Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Travel Agents - Makers of a Blissful Holiday

Travel Agents have been helping travellers plan their vacations and trips for decades. With the invention of internet, where the information is available 24 hours a day for you to search for any destination one wishes to travel to. The number of people using online services is growing. This has resulted in a change in the view of the convenience of traditional agencies.

According to a consumer poll, online travel agencies have cheaper rates, are the easiest to use and offer all the relevant information. However, finding the right travel agency with genuine market standing is the key word. But still there are various travel agencies which are still going strong and many times beating the prices of online competition. Plus Travel Agents are happy to help you with your travel arrangements including inception of ideas and thorough planning. Agents usually have extended hours when they're home-based, making it more convenient to get in touch with them. And often, agents will come right to your home equipped with their laptop and brochures.

Travel Agents have the most up-to-date information about specials, promotions and rates. Because they are the professionals in the industry, they are notified first of all current special rates and promotions stemming from airlines to tour companies to hotel deals. Earlier the travel agents used to provide free services to their customers, however with the changing times now they charge a small about of commission for the same. Travel agents work as agents for airlines, hotels, rental car companies, etc.

The agencies worked on a commission basis from these suppliers. Instead of spending your precious time searching the internet, going from website to website, comparing prices, itineraries, hotels and destinations, you can make just one call and have a Travel Agent do all the planning. The personalized service you receive provides peace-of-mind whether you purchase an air ticket or an entire travel package. A travel agent is ready to answer any and all questions. Travel agents are trained travel professionals who can do all the research, coordinate all the logistics, and put together a complete itinerary for your trip in a fraction of the time. The benefits of using a professional travel agent far outweigh the risks of not using an agent.

Travel Agents - A Well Informed Advisor

Earlier if one wanted to go one a vacation then one was required to do a lot of go around looking for good travel agents and then browsing through some travel brochures, plus the pain of paying and exuberant price. Then, after selection one had to sit across the travel agent waiting for him to enter all the travel information on their green monochrome computer screen. We assumed they had been everywhere and knew everything about world travel. They were the rock stars of the retail world. With the advent of the internet connection the face of travel had changed forever. As the information is available 24x7 about any destination one wishes to travel.

A travel agent does the legwork for you from booking trains, flights and hotels to finding the best deals and securing upgrades. The key is finding the right agent for you and helping them understand your needs. Most travel agents offer the travel package that consists of everything from airfare to toll taxes.

The services of a travel agent are usually free to consumers, as agents are paid commissions by suppliers. The smart travel agents have embraced technology and are using it to provide better service to their clients. Saving you time; they sift through the options and suggest only the ones that meet your preferences and budget. It is the responsibility of the travel agent to help and guide the travellers about the constantly changing schedules and airfares, availability of packages for vacation, and a lot of travel information that the traveller may not know about. Information on weather conditions, restaurants, tourist attractions, and other such necessary information are also provided.

Many hotels, cruise liners, resorts, and special travel groups make use of travel agents to market their travel packages to the ever increasing rate of people choosing to travel both inland and overseas. A travel agent can prevent headaches in the form of Cancellation policies and hidden costs which may create a problem during the trip, the travel agents can act as an advocate to resolve any problems as well. The bottom line is that the travel agents help you get the best value.