#1 Time is Money (the old saying is true!)
The #1 way a travel agent can save you money is by saving your precious time. You may be great at booking online, but we’ve all been in that situation, where you spend hours trying to save a bit by checking a multitude of websites, times, airlines, and the more complex your next trip is, the more of your valuable time you’ll spend and you might begin to wonder if you’re getting it right! Especially now with the new travel regulations.
#2 Flexible Payment Plans
If saving up for your next vacation seems too far away in terms of savings, travel agents like Easy Breezy Journeys is here to help with this in many cases (depends on your trip type)! Many travel providers when booking through an agent will take a deposit on your vacation and work in a payment plan. You don’t need to come up with the amount in one lump sum.
#3 Perks!
Sometimes, us travel agents have special connections to travel suppliers that everyday travelers just don’t. It could be a personal connection because we travel too & make connections to ensure service is up to par. Also, agents like me belong to host agencies and a travel consortia which can at times have access to special amenities, things like free Wi-Fi, upgrades, complementary food and drink and more. If you want to be treated like a VIP without shelling out an extra penny? That’s what a travel agent can do (if it’s available, of course!).
#4 Packaging and Buying Power
Travel professionals often deal with companies that bundle entire vacations (air, transfers, hotel/resort, and sometimes even tours, etc) and can do so at a rate lower than most websites have available. Our relationships with these great companies, vetted to be sure they are reputable as well, don’t make their deals available directly to the every day traveler, so this gives you a really great value & includes vacation options you might not know even existed!
#5 Timing Is Everything
Travel agents are trained to know not only where to travel, but the best time of year to take certain types of trips. If your dates are flexible at all, we can craft your itinerary not only to your specifications, but also can during the time of the year that fits your budget and needs best. Now, the vacation that was hard to figure out is now on your calendar – let the countdown begin!
#6 Saving You CO$TLY Mistakes
Think about how much you know (or don’t know) about different travel insurance coverage plans – what’s covered or not, and when you need to buy it in order to be covered? How about your knowledge of various visa requirements, immunization regulations or customs procedures? Do you need a power converter, or where’s the best place to exchange your currency? Travel already comes with a bunch of unknowns. Having a travel professional like Easy Breezy Journeys in your corner helps prevent your lack of knowledge (because most people don’t focus their lives on travel) from costing you your hard earned money when you should be relaxing on vacation.
#7 Knowledge is Power (And Savings)
The world is huge, and today more than ever, there’s always going to be things we don’t know. Travel agents specialize in different types of travel or locations. Think about that beach you want to go to – there could be a less expensive alternative that’s actually nicer, meaning you could vacation longer or choose a nicer resort instead! That cruise you’ve been dying to take? There’s probably a fantastic itinerary maybe a cruise line you’re unfamiliar with that will give you an even more amazing cruise or even some savings!
#8 It Doesn’t Cost As Much As You May Think
Travel agents, their commissions, and fees can vary, but the important consideration is this: Smart agents don’t work with every single customer who inquires, and knows that implementing a professional fee allows them to give you their attention to ensure a wonderful trip! Chances are, any fees you end up paying an agent will come back to you as value in many ways.
#9 Making Everyone Happy…For Less
Vacation creep is a seriously real thing! Do you know what this is? This can not only be real but really expensive! The bigger the group of people you are trying to plan a trip for, the more everyone has an opinion about what the group will do. Travel agents like Easy Breezy Journeys can help you plan everything in advance – leaving no room for stress on your part. The itinerary can not only include everyone but also stick within your budget. You don’t have to look back and wonder how your “cheap” vacation got to be so expensive ever again! Final note: Looks too good to be true online? It probably is.
#10 Get More and/or Pay Less!
One of the most common misconceptions that prevents people from hiring a travel agent is the cost. That’s because people don’t realize that travel agents make their money in lots of different ways and can actually provide travelers a better vacation for less that you might find online. Or, you get more for your money. And certainly not having to dial 1-800-IM-JUST-A-NUMBER is a great perk when you have one human who knows your plans and can be in your back pocket in a pinch if something goes wrong, that’s a huge value!
#11 Cruise and Resort Credit
One of the best perks a travel agent can sometimes get for you is extra spending money at your resort or on your cruise. It could be a deal that the agent knows about. So, we can steer you in the right direction. Often times, it’s a deal only available to a travel agents through special relationships.