1. They will save you more than just time and effort. They will also save you money.
People often believe that ticket agents are expensive. But the truth is that many ticket agents don’t charge anything at all. That’s because they get paid commissions from the hotel or other sources. This is similar to how Booking.com and Kayak get paid commissions when they suggest a property to you during a search.
Travel experts can give you money-saving perks like resort credits and complimentary breakfast, putting money in your pocket that you would have spent on something else.
You not only save money, but your time is also money. A good travel advisor can find out how you like to travel and what you hope to get out of it. Then, using a mix of thorough study and real-world experience, they can put together a trip that is even better than the one you would have planned. It will save you a lot of time and effort and give you new things to do that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
Want to know more about what a travel agent does? Read our post to find out what a travel agent is.
2. They’ll tell you what you need to know and give you helpful background.
Finding a great place to stay is one of many parts of travelling. It’s about seeing how other people see the world, and you can only learn so much from a menu card or an online review.
Travel experts are great at knowing everything there is to know about a place, and they often also see the story behind it. You can enjoy that a woman owns your hotel, that the restaurant you ate at was just on TV, or that the lemons in your lemonade are squeezed by hand instead of by a machine. They have direct access to hotels and can quickly reach the General Manager. If you’ve ever had to wait in an Amex call centre, you know how useful this is.
Plus, because they have a lot of contacts, they know how to get the most out of your trip (like which places have on-site childcare or free tickets to shows), so you can feel like an insider and know that you won’t miss anything on your trip.
Are you a travel expert? The friend who knows everyone and can give you all the best suggestions? Find out how to turn your love of travelling into money.
3. They’ll get you some significant improvements and perks.
There’s nothing better than coming into a hotel room to find a fresh bouquet and a fruit plate waiting for you or being treated like a VIP with an upgraded room and a wine tasting. These are just a few of the perks and benefits that travel planners usually get for their clients every day. Hotels like booking agents for this reason. How could they not? They bring in great people who, if they like a place, tell their friends about it over and over again.
Hotels give special perks to people who stay there more than once. Travel agents can offer these perks to their clients, and you can take advantage of them without spending a dime more. And while you do all those things, you’re helping a small business grow. Not too bad, huh?
4. They put you in direct contact with the hotel’s management, which means you’ll be treated like a VIP.
It’s important to note that a travel advisor is a natural person with real ties and relationships who can help you have the experience you deserve, while a booking site has none of these things. They are an extension of the hotel’s staff and can talk directly to management. So, if you need help before your trip, you can save time listening to hold music at a call centre. Instead, your travel expert can help you right away.
This also means that travel experts can give you a better experience when you’re there, like free upgrades and a more personal touch. Because they know you, they know your specific needs, like whether you can eat certain foods or whose birthday you’re having. They also know you like ocean views, corner windows, and an extra pillow. It’s like having a personal expert who knows you better than you know yourself and has General Manager on speed dial.
