The American Society of
Travel Agents (ASTA) has a slogan that states
succinctly how travel agents help the consumer with
their travel arrangements -- "Without A
Travel Agent, You're On Your Own."
This simple statement
encompasses a whole host of compelling reasons why
using a professional travel agent is better than
trusting your hard-earned vacation time and money to
a web site:
Customer
advocacy: If you have a problem with a
particular part of your travel experience, the
agent is there to act on your behalf to help see
that restitution is made.
Expert
guidance: Travel agents, unlike
instructions on a Web page, are experts in
understanding and deciphering the myriad of travel
information and codes out there. It's what they've
been trained to do and they do it every day.
Personalized
service: Instead of an impersonal voice
thousand of miles away, travel agents are your
neighbors. They know what you want and what you
value in your travel experience, and they are
willing to go the extra mile for you.
Professional
advice: Travel agents are there to make
sure you get where you want to go, when you want to
go and for the lowest price. If they haven’t already
been to your destination themselves, they know
someone who has -- and they will share that valuable
first-hand knowledge with you.
Time:
Instead of checking a long list of travel Web pages,
which only provide rates and fares for the companies
that have contracted with them, why not go straight
to the source? A travel agent has all the
information at their fingertips, saving you a few
hours in front of a computer screen.
Unbiased
information: Agents work for their clients,
not for a travel supplier. It makes sense that a
happy customer will be a repeat customer.
Travel
Myths Debunked
The American
Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) offers the
following myths and realities regarding booking
travel on the Internet.
Myth: The cheapest airline fares can be found on
the Internet.
Reality: No single
Internet supplier offers the cheapest fares. And
with fares changing constantly, comparison shopping
is essential. Because they have the complete fare
picture, travel agents can find the best fares and
can suggest cost-saving options such as alternative
airports or Saturday stay-overs.
Myth:
Shopping for travel on the Internet gives you
instant information.
Reality: Yes, but the
information may be incomplete. Also, many sites –
notably those of some airline-ticket consolidators –
are not much more than billboards: "Call us for
current prices" is the best you get. Also consider
the time it takes to find and access the sites that
interest you. It's all too easy to begin a small
investigation and suddenly realize you've been
online for two or more hours.
Myth:
The Internet allows you to inquire without
disclosing any personal information.
Reality: Often you
can. But some sites require that you give your name,
address and E-mail address before you can access any
information. And beware of any site that requires
your credit card number before you book your
tickets.
Myth:
The Internet can do anything a conventional
travel agency can do.
Reality: There's no
question the Internet can sell you just about
anything these days – including travel. But selling
is only a part of a travel agent's job. The rest is
personal service. If you buy a ticket over the
Internet, whom do you call to make last minute
changes in travel plans? To re-book or make a change
in your hotel reservation?
Myth:
The Internet is driving travel agents out of
business.
Reality: Many
Internet sites are operated by travel agencies. It's
simply another tool that your full-service travel
agencies use to serve their customers in this
e-commerce age.
So when
you're ready to plan your next business trip or
family vacation, consider the Internet as another
source of information along with guidebooks, travel
magazines, newspaper sections, and the phone number
of your local travel agent!
