September 15, 2023
Planning a trip can be overwhelming, but fear not! In this article, we’ll explore eight compelling reasons why everyone should consider using a travel professional to navigate the wondrous world of travel.
1 The truth is you already hire experts to get better results.
You rely on experts to manage your money and health, so why not use an expert for your travel? Stop doing too much and save yourself some time and stress by letting someone else handle the trip planning.
One of the many benefits of using a professional travel advisor like me is that we often have direct contact with travel industry partners like cruise lines, hotels, resorts, and tour operators. When there is big news, they often let us know first. You deserve it!
2 There are too many options on the internet
Let’s talk cruising because booking a cruise online, on your own, is easy…or is it?
You want a stateroom from either category 1D, 2D, 5D, or 7D.
Wait… maybe a 1E or a 2F.
There are dozens of stateroom categories on one ship, and every cruise line is different; do you really have time to comb through website reviews to guess which room category is better? What if the reviewer’s taste differs from yours, and how do you know which cruise line matches your personality?
Here is some food for thought: there are 37 cruise lines worldwide, with about 323 cruise ships currently available to choose from.
Every year, new cruise ships are being launched.
Around the world, there are more than 2400 ports of call to cruise to, of which about 660+ are on rivers.
That is a LOT of options.
It is quite literally possible to find a ship and itinerary for every travel style, but not every ship is suitable for everyone.
Matching travelers with the perfect ship and itinerary is what we do best.
3 Navigating the fine print
Every element of your vacation including but not limited to your accommodation, flights, tours, cruise, and travel insurance, all have “fine print” also known as terms & conditions. This isn’t new news at all.
But what is new is the number of changes that each travel company is currently making to their services. Changes come out of nowhere and are often effective immediately.
Navigating all of the date changes, and schedule change fees and rules can be a nightmare.
The good news is… we have a real talent for it. You can trust that we have checked the fine print – and understood it before we lock in your travel bookings. If you want flexible travel arrangements – we’ll make sure to book it that way.
4 Do you ever feel like you need a vacation to recover from planning your vacation?
Are you the person who always ends up organizing and researching everything, collecting everybody’s payments, and making sure everything is booked?
It is stressful and time-consuming to book travel because there are a lot of moving parts.
The average 7 day International vacation has up to 15 separate bookings in it.
- Accommodation (maybe 1-3 properties)
- Flights (perhaps a few booked separately with different airlines (for better value and logistics)
- Airport transfers to and from your home, accommodation, and the airport (between 2 and 6 of these)
- Travel insurance to match exactly what you booked
- A few day trips or excursions with the same or different tour companies
- Museum, gallery, or social attraction tickets to avoid waiting in line
- Car rental and other transportation (such as trains, buses, trams, and ferries)
Did you know that each of these separate bookings (usually through different companies) comes with its own rules, cancellation policies, and fine print? They can be incredibly complex to stitch together into one itinerary.
Just take a flight layover for example. Did you know that different airports around the world have “legal connection times”, a minimum amount of time required to connect two flights together?
Why on earth would you put yourself through the stress of researching and planning all of these bookings when you can rely on a professional travel advisor (like me) to do it for you for one low planning fee.
5 Emergencies happen
Sometimes life will throw you a curveball when you’re on vacation – it could be a family emergency back home, a border closing, Covid-19 protocols changing, civil unrest, an airline strike or Mother Nature getting sassy.
In fact, all of these things have happened in the past year. And when something happens on vacation, you want to know that someone has your back.
If you work with a travel professional, they can help you navigate those troubled waters. They can advocate for you, contact the tour operators and tourism boards if necessary. They can help get you home or move you somewhere else. They’re just a click away via text, email, or phone.
When you book travel on your own or through an online travel website, you won’t get support like that. You are on your own to troubleshoot everything – in a foreign country, with language barriers and currency conversions.
Don’t let that happen to you.
6 Avoid scams
Over the past year, you may have seen on the news, a continuous stream of reports where hard-working people just like you have been scammed out of thousands of dollars.
Scammers pretending to be travel companies are rife. Their websites look and sound real; they often show great deals, deep discounts, or availability when everything seems fully booked on other sites.
Professional travel advisors like me use reputable providers and fully vetted suppliers. When you work with a professional travel advisor like me, you can have 100% trust and peace that you won’t be scammed.
7 Stick to your comfortable spending limit
It’s a common myth that a professional travel advisor will always try to upsell you and make you spend more than you have or want to so that they earn a commission.
This is not true. Here’s how it works…
Qualified and certified professionals like myself often charge a consulting fee (just like if you went to see an attorney or tax specialist. For that one fee, we do all of the planning, research, verifications, and bookings. We then put together all of the individual elements into one set of easy-to-follow travel documents.
We work within your budget; whether your budget is $5000 or $50000, all you have to do is let us know, and we will present options that fit that budget. We may suggest adjusting the length of your vacation or the style of accommodation or perhaps a different flight to help your budget.
But know this… our goal is ALWAYS to create and book the best vacation to match your needs.
8 Creating WOW moments
A travel professional can help make your trip memorable by curating unique and extraordinary experiences that go beyond ordinary tourist attractions. From arranging VIP access to exclusive landmarks, organizing private tours with local experts, or suggesting hidden gems off the beaten path, their connections and expertise can open doors to a world of extraordinary possibilities that can turn an ordinary trip into something truly exceptional.
In closing, with their expertise, insider knowledge, and personalized approach, travel professionals are the key to unlocking a world of extraordinary possibilities. Say goodbye to endless hours of research and hello to a stress-free journey filled with WOW moments. Trust in the guidance and support of a travel professional and let them take care of the logistics, leaving you free to enjoy the journey. Embrace the difference, and let your wanderlust guide you to the unmatched expertise of a travel professional.
