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Do Travel Agents Save You Money – FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (August 25, 2021) — After more than a year of lockdowns, restrictions and general anxiety, Americans are eager to return to travel with a vengeance. While the experts at The Travel Institute are happy to see the world open up again, they advise using the services of a certified travel agent with the education and credentials to make all the necessary arrangements.
The Travel Institute, which has been training and certifying travel agents since 1964, has used its decades of experience and knowledge to create a list of seven reasons to use the services of a certified professional travel agent to book your dream vacation.
Do Travel Agents Save You Money
“Getting some basic training and saying, ‘I’m a travel agent,’ is very different from achieving and maintaining the level of education you need to do a good job,” said Diane Petras, CTIE, president of The Travel Institute. “Our goal is to help consumers understand this important distinction and empower them to select an educated and qualified agent from our program to maximize the return on their travel investment.”
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For more than 50 years, the Travel Institute has trained and certified thousands of travel agents to the highest educational standards in the travel industry. The Travel Institute’s continuing education and professional development programs ensure that when you choose a certified agent, they will be equipped with the latest tools and information to help you make informed travel decisions.
“A trained, experienced travel agent can take the guesswork and stress out of vacation planning, optimizing both the experience and costs for travelers,” Petras said. “Our directory of certified travel agents will help you find, qualify and connect with a graduate of the program, whether you’re looking for a Disney specialist, cruise expert or general practitioner with local or global knowledge.
“People ask why use a certified travel agent?” Petras added, “but I think the better question is, why wouldn’t you?”
EDITOR’S/PRODUCER’S NOTE: Diana Petras, president of The Travel Institute, is available to be interviewed about the importance of using a certified travel agent via computer, phone or email. Contact Buck Banks or Julie Ellis for details.
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Established in 1964, The Travel Institute fulfills its role as a global leader in travel industry education and certification, remaining true to its mission: dedicated solely to enhancing the professionalism of both agents and industry leaders in support of individual and industry success. As a not-for-profit, independent organisation, The Travel Institute creates and delivers relevant and rigorous coursework to ensure that its graduates are awarded credentials that demonstrate the highest standards of experience and service. The Travel Institute has certified more than 26,000 graduates and also administers qualifications for travel agents. , or TAP, exam to confirm that students new to the field have mastered the basics. A trusted partner to industry suppliers and educational institutions, The Travel Institute has trained hundreds of thousands through additional courses, webinars and the Premium Member Online Lounge. Learn more at The Travel Institute. Before the Internet (you remember those days, right?), when people wanted to plan a vacation, they turned to travel agents. These lovely people would book your flights, cruises, resort stays, honeymoons and everything in between. They will take care of all your arrangements and will be there to keep you in touch with the company.
You called them when something went wrong. They made deals with you that you couldn’t find on your own because you didn’t have access to the resources that they did.
As online booking websites and the sharing economy became more popular, travel agents declined in importance (9/11 and the 2008 recession didn’t help either).
The internet age has made it easier for us travelers to ditch the travel agents and plan our own trips by booking directly with airlines and hotels (or, these days, with locals—thanks Airbnb).
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Moreover, the many deal websites that help us find cheap flights and hotels have allowed consumers to find cheap prices that were previously the domain of agents.
The web has cut out the middle man and the age of travel agents seems to be on the wane.
Direct-to-consumer websites cut the time it takes to plan a trip from hours or days to minutes. And there is complete transparency. You can shop with one click. This was devastating for an industry rooted in tradition and outdated relationships.
And yet, despite the touted “death of travel agents” since Expedia’s debut, they still exist, albeit in much smaller numbers (the number of freelance travel agents has risen from 124,030 in 2000 to 66,670 in 2019).
Why Use A Travel Agent?.
Travel (they are heavily used for luxury, corporate and group travel), and for their expertise and special business relationships—not to mention their time-saving, stress-relieving, and problem-solving skills.
Useful if you are going on a very expensive or complicated trip, planning a honeymoon or something interesting, or traveling with a large group. They have access to a range of deals and bulk buying options that self-employed consumers don’t have, especially when it comes to tours, luxury flights and cruises.
It’s very easy to book a flight from New York to Miami these days, and if that’s all you need, then you should do it online. But if you are looking for flights for a group of more than 10 or a route like JFK-MIA-BOG-EZE-LAX-SEA-ORD-EWR, then a travel agent will help you a lot.
They’re also perfect for people who just don’t want to tackle a big, complicated trip on their own. Travel agents offer them peace of mind. As Ryan said, “Logistics can be simple or complex, but they are almost always a headache. People will pay good money to someone they trust to just ‘deal with it’ for them.”
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Travel agents are still used for expert guidance, personalized travel and to save time. The internet has made it easier to book your own travel, but with it comes information overload. Planning a trip is a time-consuming process, and you don’t really know if you’re making the most of your vacation or planning events that suit your interests and travel style.
People want to get first-hand knowledge and experience, an inside track to get the most out of their vacation, make it memorable and affordable. They want someone to say, “That’s a mistake, I recommend this instead,” and explain travel insurance, passport requirements, visas, independent travel in other countries, customs and culture, and all the “how to’s.”
Travel agents are for people who don’t want to spend hours researching their trips, aren’t seasoned travelers, or are traveling in such a large group that the economics and logistics of booking on their own will make your head spin.
It didn’t surprise me that travel agencies have become more popular over the past few years, especially among millennials who are looking to outsource time-consuming jobs.
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If you’re traveling with a group of 15 for your grandmother’s birthday cruise, a travel agent can definitely offer you a better deal than you can on your own. Agents come in handy when buying in bulk because they often have access to deals (this also applies to airfare).
Are you planning a honeymoon or a luxury trip? A difficult round-the-world trip for a family of four? The highly specialized nature of travel agents makes them great for such trips.
Take cruises. Travel agents have relationships with cruise lines and have access to deals that we regular consumers don’t. Cruise Radio’s Doug Parker recommends starting with a travel agent because they have relationships with cruise lines and can often get better rates and last-minute deals. Travel agents can often find much lower prices and can also act as a liaison with cruise lines when things go wrong.
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Agents communicate with cruise lines all the time, so if you want a trip with 15 people to go smoothly, an agent will be better.
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And this is another place where travel agents can come in handy: when problems arise. Patricia advises: “Travel agents can save you time and money when you’re in an emergency. Many airlines and hotel chains have priority numbers for travel agents so they can quickly connect with the people who can best handle your situation. “
Ryan agreed: “A travel agency’s greatest assets are its unique and effective relationships, its ability to solve problems for its clients in real time, 24/7, and its role as the herding cat for group travel. When you’re in trouble, there’s no substitute for a knowledgeable, reliable, well-paid travel agent.”
So am I suddenly in love with travel agents? No, I personally do not use them. I like to book trips, I know where to look for deals, and I don’t plan family trips for twenty. Give me a points flight, a hostel and a bus ticket and I’m good to go.
If you’re planning a trip to Bermuda for you, your wife and family, it’s pretty simple: go online, find a cheap ticket, book a hotel or Airbnb, and off you go.
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A trip to Europe? A travel agent cannot tell you to go with the flow. They are not going to offer you deals on hostels, tourist tours, train tickets or beat budget airlines.
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