Sunday, October 9, 2011

Why Use a Travel Agent? -- Part 3


Again -I DID NOT WRITE THIS - but thought it was good.  Find the original article here.
Why Use a Travel Professional? 

Let's finish with a little story...
No different than most of the rest of us, Bill wanted a fantastic vacation at a fantastically low price. Bill is pretty web savvy, and he had spent hours searching for the vacation he wanted. Our agent went to work and coordinated the entire trip: Airfare, rental car, the resort, and all the excursions. When all was said and done, Bill was presented with anincredible value.

However, Bill was convinced that he could get a better price. So he went back out to the web in search of a better deal. And indeed he found it-airfare that was $20 per seat lower than what our agent had found for him. So he booked it.

Problems:On the way there...
•  Bill's flight arrived at the airport in the middle of the night (after several delays and connections)
•  By the time he landed, the car rental company was closed for the night
•  Bill's bags didn't make it to his destination

On the way home...
•  His flight left very early in the morning
•  Due to the distance from the airport, he had to leave the resort at 3:00 am
•  The car rental company was not open yet

Physical Results:•  Bill had to spend the first night near the airport
•  Bill had to spend the last night near the airport
•  Bill had to rent his car from a more expensive company
•  The web site that Bill booked his travel through didn't offer travel insurance to pay for replacing his missing items
•  Bill's 7-night stay at the resort was now a 5-night stay

Monetary Results:Bill saved $40 on the airfare by booking it himself
Bill spent an additional $300 on:
•  The two nights near the airport
•  The rental car
•  Replacing clothes and other personal items that never made it to his destination

Net Result:
•  Bill's vacation was $260 more than it would have been if he had just booked the package that our agent had coordinated.


Travel agents know what it takes to coordinate a great vacation that is the best value for you. We live by the motto "you get what you pay for" so, do you want to spend a little more for a great trip or waste a couple thousand on the cheapest option?


If you'd like to book a trip - email me at tiffany@sendmeouttravel.com or call 214.207.2562.  I"d love to help you plan your next vacation!

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