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5 Reasons Not to Use a Travel Agent

This started with an article in Conde Nast last year, but I ran across it again on another blog (thanks Travel Horizons) and thought it sums up the airline ticket issue quite nicely...

 

KS

 

A travel consultant is not your best bet if you want...

1. The cheapest options

If your goal is to put together the least expensive trip possible, don't call a travel consultant. While budget travel is the best way for many people to fulfill their dreams of seeing the world, I have no expertise in recommending one 100€ Paris hotel over another. Online forums such as fodors and tripadvisor are ideal venues for feedback from other travelers.

 

2. Airline tickets only

Because airlines do not generally pay commission anymore, many travel consultants do not even book air. As travel agencies are actually charged a fee to ticket a flight, that expense — along with compensation for the time involved — has to be passed onto the consumer in the form of a service fee. The least expensive way to book air is, first, to use a comparison booking engine such as ITA Software. Research your best options, then book directly yourself on the airline's own website to avoid service fees. I will gladly provide air if you want a hotel + air package to Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, the South Pacific, etc., but for airline tickets alone... I don't do air ™.

 

3. Single components of a trip (e.g., a one-day tour, a restaurant reservation)If you've already booked your own hotel rooms for your upcoming trip, don't call a travel consultant asking for a single restaurant reservation or a suggestion for a one-day tour. There would be a charge for this service. Your best bet: email the concierges of the hotel(s) in which you will be staying.

 

4. B&Bs or run-of-the-mill hotels (such as those of a mid-priced chain)It's largely economics. B&Bs generally do not pay commissions at all, and you can research and book them yourself online. The commission on a one-night stay at a budget or moderate hotel room does not pay for the time a travel consultant spends researching the possibilities, discussing them with a client, making the booking, invoicing the booking, and then chasing the commission when it doesn't get paid. But most significantly, mid-priced hotel chain rooms are commodity items. There is no added-value that a travel consultant can provide.

 

5. Redeeming frequent-flier miles or guest points

This is time-intensive work with no commission from the airline or hotel. Do you want to pay a travel consultant's hourly fee to wait on hold?

Should You Upgrade to the Club or Premium Section?

One of the things I love about Riviera Maya is that even the lowest category rooms at a resort are typically more luxurious than comparably priced resorts at other Caribbean beach destinations.

Is it worth it then to upgrade to premium sections at a resort?My usual answer is it depends. At resorts that charge for WiFi, it is included in the premium section. At others, upgraded mini bar selections and room service menus are included along with reserved sunbeds on the beach. Concierge services may include priority reservations at specialty restaurants that may be hard to get otherwise. If you're on a honeymoon or otherwise special trip go for it! If you're spending lots of time at the resort in your room, you'll probably appreciate the perks.

 

At most Sandals & Beaches resorts room service is only offered in concierge and Butler category rooms. I think it's definitely worth the upgrade there. There's nothing better than room service if you have an early flight out, or if you've come

back to your room exhausted from excursions or clubbing.

The internet access is a big one! Let's say it costs $15/day for access in regular room categories, but the premium room is $300 more during your week. If you use 2 devices, you're already close to paying for the upgrade anyway. Be sure to ask what amenities are included at your resort to see if it makes sense in your case to upgrade.

 

 

 

(Pictures from the Preferred Clubs at Secrets Maroma Beach and Dreams Riviera Cancun)

Cheap Vacations! Hurry Up & Buy Before You Read

$599 Cancun 4-Star Resort Vacation or $69 for 5 days in Hawaii. Don't these seem obviously too good to be true? Nope! There are always a few people willing to take the bait. Since part of my service is matching verifiable prices offered by the big online agencies I've seen my fair share of these ads. Google any particular destination or resort and you'll find thousands of cheap deals. I'm always surprised that people don't see right through these tactics. If this vacation typically costs $2,000 how in the world can someone offer is for 1/4 of the price? By obligating you to a timeshare presentation, of course! If you're on the hook for a decade of payments and fees, what's a little loss now?
Read the fine print on most of these unbelievable deals and you'll inevitably find a reference to some sort of timeshare pitch. They promise to only take a few minutes of your time, but search again for comments and you'll find hundreds of people who were held up on their vacation for hours or a whole day while subjected to high pressure salespeople or worse, stranded at another location after they refused to buy. Don't waste valuable vacation time, use a trusted travel adviser.

Travel Matchmaking

Travel Matchmaking

Yesterday someone said at a networking function they were the 'match.com' of franchises.  That got a chuckle from the crowd and got me thinking about how that's true for most of our careers.  We're always matching the right people, products or solutions in some way.
In travel, my task is to match people to the right destination at the right time, then to the right resort and activities.  While they're gone I'm crossing my fingers that the 'date' goes well.  I love the feeling of satisfied travelers raving about how much they loved their vacations, how much fun their family had and how relaxed they feel coming back.  Those clients are usually the ones that are open with their past likes and dislikes, what their needs are for this particular trip and are honest about their budget.
People always ask me what's my favorite place, or what's the 'best' hotel.  I can see the little letdown when I say 'it depends'.  It really does depend on what you're looking for at the time.  You may hate my favorite hotels, not because there's anything wrong, but because it's not the right fit for you.  Even my own mom did not enjoy a cruise she went on with us because she really doesn't enjoy formal dining. We all love food in my house!   That is one of our top priorities when choosing our vacations.  My mom is much more into activities, so she would be more comfortable in a place with more activities. I've seen 70+ year olds with more energy than your average 20 something.  One of the reasons I 'broke up' with my first travel agent is because she had a one size fits all attitude and made recommendations based on our ages, not what our actual priorities were at the time. 
So you see why it's important to delve deeper into what you want beyond the price tag. (Kinda like not picking a spouse from their pic online.) Value is key! If you don't share what's important to you, it's easy to wind up in the wrong place.  I've heard people complain that they didn't like a resort because there were too many kids, the beach wasn't big enough, the food wasn't good, there were too many foreigners etc.  Most of the time these people have decided on a vacation solely on price! Each of these concerns could be addressed with a resort in the same destination that is not necessarily more expensive. That's one reason I've stopped advertising deals so much.  When someone jumps on a great sale without considering if that is the right match for them, it's a matter of time before there's a messy break up and they think they really hate the destination altogether. 
 
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Why Use A Travel Agent?

Did you see this article from Forbes last week? "Why I Happily Waste Money On A Travel Agent (Maybe You Should Too)"
The author totally gets what today's travel professional/client relationship is about.  Convenience and value for the consumer.  People who have never used a travel agent (or haven't used one in a while), always ask if Internet is hurting our business.  Probably about as much as Home Depot in Atlanta selling lawn mowers is hurting the business of the person who cuts my grass, or WebMD is hurting doctors.   It always makes me wonder how old people think I am because the Internet has been around long before I ever thought about a career in travel! =)  
Of course Great Scott Getaways was founded long after Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline were established. They are not necessarily competition, just a different way of doing things. The web is a tool nearly everyone uses these days.  
The online booking engines are agencies, they just have a different business model than your local travel retailers.  They are able to save a few bucks by outsourcing call centers and increasing volume while you do the work.  I've found most people think they're going AROUND a travel agent by booking vacations on those sites.  Not true, but they have done an excellent job at marketing that idea.  There are call center type agencies that employ American workers and count on volume with particular suppliers to pass on savings.  If you have done the research to know exactly what you want and don't need much hand holding at least use one of those.  

The average consumer spends 42 hours online checking out travel.  40 hours is a work week for most people!  I bet most people have not stopped to think how all those hours here and there add up by the time you've made a decision to book your vacation.  Even the most expensive travel agencies don't charge what you make in a week to book a trip.  (Perhaps with the exception of those like Bill Fischer who I hear charge retainers upwards of  $100,000 to celebrity clients like Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters.)  
Is saving a fee really worth what you make in a week?  I'd call that penny wise and pound foolish.  The author made a great point about some people enjoying doing all that research and attention to detail.  There is almost nothing you can't do yourself if you're willing to put the time and effort into learning.  The problem is most people don't want to spend their precious free hours on the Internet gambling on ticket prices and guessing which resort reviews are fake or just disgruntled guests who'll never be satisfied.  For the average person, a quick online reservation for a big trip can easily end up in a big mistake if you're not careful.  For every one who saved a few bucks online there is a story about a big online booking mistake.  Like a woman who thought she found a cruise cheaper, but it ended up being on the wrong ship.  A groom that put his wife's married name on the reservation (not what is actually on her ID) and ended up missing their honeymoon flight.  Or a shopper who found out the $599 deal was a room at a beach resort with no windows.  That one was a family member!  Of course, I informed them but I'm just saying that to get the commission right? =)    Wrong!  Your local businesses are there to help plan your dream vacation from start to finish if you desire, or just be the one sitting on the phone for hours getting confirmations for you if you prefer minimal help.  We depend on referrals from our clients and wouldn't survive if we had the mentality of screwing them for a one-time commission.  Of course any human makes mistakes, but 50 bad reviews will hurt a local business much more than a national one.  Most of us are doing what we love and building lasting relationships with clients.
Today's model is a partnership between the travel professional and client.  You have to communicate preferences we would never know.  We need to constantly provide valuable service at a competitive price. The transparency of the Internet has made it easier for you to double check prices ( I have no problem checking for a price match), find travelers to share your excitement with or just get some great countdown clocks.  It hasn't made it less expensive to fly.
 
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Why Waste Money On Travel Professionals?

Did you see this article from Forbes last week? "Why I Happily Waste Money On A Travel Agent (Maybe You Should Too)"
The author totally gets what today's travel professional/client relationship is about.  Convenience and value for the consumer.  People who have never used a travel agent (or haven't used one in a while), always ask if Internet is hurting our business.  Probably about as much as Home Depot selling lawn mowers is hurting the business of the person who cuts my grass, or WebMD is hurting doctors.   It always makes me wonder how old people think I am because the Internet has been around long before I ever thought about a career in travel! =)  
Of course Great Scott Getaways was founded long after Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline were established. They are not necessarily competition, just a different way of doing things. The web is a tool nearly everyone uses these days.  
The online booking engines are agencies, they just have a different business model than your local travel retailers.  They are able to save a few bucks by outsourcing call centers and increasing volume while you do the work.  I've found most people think they're going AROUND a travel agent by booking vacations on those sites.  Not true, but they have done an excellent job at marketing that idea.  There are call center type agencies that employ American workers and count on volume with particular suppliers to pass on savings.  If you have done the research to know exactly what you want and don't need much hand holding at least use one of those.  

The average consumer spends 42 hours online checking out travel.  40 hours is a work week for most people!  I bet most people have not stopped to think how all those hours here and there add up by the time you've made a decision to book your vacation.  Even the most expensive travel agencies don't charge what you make in a week to book a trip.  (Perhaps with the exception of those like Bill Fischer who I hear charge retainers upwards of  $100,000 to celebrity clients like Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters.)  
Is saving a fee really worth what you make in a week?  I'd call that penny wise and pound foolish.  The author made a great point about some people enjoying doing all that research and attention to detail.  There is almost nothing you can't do yourself if you're willing to put the time and effort into learning.  The problem is most people don't want to spend their precious free hours on the Internet gambling on ticket prices and guessing which resort reviews are fake or just disgruntled guests who'll never be satisfied.  For the average person, a quick online reservation for a big trip can easily end up in a big mistake if you're not careful.  For every one who saved a few bucks online there is a story about a big online booking mistake.  Like a woman who thought she found a cruise cheaper, but it ended up being on the wrong ship.  A groom that put his wife's married name on the reservation (not what is actually on her ID) and ended up missing their honeymoon flight.  Or a shopper who found out the $599 deal was a room at a beach resort with no windows.  That one was a family member!  Of course, I informed them but I'm just saying that to get the commission right? =)    Wrong!  Your local businesses are there to help plan your dream vacation from start to finish if you desire, or just be the one sitting on the phone for hours getting confirmations for you if you prefer minimal help.  We depend on referrals from our clients and wouldn't survive if we had the mentality of screwing them for a one-time commission.  Of course any human makes mistakes, but 50 bad reviews will hurt a local business much more than a national one.  Most of us are doing what we love and building lasting relationships with clients.
Today's model is a partnership between the travel professional and client.  You have to communicate preferences we would never know.  We need to constantly provide valuable service at a competitive price. The transparency of the Internet has made it easier for you to double check prices ( I have no problem checking for a price match), find travelers to share your excitement with or just get some great countdown clocks.  It hasn't made it less expensive to fly.
 
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Travel On Purpose