If you are reading this blog then you too at some point have thought about enlisting the help of a travel agent in planning your vacation. Whether you are a seasoned traveler or a newbie we all at some point have felt overwhelmed in trying to ensure that all the boxes have been ticked off. So many factors are in play when seeking out the perfect destination spot for your family, partner or friends, making a decision about the amount of time needed at your destination, selecting the best travel tour guide at your destination, deciding what to do once you reach your destination and navigating transfers in a foreign country. The lists goes on!

Before booking online things to consider :

The opinion amongst many travelers today is ‘why pay a travel agent to book a hotel when you can do it online’. There is so much more that goes into planning a vacation that meets the eye. Planning a vacation is more than making a single hotel booking or tour online, it is planning an experience with multiple moving parts with the ultimate aim of enjoyment and memories to be had.

Logistics:Planning a vacation requires managing and ensuring there is a logistical flow between flights, airport transfers, train tickets and car rentals. Not to mention if you are traveling with family and kids. You don’t want to be stuck at a foreign airport having to seek out a taxi in the middle of the night when you are exhausted and hungry.

Hotels:I find selecting the right hotel the most overwhelming part of travel planning. There are so many factors that requires consideration when laying your roots for a few days. Is the areas safe to walk around in especially at night? Are there bar and pubs in the immediate vicinity that could keep you up in the early hours of the night? Does the hotel meet your expectations? Is the hotel’s location central to all the sites that are on your list to visit. Taking multiple taxis throughout the day can prove to be extremely tiring and costly.

Missed opportunities:When visiting a foreign country you want to ensure that you don’t miss out on some of the well known sights, restaurants and  things to do  You maybe so close to a wonderful trattoria, or famous museum, or local park that the kids would enjoy and not even know it.

Why book with an agent instead of online

Travel planners can be so valuable in turning a trip to a foreign destination into a vacation experience that is so much more than just sites and tours. I have yet to find a travel advisor that does not have a vested interest in ensuring that your vacation is exactly what you had envisioned.

Benefits of working with a travel planner

• Customized travel: Travel planning is uniquely personal. It’s all about getting to know the client and their specific needs so that they xperience a vacation that is tailored to your expectations and not a cookie cutter itinerary. Customization provides opportunities to explore the off the beaten activities and enjoy unique experiences that make a vacation memorable. It’s not the sites that makes a memorable vacation but the experiences that you have with friends and family. Travel advisors are able to incorporate the finer details into your itinerary.
• Less stress and frustration: Planning a vacation takes many hours of scouring the internet, researching and reading countless reviews. Despite all your hard work there is still so many unknowns in traveling to a foreign destination. Let a travel planner take the stress out of your already filled lifestyle. Sit back and relax and let knowledgeable individuals take care of you and your family through every step of your journey especially during a Covid environment.
• Updated information: In a Covid environment travel planners have access to the most up to date protocols and guidelines that are being implemented locally so that you feel safe and confident that the airlines, hotels and tour guides are taking the necessary measures to keep you and your loved ones safe.
• 24/7 Customer Care: When you work with a travel planner you will not only have access to them while planning your vacation prior to departure but you will also have access to their suppliers on the ground should you have any concerns throughout your travels. Its like having your own personal concierge. If your travel plans change due to unforeseen circumstances travel planners are able to make all the necessary changes while your are in a foreign country.

Using a travel agent during Covid 

More than ever before travelers are starting to realize how beneficial it can be in working with a travel agent. The countless stories at the beginning of Covid highlights the frustrations many travelers have experienced in trying to cancel, reschedule or postpone their travel. For some it has been time and money lost. Travel agents are especially invaluable for the following reasons:

• Travel agents can advocate on the travelers behalf when cancellations or rescheduling occurs with various suppliers. Travel agents may often receive concessions that may not be accessible to the public.
• Travel agents receive updated information surrounding Covid protocols on a local level so that travelers are able to make informed decisions.
• Travel agents free up your time up by doing the research and ensuring that you have the necessary documentation to travel. Nobody wants to get turned away at the airport for not having the necessary new Covid documentation.