I recently had a conversation with a friend that said his mom (a travel agent) actually provides her services for free to travelers; in exchange she is rewarded with referrals for providing customers to the various airlines and hotel companies. She can also get great deals for travelers that the typical online travel sites don't know you are interested in, since she has far better experience than a software. And yes, she said she does it all without having to charge the customer any money. Apparently most people don't know about it so business has been down for her. So, if you're interested in a human travel agent, you might be able to find one for free and get better deals than the online places offer. Just a FYI.
Back in the day, I used to work mainly with a travel agent for vacations. The perk is they get to know you and your likes, so there's more customization in regards to your route, etc. Also, they have inside knowledge. For example, they can tell you when a resort promising all of this great stuff is a fraud. This helps you put your money elsewhere and avoid making a wrong decision.
That's really interesting. I know that when we went on school trips we used travel agents, but I assumed that it only made sense when you were making reservations for a large group. I hadn't really considered using a travel agent for my own travels. I usually use a website like Hipmunk for plane reservations. I'll have to look into local travel agencies the next time I am arranging a vacation.
I prefer the online travel site instead of the travel agent because i have no trust on agent because all are scammed i suggest to you that many sites and its better for you to visit the online site for the travelling...
I think travel agents are good for companies who have complicated itineraries and is convenient for them rather than getting a PA to do it or if you are doing around the world trip and need advice. Most people using agents are those who are older with no internet access or need advice. Most people can go on line to get a quote for flights and get the same deals if they know how. Travel agents are good for package holidays for families as the charter companies and the companies rely on them to get the planes and hotels filled. For basic flights, you can do it yourself as it is quicker and you have more control if you need to change anything. I had to change a name once and it had to go through the agent rather than the airline.
