshKosh, India who I could barely understand. Five hours later, several different “agents” later I’m no closer to fixing the problem. This is a disaster and needs to be fixed.
Let me take a moment to say I mean no disrespect to online travel agencies, in fact I respect the job most of them do. Most of these agencies do a fabulous job, have great follow through, and will give you great value for your dollar, and a great vacation with your loved ones. Most of the airline seats, cruises and hotel rooms booked through these large sites are problem-free. It’s the way they address the inevitable problems, or should I say do not address the problems, that leaves something to be desired in the view of many consumers.
Good travel agents have an edge over almost any other seller of travel. Years of experience, inside secrets, and a good relationship with others in the industry. They know what travel deals and vacation packages you, the traveling public wants. They speak your language. A good travel agent will be there for you when you run into trouble, an event that is unlikely to happen.
While I may suggest a travel agent be involved for that European month long vacation, or your tip to the Middle East and of course your long waited for African Safari, a travel agent is not needed for the casual weekend trip or your summertime holiday or even spring or winter break vacations. There are lots of great bargains that can save yourself thousand of dollars, just by doing a little work on your own. These bargains are genuinely trouble free, great locations and fabulous travel deals. Finding the travel deals and vacation packages is getting easier everyday, book yours today. A few clicks of your mouse and you will have cheap airline tickets, cheap travel and a vacation package of a lifetime.
The author of this article is Peter Sicoli. Peter owns and operates JP Global Sales a successful information marketing company.