A few years ago a statistic said that over the next 5 years one of the jobs that would no longer be in existence is that of the travel agent. With the assistance of online booking engines such as expedia and travelocity, travelers could begin planning vacations themselves. So, the question is why do travelers still turn to travel agents instead of the common online booking engine?
Answer: Cost, knowledge, and convenience!
Cost: Most travel agents DO NOT charge any type of fee for their service, while online booking engines tend to add additional costs but include it under taxes and fees. (Hoping you will not notice.) Travel agents can also access rates and specials not available to the general public. These are promotions that the online booking engines cannot provide for you. The online booking engines very rarely offer a rate on a package that a travel agent cannot beat.
Knowledge: When considering using a travel agency, try to avoid agencies that can sell the world. You want to work with someone who knows more about the destination than you. Try and find an agency that specializes in a specific location, for example, my agency currently only specializes in Hawaii, so you can be assured that when you ask me a question about Hawaii, I have an answer! When travelers are trying to reserve space online, they are pretty much doing so on blind faith. Assuming that the quality of a tour or hotel is actually how they are depicted online. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for the travelers to arrive and realize that what they thought was a good deal, really was not. When offering my clients different hotels and tours, I am completely honest. I have no problem admitting to my clients that a certain hotel is disgusting or a particular tour is a disappointment.
Convenience: When searching booking engines, everyone always wants the best deal, therefore, most people do not check one, they check several. This is so time consuming, especially since most travelers do not start planning and know exactly what and where they want. There is no doubt that working with a travel agent is more convenient because we do EVERYTHING! Meaning, we can help you figure out where you want to go, and then give you the package you want. Then if you have to make changes or adjustments, we do it for you. This will save you hours of time and price matching. Remember though that travel agents handle everything for you from beginning to end. Even if you are on your trip and there is a problem, it is much less stressful when you can call your agent and have them take of it, rather than waste part of your vacation trying to fix it yourself. My question to those who commonly book their vacation on a booking engine: Who can you call at expedia or travelocity to help?
There is a reason why the travel agent profession is still going strong. With our knowledge and willingness to help plan the best vacation for you. Isnt it worth saving the money and the time? If you want more information or have any questions, feel free email me at jessie@hawaii-aloha.com or call me at 808 237 5254 if you are ready to start planning your Hawaii vacation.
My travel agency specializes in Hawaii only, and if you are ready to start planning your vacation, I will be more than happy to help. Mahalo!.
