Not that long ago, anyone who had to travel anywhere called their travel agent and they arranged the trip. At that time, travel agencies received commissions from airlines, hotels, and rental cars companies. So, in most cases, consumers didn't pay any extra for the service. And travel agents would assist their clients if there were any problems.
By the middle of the 1990s, travel websites like Travelocity and Expedia made the technology used by agencies available to consumers. And soon, consumers could reserve their own flights, hotels, and rental cars using these online travel agencies.
Other travel sites like Fodors and Frommers provided plenty of trip planning information, and sites with user-generated content, like Tripadvisor, provided unbiased feedback from other travelers.
It didn't take long for cruise lines to figure out how much they would save by letting consumers book direct. So most of them followed suit and developed web sites with reservation capabilities.
Many people liked the control and flexibility of making their own travel arrangements. And once broadband Internet access sped up the process, it was quick and easy. Nowadays, comparison sites like kayak and hotelscombined let you see all the available options at once.
For simple reservations - a flight from A to B, a night at a hotel you've stayed at before, or a rental car in a U.S. city - there's not much reason to use a travel agent. But there are several circumstances when it's a good idea to use a travel agent - even if there's a fee.
Although travel agents are supposed to be unbiased, most agencies do get commission overrides from certain suppliers, so make sure that you trust yours to choose the travel products that are right for you.
Using travel agencies is a smart idea, if:
* You're going on a cruise for the first time. Most cruise-only agencies know all the cruise lines and cruise ships well and they are pretty unbiased. A good agent will make sure that you end up on a ship that you'll enjoy. He or she will know whether you'll get a better deal on air through the cruise line or not. And you probably won't pay any more for the service.
* You have very specific requirements. If you're willing to pay a fee, a travel agent can arrange virtually anything you'd like to do. Want a private tour of the Sistine Chapel, followed by dinner in the home of a Baroness? A travel agent can take care of everything. All you do is show up with the itinerary that he or she created for you.
* You want to travel independently in a country that's off the beaten path. Find a destination specialist for the area you want to visit and hire them. They usually have contacts in the region with up-to-the-minute information. And the amount of time it would take you to make all the arrangements yourself will make their fee a bargain.
* You don't have the time or inclination to do lots of research yourself. It's not hard to find out when it's monsoon season in India, or which airline workers are planning to strike, but a good travel agent will know all sorts of things that could affect your plans. Things that might never occur to you.
You'll likely be fine on your own for simple travel. But for a once-in-a-lifetime dream trip, you should probably let a reputable travel agent plan your trip for you.
Read more at tripplanningguide.com/the-truth-about-travel-agencies-and-when-you-should-and-should-not-use-them tripplanningguide.com/the-truth-about-travel-agencies-and-when-you-should-and-should-not-use-them And Find tripplanningguide.com other trip planning tips.
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