Six Reasons Why To Use a Travel Agency in 2021

Let's face it - some consumers still have never used a travel agency before or dropped their favorite ones with the advent of the internet. Many travel shoppers choose instead to tackle the 4 billion+ pages on the internet themselves in search for the perfect escape. But what IS a travel agency anyways and why do they exist? In this article, we reconnect with the core purpose of this important sector of the travel and tourism industry and explore the benefits of booking with a travel agency over booking on your own.

A travel agency's main function is to act as an agent for worldwide travel suppliers by promoting, consulting for, and selling their products and services to their local market. This includes airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels and resorts, railways, travel insurance, tour operators, transportation companies, excursions, tours, day trips, tourism boards and destinations, guide books, luggage, medical items, airport lounge access, and more. They have exclusive access to the suppliers internal global distribution and reservation systems and are instrumental in building simple and complex travel itineraries for leisure holidays and corporate travel including individuals and groups. 

Here are six top reasons why you should book with your local travel agency for your next trip. Once you give a travel agency a try, we feel you will never look back.

1. Save Money - Professional travel agencies have extensive connections, contracts, and relationships with an average of 200+ suppliers worldwide with whom they work on a regular basis. With these partnerships, travel agencies are the first point of contact for new travel suppliers' travel promotion and deals. It's through these connections that travel advisors are always, "in the know".

But not only are travel agents updated on travel deals, they also have an innate intuition on finding the best prices that can only come from years of research and travel service experience. Before you finish your first sentence about your travel wish-list, they are already computing the best dates, places, and suppliers that they know will give you the best value for money. It's like having a personal shopper for travel! And like a personal shopper, they will visit all of the stores that offer the same product in order to get you the most and to save you money. 

2. Save Time - Have you ever felt that there simply aren't enough hours in a day to achieve all of the things that you need to get done? Do you feel time-starved, like your to-do list just keeps getting longer while you feverishly try to cross out each item? Our lives are indeed busier and more fast-paced than ever before in history. Time, these days, is as valuable as money. They say that the average time a person spends researching their trip is 10 - 20 hours. At some point you  have to ask yourself, "would I rather spend this unnecessary extra screen-time relaxing, exercising, working to earn more money, or spending this quality time with my loves ones?" When you hire a professional travel advisor, they will sit down with you to learn all of your needs and interests, then go to work for you, so you don't have to.

3. They've Got Your Back - Oh, the stories they can tell! Long established travel advisors have so many stories of saving and helping their customers through all adversities - things that the general traveler would never expect. What happens if the groom gets arrested the night before his destination wedding? What about if your flight has been cancelled due to mechanical issues, volcanic eruption, runway pot-holes, SARS, Zika virus and now Covid-19? What options do you have if sargassum seaweed has taken over your beach? Uh-oh, you just read the news that a hurricane is heading to your holiday destination. Can you cancel? Can you rebook? Have you ever experienced an overbooked hotel or flight and been left dazed, confused or even stranded? What about a medical emergency pre or during travel? What?? The airline lost your luggage! You lost your passport! The airport workers have announced a strike!  How are you going to handle these situations if you booked direct? Otherwise, one phone call to your travel advisor and they're already helping you find solutions.

4. Support Local - Travel agencies have been a small business staple to every city and town and contribute greatly to the communities around them. Did you know that more than 85% of travel agents are women? When you book with a certified travel advisor, you are supporting their small business, their employees, their independent contractors, their families and their local communities. 

5. The Experts - You may think you can plan the best holiday with all of the bells and whistles but chances are, you are going to miss a lot, even after 20 hours of research. Did you know that Poipu and the South Shore is the best area to stay in Kauai for ocean swimming? And that if you book your Cabo trip in March instead of November, chances are you'll see some whales? A travel advisor will know why a stop at Sean's pub while in Ireland is a must and that you will not be able to step foot on Antarctica with certain cruise lines. A destination wedding travel expert will know what time your outdoor wedding reception in Mexico needs to end.

6. Personalized Service - Travel advisors are passionate about travel themselves and are naturally people-persons. They genuinely want to talk about your trip and help you plan the best of the best in travel enhancements. They usually share their own personal experiences and travel tips and secrets. Once you connect with a travel advisor, they will know you by name and keep a record of your information, tastes, and interests to make future bookings easier.