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When do I need to use
a travel agent?
Hire a professional if your trip involves:
• complicated customized itineraries.
• booking groups (you don't need the extra ton of work).
• four- or five-star hotel stays.
• first- and business-class airline tickets.
• English-speaking guides.
• special access to monuments, sights, or people.
• cruises, especially with private shore excursions.
• a special occasion |
Watch the CBS
Early Morning report on using travel agents:
The Return of the Travel Agent
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You don't need a professional to help with:
• single or cheap components of a leisure itinerary (a flight
in coach class or on a low-fare airline, train tickets, a one-day tour).
• accommodations that are inexpensive (e.g., a B&B) or run-of-the-mill
(say, a midrange chain hotel).
• redeeming frequent-flier miles or guest points for simple trips.
Advice on working with your travel agent
Don't be phone shy: A travel consultant is making personal decisions on
your behalf (the type of hotel you'll stay in, the sights to see or
skip). An initial phone conversation is essential for the consultant to
understand your personality and needs; further correspondence can often
be done by e-mail. Never delegate trip-planning to an assistant.
Offer ample background: The consultant will want to know about you in
order to design an itinerary that best matches your personality and
fulfills the goals for the trip. Be as honest and specific in your
responses as possible. You will likely be peppered with questions about
your past trips, your expectations for this one, your hobbies, your
physical condition, and your travel companions, among other things.
Establish a budget: Have an idea of how much you want to spend, which
you can estimate by doing some background research. Remember that luxury
comes at a price, no matter the cost of living at the destination—and
don't forget to factor in fluctuating exchange rates. Even if your
budget is tight, a good consultant can often be able to stretch your
dollars.
Plan ahead: Contact a consultant as far in advance of your trip as
possible and be prompt in offering feedback and requesting any
adjustments to the proposed itinerary, whether it be a flight time, an
excursion, or a hotel. Involve your travel companions from the beginning
so that all parties are familiar with the plans as they evolve.
Last-minute changes can be difficult and costly to accommodate.
Be proactive: If during the course of the trip you're not satisfied with
something, contact the consultant or the local tour operator. They will
replace a so-so guide with someone that's more compatible, switch you to
a different hotel, or change the pacing of your trip by tweaking the
activities. Your travel planner will be far happier to solve a problem
midtrip than to first hear about it when you come home dissatisfied.
Value the relationship: Treat your consultant not as hired help but as
an expert who can enrich your travel experiences. Extra effort on your
part during the trip-planning process—such as a thank-you note or a
phone call-will make you stand out form the hundreds of clients these
consultants work with each year. |
