Everyone has google. There are also lot of online travel companies out there that all promise you the cheapest vacation around. Many people use them, so why should you go to a travel agent?
Let’s break this down into just a few key points
Busy moms deserve a vacation too! Are you tired of always being “on” and being the family secretary? The one who has to make every phone call, schedule every appointment, determine every meal and every activity? Just thinking about it all is exhausting! Do you daydream about being the Queen and letting your minions handle everything for you?
OK so maybe you won't get to wear the crown, but... you can certainly feel at ease and happy having someone else do all the vacation planning, searching and scheduling for your family. And its not like you're handing the task over to just anyone. You can collaborate with a travel professional who is familiar with your vacation destination. You can speak directly with a real person who knows how to navigate the system. You have someone on your side who can spend hours making you look good -- all you have to do is show up with the family and enjoy a fabulous vacation.
Your travel agent does all the hard work and you get all the glory. It's okay - we don’t mind, really. Just tell your ALL friends your secret when it's all over!
Even better...your travel agent minion's help is free. Their commissions are already included in the price of your vacation. If you do all the work and book it yourself online - the travel company is pocketing the difference and giving you no customer care in return.
Is cheapest really the best? It's true - you get what you pay for. As travel agents, we see the deals, and we hear all the horror stories. A travel agent will find you the best destination and activities for your vacation dollar. YOUR travel agents will work within your budget to the best of their ability. If your dream trip doesn't fit your budget this year, your agent can be a great coach and teach you several insider secrets to make that vacation affordable in the near future.
More about those search sites. Read the fine print - did you know that when you book through some of the popular online search engines, that they reserve the right to change your hotel at the last minute? If a hotel is overbooked, guess which reservations are more likely to get “walked”...right to a different hotel or resort. Travel agents know how to ensure that their guests are getting exactly what the expected, and not walked to a different location.
So many choices! Are you one of those people who changes your mind three times in an ice cream parlor before deciding which flavor to buy? Now imagine that instead of 99 ice cream flavors, you are faced with weeding through 99 hotels. How do you choose? Which one is best for your family? Have a kid that gets car sick? You’ll want to make sure that you’ve got private transfers to a resort that is relatively close, or you will have a pretty rough start to your vacation. A travel agent will know the amenities, the programs for children and teens (or if it's adults only!). Agents know location, even down to how far is the drive from the airport to the resort. You can waste a ton of time searching google for these answers or simply ask your agent. We've probably been there and know the answers off the top of our head. If not, we know exactly who to call to get your answer.
Price match plans. It really always comes back around to money, right? So if you did do a quick look and found a great price, save it with a screen capture and send it to your travel agent. Most agents can do a price match. We need the screen shot to insure we're comparing apples to apples...are taxes included in the advertised price, is it the same room category, is there a meal package, transportation???...If all the fine print matches then we can get match the price.
Speaking of fine print....nobody ever reads the fine print, that is until they need to. Usually by then it's a bit to late to do anything about it. Your travel agent lives by the fine print. They know how to protect you from making costly mistakes and putting your family's finances at risk. Instead of worrying about searching a 100 different websites to save $50 on your hotel, your agent can help insure you have the emergency medical coverage to save you from paying tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.
So talk to a travel agent. We want to give you a bit more "me" time AND still look like the family hero.
