When to work with a travel agency

On my first trip abroad I organized everything. And everything went smoothly. Great choice of hotel, great itinerary, etc. But it was a trip to Vienna, Austria (and Germany – as it was a longer trip) – a country that’s on the same continent as my country. Plus I know a little bit the language and speak English. So it wasn’t so hard to book and plan it all by myself for the entire family. But sometimes working with a travel agency comes in handy and saves you time – and even money – and makes the trip more pleasant. So, apart from understanding how a travel agent works, let’s see why – and WHEN – you should work with a travel agency.

A travel agency is a one-stop-for-all point

My husband travels weekly with his job. The company he works for uses the services of a travel agency and frankly that’s a HUGE plus. Andrei can book everything – flight, car rental (if necessary), and accommodation – in one place. A few clicks and the reservation is done.

Working with a travel agency can mean that you can choose all you need from one place. Or you can go to their office and have a discussion and pick everything there. Sometimes it is simpler to use a travel agency than to organize it all by yourself.

When we went to Paris, we used a travel agency to book the flight and hotel – and it was a really good thing as we had to go there on a short notice. I planned the itinerary, as we had different schedules for several days – and only two days of wandering through the city together.

You get support AND recommendations

If you speak to a travel agent, that person may recommend you interesting tours or make you an offer based on what you desire from your travel. They can suggest destinations (countries or cities in a country) or even itineraries. It’s a world of choices just opening up. In fact, often speaking with a travel agent shows you how much opportunities are available and how many places would be perfect. A travel agent can find the perfect vacations, tailored to your preferences and possibilities.

A travel agency is useful when you don’t know the language or the country

I admit that for Europe I’d go and organize things myself. Probably – not surely – but most likely. If I’d always have the time and nerves to do it (to investigate accommodation options, accessibility, tours, flight prices, etc.). But it is just as likely for me to choose a travel agency when travelling to another continent, one that I am not familiar with and where I don’t know people.

Yes, traveling is more transparent and bookings are easier to be made, and travel agencies face several important challenges, but they are still the option that comes to my mind for a visit far away. In the end, it’s all about using to the best the resources you have (time, money, etc.), and sometimes, even though it may seem like it is better to do it all by yourself, it is actually easier to use a travel agency.

You should use a travel agency if you want to travel with a group / on a tour

If you want to go on a tour – let’s say of the French Riviera and Italy, if we talk Europe – it might be easier to use a travel agent as they already have tours with places to stop, attractions to see, etc. In this way you can travel alone – or as a couple – with other people – without the stress of organizing the trip and knowing that the best things to see are included (plus some tips and interesting facts from the guides)!

I have a friend who always uses an agency exactly for this reason. She visited numerous countries in this way and is really happy with the system. She also visited by herself some cities, but she prefers tours.

Tours are also great when your organizing abilities are not excellent. Or when you lack the time to do it all. In these situations, a travel agency is a great choice.

For me, these are the most important reasons to use a travel agency. Yes, I know that there are various opinions – and even myths about travel agents,  but in the end the choice is ours. Like I said, I believe in combining the two options – plan it all by yourself, or use an agency – depending on the time, resources, and place you want to visit. How about you? When do you choose to work with a travel agency?

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