Whether you like to meticulously plan your vacations down to the last detail or prefer to completely hand the reigns over to someone else so that you can just show up and have a great time, here are 5 reasons you should use a travel agent for your next vacation.
Did you know you already pay for the services of a travel agent? No seriously, you do!
Travel suppliers like Disney, Royal Caribbean, Sandals…they all include an expense for a travel agent in their total—WHETHER YOU USE ONE OR NOT. So why aren’t you??? As a trained vacation planner, my expertise and assistance is free when you book with me. There is no catch. You will pay exactly what you would pay if you booked on your own, only I’ll do all the work for you!
I’ll be honest—before I became a travel planner, I had no idea how all of this works. I had never used a travel agent before and I just assumed they were services for which you had to pay extra. Once I looked into it, I couldn’t believe that more people don’t use travel agents for their vacations. Guys, this is a no-brainer!!
In my years as a travel advisor, I've earned several specialists designations--Disney Destinations, Universal Parks & Resorts, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Bahamas Destination Expert, Jamaica Destination Expert, Aruba Destination Expert, Hawaii Destination Expert...and more! I'm also constantly furthering my education with trainings to better help my clients.
The bottom line is—I know the ins and outs of all things travel. Whether you want to spend a whirlwind weekend at a Disney Park or road trip through the Scottish Highlands, I know lots of tips and tricks to make your time both special and stress-free—you can trust that I am giving you sound advice!
No matter where you’re going, work with someone who knows the details and can help you from making these silly little travel mistakes. Even if you’ve thoroughly researched your destination (or if you’ve been there before), why not combine that knowledge with an expert’s to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your vacation???
In addition to knowing the going rates for travel expenses (and therefore being able to tell you what is and what isn’t a good deal), travel advisors are also up to date on the latest promotions and offerings—I can often apply promotions to your reservation AFTER you’ve booked with me! Travel companies will never call you to let you know that a new promotion has been released that can save you money—but I will!
Rather than spending your free time scouring the internet for discounts or promotions, or sitting on hold with a company for hours to try to apply a new promotion to an existing reservation, let me handle those details for you! It will save you valuable time and money!! Which brings me to my next point…
Did I mention that when you book with me I do all the hard work for you???
You probably know that a travel advisor’s main job is to help you book your travel, but do you realize all of what that includes?
Accommodations, transportation, touring plans, dining, entertainment, spa appointments, travel insurance…whatever you need, I can take care of it, saving you from spending countless hours researching and working with suppliers yourself. I can also help to manage large group bookings so you don’t have to worry about collecting money or personal information from others.
And heaven forbid should something go wrong--lost luggage, hurricane warnings for your destination--I will take the reins and spend the time on the phone making things right for you so that you can spend your time enjoying your vacation!
For Walt Disney World in particular, I often hear people complain of how overwhelming it can be to plan a trip—there really is so much to do--reservations, stroller rentals, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique…why not let an expert do this for you??
Even if you’re the type of person who LOVES to plan a vacation yourself (and clearly, I understand that—I’m that type of person!), it is still in your best interest to use a vacation planner. You can still do as much of the planning as you’d like, but in those moments when you don’t have the time to wait on hold to speak with a customer service rep or when you’re not available right at 6am to book that hard-to-get dining reservation, you have someone who will gladly take care of those details for you…in fact, it’s their job!
Still not convinced?? Want to just book your own travel and work with the suppliers yourself when you have questions? Yeah, you can do that…but you will never talk to the same person twice, and they won’t be able to make recommendations tailored to your party’s specific interests the way a travel advisor can.
When you work with me, I create custom guides and itineraries that highlight your interests as well as your vacation style—if you love being active and on the go during vacation, I can design your plans to reflect that.
If you prefer a more laidback, relaxed approach (even at a Disney Park!), I will make sure to style your vacation to ensure that you’re touring on your terms, in the way that you like to travel.
I think vacations are incredibly valuable—you’re spending your hard-earned money on experiences that become memories and what is more precious than making memories with loved ones???
We all want to get the most bang for our buck and the most value from every experience...working with a travel advisor will only enhance your vacations, and leave you free to create life-long memories. I guarantee it!