While most people hearer see it, are they taking advantage of what actually amounts to a FREE service in most cases? Agents are paid by the vendors (cruise lines, tour operators, resorts, etc), each vendor will charge you the same price whether you use an agent or not so why not get some help and leave the heavy-lifting to an agent.
In the past couple of weeks when asked what we do or what kind of business do we own I have come across very polite responses of "Travel Agents?? Do people still use them, I thought that was pretty much a dead service." While it's true that the Internet has replaced a lot of travel agent duties, have you ever tried to find the best deal for the vacation you want? do you really know what options there are out there, or what you really want for that matter?
It can be done if you have the time and desire but the Internet is a double edged sword. You can make all your own arrangements after doing your own research but the information age can provide too much information, it takes a lot of time to find what you are looking for and when you do the options are pretty much limitless.
Travel agents are actually coming back into use more often than not, our lives have gotten busier, two wage earners , kids sports, etc all take away from the time families have to research and plan a vacation. w
With a few simple, short conversations or e-mails about the vacation you desire, the time you want to go and the budget you'd like to stay within, you can be presented with several options to choose from, narrowing down the immense field of choices quickly and hassle-free. If you don't like the choices, no problem, back to the drawing board, an agent can tailor your vacation to your needs until you find what you like without your spending hours on the computer.
Changes to the travel industry landscape have come full circle, the process is back in a greatly improved way. The majority of travel services are now home-based, technology is to thank for that. Home based, online agencies can take all the time commitment and stress out of planning the vacation you long for, whether it is a couples getaway, family vacation or full-blown family or group reunion. Franchise opportunities like the one we took advantage of (Cruise Planners, Inc) offer cutting-edge technology, training and clout in the industry and let us combine our passion for travel with our desire to start a business. Expert advice for business start-ups is do something you are passionate about so the decision was easy, traveling on cruises with the family and bringing them to theme park resorts and all-inclusive resorts drove our desire so here we are.
The industry is on the rebound, the NY Times contained an article about this last Sunday, http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/travel/are-travel-agents-back.html?src=me&ref=travel , an interesting article that hit home with us..maybe we should carry it around with us on our iPad or iPhone for potential travelers that thought travel agents are a thing from the past.
So don't be afraid to contact a travel agent....of course we'd prefer we be the travel agents you contact. it won't hurt we promise and you will not regret it, your time is valuable, let us do the pre-work and you can do the vacationing. We're at www.ShipAhoyCP.com please follow us on Twitter @ShipAhoyCP and find us on Facebook @ShipAhoyCP
Your thoughts and comments are always welcomed!
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