Travel Tips - Does Travel Agents Help?

Pin It

Many people have speculated that traditional travel agents are a dying breed as more travelers start to build their own packages. To a certain extent this is true; however, travel agents still have a very valuable role to play in helping travelers to locate a bargain.

A registered travel agency will have necessary insurance so that if something happens to mean that you do not get the holiday that you booked, you will receive some compensation. This security may be particularly important if you are booking a very important holiday such as a honeymoon

Smaller agents also will have a greater discretion than large online chains. When you purchase online you are usually told the price; there is no room to negotiate for extras or further travel discounts. By dealing with a person in a face-to-face situation, you are in a much stronger position to negotiate.

A holiday is only a bargain if you get the holiday that you will enjoy. If you are looking at a specialist holiday type, such as a cruise, then an experienced travel agent will be extremely valuable to ensure that you get the best possible holiday. True you are likely to pay a little extra for this level of expertise, but it is not worth saving a few dollars at the expense of your enjoyment.

Building up a rapport with a travel agent will mean that they personally keep you in mind and if requested, they will be able to notify of you of any potentially interesting bargains that come into their agency, before they are released to the public. They may also be aware of any upcoming sales that are not generally public knowledge.  If you have had a cheap quote online, take the details into your local agent and ask them what they can do, you may be pleasantly surprised!