Before I became a luxury travel advisor with a leading travel agency, I truthfully had never used a travel agent myself. I always loved the planning part of a trip. It was like half of the fun of planning a vacation! I loved researching, creating itineraries and saving places to consider for dining, tours and more.
But planning a trip can also be really daunting and really overwhelming. Everyone desires to see and do and eat the best of the best but it can be hard to find reliable information. A travel agent specializes in making this happen. They can help you book hotels and attractions, create the perfect itinerary for your trip and help you eliminate hours of research and planning.
Not all travel agents are alike though and not all travel agents may be a fit for you. So today I am breaking down how to find someone who will be a great asset to you as you plan your next trip to make it stress-free and more valuable.
How to Find a Travel Agent
Travel agents is a growing industry and nowadays most travel agents actually refer to themselves as “travel advisors.”
Word of Mouth
I think the best way to find good travel agents is word of mouth. If someone has had a good experience with a travel advisor they want you to know about it! They’ll be able to connect you directly with their travel advisor and tell you if they’d be a good fit for the trip you have in mind.
As you begin looking to hire a travel advisor, definitely ask friends, family and colleagues for referrals. My travel Atelier En Route to Rêverie has been entirely built through word of mouth and referrals and I’m really grateful for the amazing testimonials we have gathered since starting out in 2019.
Virtuoso
Virtuoso represents the best and most well connected names in travel. They are a travel consortium you must apply and be accepted into and their site allows you to be connected to vetted travel advisors who may be a good fit for helping to plan the trip you’re looking at taking.
Travel Agencies
There are a variety of leading travel agencies such as EMBARK of which I am a part that have vetted, well connected advisors.
Being a part of a travel agency means I have an entire intranet at my fingertips as well as 200+ colleagues who are also travel experts and full time top travel agents that can help me answer any questions, source new vendors and research new opportunities for my clients. Those advisors a part of well established, well respected agencies have very close connections to hoteliers and other vendors that will help ensure you’re given a wonderful experience.
Want to go to the Eiffel Tower in Paris before it opens? We can do that. Want to do after hours tours? We can arrange it. Need special attention paid for a person in your party or celebrating a special occasion? We’ve got you.
We have on the ground partners who help us make your travel dreams come true.
American Society of Travel Advisors
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is the world’s leading association of travel professionals. They provide training and education but they also have a form you can fill out to be connected to a travel advisor.
Look for Specialization
I personally wouldn’t want someone planning a trip for me to somewhere they personally have never been. But this is really common with a lot of travel agents because it’s impossible to see the whole world of course! But many agents rely on other people’s expertise in the region and that’s how you’ll find a lot of tourists at the same places when you go to popular destinations.
So my best advice for you when looking to find a good travel agent is to ensure they’ve been to where you are going. They don’t need to have stayed where you’ll stay but they should be able to tell you the nuances of going to a certain place.
This is why I only specialize in planning trips to France and England. They are destinations I am deeply familiar with.
Can a travel agent plan you a great trip to South Africa if they’ve never been? Of course. But I just don’t think you get the depth of preparation and knowledge you’re essentially paying for if the advisor hasn’t been to the destination.
Especially with more in-depth or complicated trips you’ll likely want to have a knowledgable resource that knows on the ground partners as a safety net.
Good Communication
Whoever you decide to hire, make sure you are a fan of their communication style. You want this person to be responsive and alert – especially in case anything goes wrong during your travels – and oftentimes the reality of modern travel means something may in fact go awry!
Find someone who you feel comfortable communicating with and makes you feel like a priority.
. . .
There are so many benefits to hiring a travel agent so I hope you’ll find this post helpful and that you’ll consider using one for your next trip!
comments +