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If you are like most families, your lives are busy and hectic enough balancing jobs, school, sports, homework, bills and daily household upkeep. The last thing you need on your plate is the worry of planning the perfect family vacation. But don’t fret, that’s where a travel agent can come in to save the day (and your stress levels). Here’s how:
- Unless you happen to have a lot of extra time on your hands (or you put the kids to bed very early every night), you won’t have much time to get to all the planning and planning travel is highly time consuming. Let’s face it, cruise lines, resorts and tour companies are constantly bombarding you with offers and deals that look too good to be true. And many times they are – it’s all in the fine print. Do you really have time to be sifting through all of those offers looking for the 8 hour presentation you will be forced to sit through to claim the offer? Or the fact that your cruise cabin will have to be next to the engine room for that special rate? A qualified Travel Agent will always save you time by presenting you the best real deals available. Let the professionals spend the time for you – that’s their job!
- Planning your family’s dream getaway can be confusing. With a little PhotoShop magic and the right angle, anyone can make a place look amazing. Do you really want to risk spending your hard earned money and vacation days at a less than ideal resort or in a noisy cruise cabin? A Travel Agent spends at least half of their time each year updating their knowledge and travelling so that they can tell you with confidence that the vacation they are planning for you is going to be ideal.
- Planning your family’s travel adventures can be risky. If your family likes to add some “off the beaten path” aspects to your vacation, or you are planning an extensive multi-location trip, you will most definitely want a professional to help you plan your trip. Travel agents are trained to know which tour companies and locals to trust with their clients. After all, the safety of you and your family is the ultimate goal of every travel planner and knowledge is key to planning a successful adventure that your family members will remember for a lifetime. In addition, travel agents are your advocates and have your back when things go wrong. Wouldn’t you rather have someone else handle the sticky situation like any last minute weather cancelations or other dilemmas you might be faced with so you can relax and enjoy yourself?
- Travel agents know you have access to the internet and can plan your own vacation, so they also know they have to go the extra mile to earn your trust. Travel agents are basically your personal shopper. They work hard to match you with the perfect experience for your family. They get to know your likes and dislikes in order to create a customized experience for you. They have industry contacts to upgrade your travel and often they elevate your experience themselves with perks to earn your loyalty.
- Not only do Travel Agents save you time and stress, they actually save you money. You read that right. In a recent article published by Travel Pulse, The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA, the largest professional organization for travel agents) revealed that based on a new study, travel agents save customers an average of $452 and four hours of travel planning time per trip. Those hours and dollars really add up over a lifetime.
- Lastly, just as you wouldn’t trust any old doctor with the health of your family, you should make sure you are using a qualified professional to help you plan your travel. There are some simple ways to ensure you are getting the right Travel Agent for you:
- Ask a friend. Personal recommendations are always best.
- Use an “agent finder”. Or check out some of the travel agents partnered with the Family Travel Association.
For more travel tips visit Generations Vacation.