The Great Debate: Should You Use a Travel Agent or Book on Your Own?
Planning a trip abroad can seem very daunting at first especially if you’re not yet an experienced traveller. There is a lot involved from booking flights to choosing accommodation to planning an itinerary. It can seem a little overwhelming. It is no surprise that many people turn to travel agents to do all this for them but is it worth the extra cost? In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using a travel agent to help you decide which option is best for your travel needs.
The Pros of Using a Travel Agent
There are several benefits to using a travel agent:
Expertise: Travel agents are experts in their field and can provide you with valuable information about your destination, including the best time to travel, the best places to stay, and the best things to do.
Destination knowledge: Travel agents have extensive knowledge of different destinations and can help you find the perfect vacation spot based on your preferences.
Convenience: Travel agents can take care of all the details of your trip, including flights, hotels, and activities, so you don’t have to worry about anything.
Cost savings: Travel agents have access to exclusive deals and discounts that might not be available to the general public, which can save you money on your trip.
Relationships: Travel agents have relationships with hotels, airlines, and other travel providers, which can help you get better deals and upgrades.
Travel assistance: Travel agents can provide you with assistance during your trip, including help with lost luggage, flight cancellations, and other travel-related issues.
Decreased stress: Travel agents can help reduce the stress of planning a trip by taking care of all the details for you.
The Cons of Using a Travel Agent
There can also be several cons to using a travel agent:
Finding the right agent: Finding the right travel agent can be difficult, and you may have to do some research to find one that meets your needs.
Fees: Some travel agents charge fees for their services, which can be expensive depending on the agent.
Availability: Many travel agents only offer services during certain limited office hours, which may not be convenient for you.
Less control: When you use a travel agent, you may have less control over the details of your trip, such as the flights and hotels you choose.
Less flexibility: Travel agents may not be able to offer as much flexibility in terms of changing your plans as you would have if you booked your trip yourself.
Risk of miscommunication: If you’re not clear about your preferences or expectations with your travel agent, this could lead to misunderstandings and mistakes with your trip.
How to Find a Good Travel Agent
If you do decide that using a travel agent is the best option for your needs, here are some tips that you might find useful:
Ask for referrals. The best way to find anything is to ask for referrals. Ask your friends and family who they use as a travel agent.
Search for specialized travel agents. If you’re looking for a travel agent who specializes in a particular area, you can do a simple search for “Disney Travel Agent” or “Hawaii Travel Agent.”
Make sure to ask about the agent’s professional background e.g. what kind of training or education they might have had.
Verify the travel agency’s accreditation. For example, if you’re in the United States, check if the travel agency is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), the National Tour Association (NTA), or the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).
Check for customer reviews. Look for reviews of the travel agency online. Check if the reviews are genuine and not fake.
Look for local agents: When possible, deal with a local travel agent. Take advice from friends and business associates who use an agent they trust and always check business profiles.
You can also recognize a good travel agent by the following:
Takes the time to learn your travel needs, preferences, tastes, budget, and personal limitations such as medical conditions or phobias.
Does comparison shopping to find the transportation, accommodations, attractions, and services that will give you the greatest satisfaction at the best price
The following resources might be helpful if you’re looking into using a travel agent:
How To Plan Your Own Trip
If this is the first time planning your trip abroad, here are some useful steps to follow:
Choose a destination: Decide where you want to go and what you want to do there.
Find out travel visa requirements: Check the visa requirements for your destination country and apply for one if necessary.
Plan a (rough) itinerary: Once you’ve chosen a place, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with it. Research the best time to visit, the top attractions, and the local customs.
Book ahead (or wing it!): As a general rule of thumb, your best bet when possible is to book ahead and “hold” a good price on sites with fee-free cancellation policies. You can also choose to wing it and book as you go.
Find cheap & free activities: Look for free or low-cost activities in your destination city.
Keep your plans organized: Keep all your travel documents and itinerary in one place, such as a travel app or a folder on your computer.
When to Use a Travel Agent vs. When to Book on Your Own
As we have shown above, using a travel agent can have both advantages as well as disadvantages so the decision to use one will ultimately come down to your individual preferences and needs.
Here at Travel Mastery, we prefer not to use travel agents. This gives us the flexibility and freedom to plan our own itinerary and ultimately save a lot of money in the process. Within the Travel Mastery course, we provide all the resources you should need to plan your own trip including exclusive into the apps, products and tools we use to make your life easier. We also have an amazing private community that is open exclusively for our members where you can hear from and share with fellow travellers to gain access to tips and advice on the destinations you are planning to visit.
We would love to hear your experiences of either using a travel agent or planning your own itinerary so please share your stories in the comments below…