How to Thoroughly Enjoy Your Vacation

When I think back on the many vacations I’ve meticulously planned for my family, I recall how time-consuming and painful the experiences were. It sure seemed that I spent a lot of time planning and stressing over the process and only a small amount of time relaxing, decompressing and enjoying the experience.

The day after my family’s yearly vacation about 8 years ago, I was having some dental repair completed and asked myself if I would ever expect my husband to perform a root canal for me or my children? Or…would I allow my brother (who is an accountant) to rewire my house’s electrical infrastructure? The answers were “No”, of course. So, I asked myself why I was trying to perform outside my expertise level when it came to planning cherished travel with my family. For the next vacation – why not seek the advice of a professional Travel Agent?

Nine months later, I did just that and I can say for sure that once you vacation with the assistance of a pro, you never go back. The European vacation my Travel Agent executed for us was the best I had experienced. It was well worth the fee for the professional service and I was happy, relaxed and able to enjoy my vacation away from the rat race we call life.

Here are a few reasons why it is to your benefit to seek out an experienced Travel Advisor – especially if you are the one who does the leg work for planning the family vacations:

Pros save you time, stress and aggravation.

If you’ve done any research online, you know that the internet travel information is too extensive to effectively sift through and make a good decision. Trying to decide where to visit or where would be dangerous to visit, what hotel or airline to use, how to plan your itinerary, dining options, etc. is unnerving. Travel Agents are professionals who travel for work and make it their business to know the details. They have either experienced a destination or have heard feedback from other customers. In addition, Travel Agents are human beings who can answer our questions. They are invested in our satisfaction and will make sure every detail is addressed so that our vacation will bring us pleasurable memories. Also…they are there to help and take charge if something goes wrong. Let’s face it…our life is busier than ever and all we really want to do is pack and go. A professional Travel Agent will take care of everything…all we have to do is enjoy. I vote for that!

Travel these days is complicated.

When I was a kid, my family took yearly trips to the beach. The whole family attended. Aunts and uncles shared the weekly cost of a beach house and we all spent our time on the boardwalk. Those vacations were simple but trips these days are more complicated. Getting the entire family together for a vacation or destination wedding is beyond my scope of patience.  In these cases, a Travel Agent “middleman” is the answer, in my opinion. Travel Advisors don’t just sell a destination, they research, discover and experience the places they offer.

Travel can be difficult and dangerous.

Storms and natural disasters make travel difficult at times and this year has been especially difficult for travel. Travel Advisors are alerted to potential dangers. For example, is there a hurricane brewing in the Caribbean?  Can Americans safely travel to Cuba today? Are the fires in Napa still burning? Your Travel Agent will act as your advocate when there are problems. He/she will change travel dates due to weather, change a destination completely and will change or confirm reservations if necessary. This professional has a relationship with you and is invested in your happiness so let a Travel Agent do the work for you. Why do it alone?

Travel Advisors know more than we do.

Do you know whether you should book that Rhine River cruise heading north or heading south? Travel agents know the answer and they know which hotel rooms have the best view. They know you should bring your own road maps in Europe because rental car companies don’t provide them. They can recommend a private guide, an interesting destination along the way, and a chance to see something uniquely important to you. Because Travel Advisors know which destinations are favorable and which should be avoided, they serve as a huge comfort for us.

Travel Advisors can often save us money.

This use to be the big concern for me….the Travel Agent’s fee. I originally thought I was saving money by planning the trips myself.  In reality, Travel Advisors often save us money—and if not, they deliver more value. These pros know the ins and outs of amenities and discounts. So…yes, there is a fee – but they may also save you money and get you extras and insider access. They also offer unique, exclusive services that are not available to us if we plan our own travel. In my opinion, the fee is well worth what I receive in services.

So…for your next vacation, let the professionals assist you and save you time, stress, and aggravation. That way you can spend quality time with your family, relax and ENJOY. You deserve it!

 

This summary was based on an article written by Cheryl Rosen – “Why Everyone Should Use a Travel Agent in 2018” published in Travel Market Report.

https://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Why-Everyone-Should-Use-a-Travel-Agent-in-2018