Why Use a Travel Advisor…
Whenever I tell someone what I do, the first response I typically get is, I didn’t know people still used travel agents. Especially since the pandemic, when people who booked their travel online and had nobody to advocate for them when travel grounded to a halt, there has been a resurgence in the number of people using Travel Advisors. Here are a few reasons why:
Travel Expertise:
As a full-time Travel Advisor, I am an expert in the travel world. Through research, education and relationships with vetted partners, I create itineraries that amaze and delight my clients. I am frequently able to provide special touches and events that the ordinary traveler would not be able to do on their own. Once I know what my clients want, the sky is the limit. I am so lucky to have many vetted travel partners that I work with both domestically and abroad. Whether I am working with a Destination Management Company (DMC) abroad to help me plan private tours, transfers & accommodations or I am working with tour companies that provide group tours, I know that these companies know the best guides, drivers and hotels for my clients. And if there are problems, I am able to go to them to have them resolved in a timely manner.
Travel Requirements:
Since I work full-time in the travel industry, I am constantly educating myself on the lastest travel requirements. I know about passport renewals, TSA precheck, Global Entry & Visa requirements and as soon as the new ETIAS travel authorization program goes into effect, I will know all of the ins and outs of that as well. And I take the time to educate my clients about these things to assure that they don’t have any issues when they take a flight or go abroad.
Special Benefits:
Since my host company, Gifted Travel Network (GTN), is part of many hotel elite programs, I am frequently able to offer extra special benefits to my clients who book with these hotels. GTN is also part of Virtuoso, a consortium of many travel agencies, which also give my clients many additional benefits. For example, when I am able to book my clients at a hotel that participates in the elite programs, they frequently receive free breakfasts, resort credits, room upgrades and early and/or late check-out times. And if my clients book at a Virtuoso hotel or resort, they also receive special benefits. These are not benefits that the typical consumer can receive on their own.
Cruise Benefits:
Depending on the cruise line, the ship, the sail date and the type of cabin booked, I am frequently able to offer special benefits to my clients. These benefits can include specialty dinners & onboard and spa credits. Once again, these are not offered to people that just book on their own.
Travel Insurance:
I am sure that my clients are offered and fully understand travel insurance. This is especially important when going abroad, as the health insurance in the USA may not cover you when you leave the country. This is vital when booking anything that is non-refundable. We discuss the best type of insurance to use and the amount that works for them. While we hope you never need to use the insurance, I want to be sure you are protected “just in case”.
Travel planning can be overwhelming and time consuming and when you use a trusted Travel Advisor, you save time, energy and frequently get benefits and experiences you could not get on your own.