Travel Agency or Self-book?
One of the questions a lot of travelers ask themselves is whether or not they need a travel agent. There are also some misconceptions about travel agencies, many that I fell into before I got more into travel.
To start, the reality is this: It is incredibly easy for anyone to book their own travel. No one needs a travel agency or a travel advisor to do it for them. Websites like Kayak, Priceline, Agoda, etc., make booking your own hotels and flights incredibly simple. The old days of having to individually call hotels and airlines or having a travel agent do it for you out of necessity are long behind us. This is the mindset that I lived under for years when planning my vacations: I am a grown-up and I know how to use the internet, I will book my own travel and not rely on anyone else to do it for me.
I would book my own hotels, my own flights, my own cruises, etc. I was accomplishing something and not paying anyone a dime to do it. But nothing is free. Major aggregate booking websites often get 20-30% commission on a booking; if they sell you three nights in a hotel room for $200/night, they might pull down $180 just for you using their booking platform.
Here is the twist: that massive markup is built into the price whether you use their website or not. The hotel pays it out regardless. When I realized that, my entire perspective shifted. When you book through a massive internet corporation, that 20-30% goes toward funding their TV commercials, their algorithms, and an automated customer service chatbot that will put you on hold for three hours if your flight gets canceled. You are doing all the hours of research, reading sketchy reviews, and managing the logistics, while they pocket the profit.
So, what happens when you skip the mega-sites and use a travel advisor instead?
The math stays exactly the same, but the destination of that commission changes completely. Instead of that built-in markup going to a multi-billion-dollar tech conglomerate, it goes to an actual human being who is actively working for you. Different travel agencies work differently, but for agencies like Off-Duty Travel Co. there are no additional fees or markups paid to the agency by the traveler (you). Some agencies do charge a fee to build an itinerary or have markups they put on travel, but that is not how operations work here. Off-Duty Travel Co. is 100% paid by the vendors.
So where is the benefit of a Travel Advisor/Agency?
Reduced Rates and Add Ons: Believe it or not, travel agencies and advisors have access to rates that the general public do not. Agencies can often find lower rates, and added benefits. For instance, a cruise line might have an offering for a 7-night cruise in the Caribbean for $700-per person with no add ons. A travel advisor who works directly with the cruise line might be able to get the exact same cruise for a lower price, or find add ons like on-board credit or dining packages for no additional fees.
Back End Support: Once, a flight of mine was canceled; I spent over four-hours talking to four different people at the airline just to get a new flight figured out. I once checked in to a hotel late at night and immediately found bed-bugs; I had to spend my night trying to get refunded and into a new hotel. These are times where a travel agent comes into play. If something goes critically wrong, you can relax while the agent does the work. One call or text to your agent to let them know what is going wrong and they go to work for you using all their resources. As individual travelers, we may not have a lot of pull with some vendors, but when a travel agency who does a ton of business with the vendor needs help, it can be easier to get adjustments made.
Travel Experience and Research: Part of travel is experiencing new places, but rarely do we have the time to- or even want to spend hours researching all our possible destinations and itineraries. This is where an agent comes in. They can build you an itinerary, research destinations, and even provide personal experience.
So what are the drawbacks?
I’m going to be real here for a second because this is made to be informative, not just an ad. There are some potential drawbacks.
The Vendors May Not Work With You Directly: When you work with a travel agent, some vendors will only work with the agent and not the traveler. If you need changes made, you’ll need to go through your agent to have that work done. This is typically an added value of an agent, taking care of things for you, but for some it may be frustrating if they can’t do it themselves. Off-Duty Travel Co. understands that this can be a pain-point and this is why we are designed on a 24-hour schedule. I am a former law enforcement officer and EMT, I know what it’s like to work late and get pushed into mandatory overtime; I am now taking that same work style and using it to serve my clients. Unlike some agencies, this is not a 9-5 operation, If you need something at midnight, I will work to take care of you.
Some Travel Advisors have No Travel Experience: Becoming a travel agent or travel advisor can be simple. An individual connects with a host agency, pays some monthly fees, and calls themselves an agent. They might have never been out of their hometown or have any formal training or experience in travel. Many travel agents are victims of multi-level-marketing schemes, where their primary focus is actually on recruiting more travel agents rather than actually selling travel. That is not how we work, I am not here to recruit anyone as an agent, I am not making money outside of the commissions I am paid by the vendors you book with.
Many Travel Agencies Charge for Consultations and Charge Markups: The very first time I worked with a travel agency, this is what I ran into. I paid $50 for a travel agent to put together and itinerary of three cruises that didn’t offer anything I couldn’t get by booking myself. I ended up going with another travel agent who worked for free and provided a lower rate for the same cruise AND offered on-board credit. Additionally, some travel agents do charge markups. This is a fee that is paid by the traveler on top of the booking price; for the agent, the markup is an easy way to make money on top of the commission; for the traveler it’s an entirely unnecessary expense. Off-Duty Travel Co. does not charge any consultation fees and never adds markups to any booking. If you choose to use another agent, please be sure to inquire about their fees and markups.
Ultimately, your vacation days are incredibly valuable, and you work hard to earn your time away. You already know how to use the internet, but you shouldn't have to spend your off-duty hours playing logistical manager or taking a gamble on a lucky algorithm.
Let a human do the heavy lifting, keep your hard-earned money out of the pockets of mega-sites, and get a better travel experience for the exact same price, or less.
Check out a free consultation today to start planning your next seamless getaway!
