I am a travel consultant and personally, I find voyages therapeutic. With the advent of technology, I have seen the travel industry constantly evolving. New destinations are discovered and promoted in and out of popularity, new technologies make all sorts of travel possible and so does the emergence & fall of such types of companies that serve travelers, which are changing as well.
Travel consultants or agencies were once the only efficient medium of booking travel but ever since new innovations like self-service-online options have enabled consumers to research, plan & book their own voyages online however in recent data, it was found that travelers who planned and booked their vacations through travel consultants had better experiences than the ones they planned on their own.
I agree that not all trips require professional expertise in planning & execution, but you may like to consider the following benefits of taking the guidance of a travel consultant to plan and curate that lifetime flawless travel experience for you even if you have to shell out a few extra mullahs for their expertise & knowledge.
Time is money
During my career span, I have always come across this misconception that travel agents charge woofing amounts and keep huge margins. Your reality check-No that’s not true. These days in an industry like travel and which is a highly unorganized sector, travel experts like us work on marginal rates as there is steep competition in the market, where loyalties are switched for a meager INR 100.
However, the consumer is always benefited as they often save time & money than they would by self-service-online. Another important benefit to be highlighted is the exclusive offers & deals your travel consultant brings along with his/ her advice for the best time to book your travel to save more. Your consultant helps you find the best option as per your budget & requirements.
I remember for one of my esteemed honeymoon clients in Bhutan, I added a few surprising perks like upgrading their room & car to Prado and a candlelight dinner near the riverfront in Paro. Words are not enough to express their joy and delight. I believe if your travel professionals charge a nominal fee for their services and expertise, it often pays for itself with these extra perks.
Destination Knowledge & Local Connections
Travel planning is a daunting task, believe me, and it’s not a cakewalk. It requires much research and time figuring out the best possible flight routings, clubbing various destinations and curating experiences, checking on weather conditions, and more…
The Internet is both wonderful yet it can be overwhelming when it comes to researching for your vacation. Where the world is an oyster, it can get exhausting for anyone to decide their perfect spot, here your travel consultant steps in to give you all valuable information and help you choose a destination that fits your personality & travel preferences. Every individual is unique and so should be their travel style! Your travel consultant helps you to decide the destination right from the best time to activities you can indulge in or what’s new happening, new rules, new visa norms, etc. Now that’s a huge benefit, right?
One of my clients for whom I had planned Paris & Vienna, lost their passports during their stay in Austria. It was a very chaotic situation, with an unknown language, and a strange country. With the help of our local connections, providing them with all details (We had scanned copies of their visas & lost passports) & rules and connecting them to the Indian embassy we were able to get them an emergency certificate.
Completely Personalized & End-to-End travel assistance
It’s the latest trend to bypass the travel consultant and directly plan & book just to save a few bucks. I fail to understand this mentality if you weigh the amount saved by bypassing and the amount of work/ knowledge/ ideas/ perks/ assistance one gets with a travel consultant outweighs the former.
We all like to be pampered & experience a personalized touch. This is yet another important benefit of using a travel agent. The personalized attention that you receive from them is an essential component to make your trip hassle-free. They take care of everything – right from the moment you set foot in your selected destination to your journey back home. They handcraft every experience, and every small need so that you can have that memorable lifetime journey. And they make you feel like a celebrity. Now that’s what I call traveling King style.
During one of our corporate incentive programs, we handcrafted a trip to Europe for one of the clients & his family. His testimonial was so encouraging and delightful for our whole team. Regular follow-ups, and prompt replies before and during the holiday. Seamlessly putting together every piece of the itinerary & accommodating last moment changes which couldn’t have been possible without our trusted contacts & trade partners. If done on its own this whole thing of planning is challenging and time-consuming and hence a travel expert brings with him/her the efficient tools to curate what’s right for you.
Now that’s the big perk of hiring a travel consultant- Peace of Mind! I believe I was able to shed some of your apprehensions and you are more sorted out with us for all your travel needs.
If you would like to receive more information and get sorted out, contact us!