WHY USE A TRAVEL AGENT?

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.

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WHY USE A TRAVEL AGENT?