Travel with Elizabeth — What is a Travel Advisor and Why You Need One For Your Next Vacation

Travel advisors? What happened to travel agents?

We’re still here! Never left, actually. We admit, it was pretty rocky there for a while, what with the rise of the internet and all. I bet you thought travel agents didn't even exist anymore! Well, like many other industries, the travel industry has changed dramatically, so the roll of the travel agent evolved as well.

You see, years ago, travel agents were called that because they were quite literally, “agents” of travel. They worked for the airlines or hotels, essentially taking orders over the phone because consumers could not book their own travel. Then something BIG happened - the internet! Suddenly the world opened up and consumers were able to book their own vacations. Hotels began dumping all their extra rooms on these mass booking sites because, hey, it's better to sell them for cheap, than to not sell them at all, right? Well, this worked great for a while, but as years went on, and more and more companies jumped on the cyber bandwagon, consumers became subject to information overload. You know what I mean. Google “travel Hawaii” and you’ll get over 78 million results in seconds! Mass booking engines, hotel loyalty programs, tour operators, and more, all competing for your business by ensuring you of the “best deals”. Who has the time to trudge through all that??

This is where the travel advisor comes in.

Rather than working on behalf of the airline or hotel, (like agents used to) they work for you - the client! They do all the research, saving you the time and effort of wading through options yourself. Travel advisors are experienced travelers themselves, and they know what is worth spending money on and what is not. They get to know their destinations and suppliers and cultivate industry relationships, all for your benefit. That knowledge and experience helps refine the planning process and allows them to curate personalized vacation itineraries for their clients. Rather than simply taking orders like they used to, the role of the modern travel agent involves both consultation and making the actual bookings - thus the new and more accurate title of “advisor”.

So why use a travel advisor when you can book your own vacation?

Great question! Remember those cute little online booking sites I mentioned? You know, Priceline, Travelocity, Orbitz. Well, for years, we've relied on these sites, believing they held the magical key to all the best travel deals, because they did! (Key word - did.) This just isn't the case anymore, now that algorithms have taken over and competition has increased. So when you do a search for that Hawaiian vacation, you're given options based on information that’s been gathered on you. Everything from what device you’re using and how far out your dates are, to your shopping history - it all determines what options are presented to you. For instance, if you’re using a Mac vs a PC then the algorithm assumes you're more affluent. If you're using your cell phone and your dates are less than two weeks out, then perhaps you’re more desperate than someone using a desktop computer. Everything you type in that search bar, and every click you make is recorded and it all affects your other searches. (Scary isn't it?)

Well, guess what! Travel Advisors aren’t governed by algorithms!

Think about it this way, (by the way, the credit for this perfect analogy goes to the amazing Mary Stein over at Host Agency Reviews) when kids come home from school and want a snack, most parents will look at what they have in the pantry, pull out a few options and let them pick, right? Well, this is how online booking engines work. You plug in your dates and destination, and up pop some options based on what’s in the pantry (and what the algorithm has calculated to be the “best” options for you). Travel advisors, on the other hand, have access to that same pantry, but they also have access to every cupboard in the kitchen, even the entire grocery store if need be! They also have the experience to know which options give you the most bang for your buck and which deals come with a catch. Their prices are also transparent! You know that feeling when you think you're getting a great price, so you press continue and then, WHAM!

$192 processing fee
$150 cleaning fee
$175 resort tax
$350 sales tax

No hidden fees EVER. Advisors are up front with their clients from the get-go. Think that’s all? Not even close! Your advisor will also help you navigate the new and ever-changing world of vaccination and requirements that unfortunately look like they’re here to stay. What one country considers “fully vaccinated” may be different from another country. Do you need a visa? What happens to your itinerary if your flight is cancelled?

It's all about peace of mind.

I know for myself, as a Travel Advisor, my main goal is to help you have the best vacation possible. From carefully curated itineraries to 24/7 trip support, wheels up to wheels down, I want your vacation to be as seamless and stress free as possible.

So how about it?
Have a trip you’d like help with? Do you, like many others, want to travel, but would rather avoid the anxiety that usually goes along with it?
Hi, I’m Elizabeth Dyer, owner of Travel with Elizabeth, a travel agency dedicated to taking the stress out of travel. We provide planning and booking services to destinations in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Click here to learn more and to schedule your free consultation.

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