When it comes to planning your vacation, it is appealing to go the do-it-yourself route. All things considered, it’s easy enough to book an airline flight reservation. Why shouldn’t you also do your own booking for a car rental, hotel, or even a cruise? Here are 5 reasons why you should leave your vacation planning to a professional, full service on-line travel agent:
1. Terrific Deals
You can do your own booking, but you won’t always get a low fair or the very best deal. Airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and cruise ships rely on individuals to make their own reservations and charge higher rates to those who do. Yet they do not really make a profit till they’re completely booked.
Think about hotel rooms, airplane seats, and cruise ship cabins as perishable commodities. Just like an expired carton of milk needs to be pulled off the grocery store shelf, on any given night, an empty hotel room is lost revenue that will never be regained. In the same way, an airplane is going to fly and a cruise ship will embark whether or not the seats and cabins are full. It is in thebest interest of hotels, airlines, and cruise ships to be fully booked. That is why they offer discounted fares to an online travel agent, who can then pass along the savings to you.
2. Full Packages
A full service online travel agent can put together package vacations to destinations and hotel properties to which you might not otherwise have access. Perhaps you are a golfer, and want a dream golf vacation. Perhaps a Caribbean vacation is coming. Or maybe you are looking for the ideal cruise package. Even though it is sometimes possible to book travel packages with the destination, you often don’t get the options that greatest meet up with your needs. An online travel agent can come up with packages that work best for you and your family.
3. Great Service
When you go the do-it-yourself option, it’s usually difficult to coordinate all aspects of your travel. Making sure that your flights depart and arrive at optimal times, that your hotel reservation is in order, that your car rental will be readily available, and that you’ll have everything in order. To board a cruise ship is not a walk in the park. An online travel agent can do all of the legwork for you so you can focus on preparing for your trip. Plus, in case you have a change in plans, the great service that an online travel agent offers can make the transition a smooth one.
4. Group Travel
Extended families frequently travel together, and businesses have group travel requirements from time to time. In either case, a full service online travel agent can very easily book trips for individuals who have the same destination but who are traveling from different places. Having a group travel coordinator gives everyone peace of mind and ensures that the group’s needs are met.
5. Honeymoon Registry
If you’re planning your honeymoon, an online travel agent can supply you with the latest trend in wedding gifts: the honeymoon registry. When you register with a full service online travel agent, your guests can bring about funds to your honeymoon, or they can buy specific services (such as a spa treatment or a romantic breakfast in bed) that you have on your wish list.
Although it’s possible to book travel yourself, why would you need to? After all, the advantages in using a full service online travel agent are limitless.