6 Ways Booking with a Travel Advisor Beats Booking on Your Own
Tell us if this sounds like you when you’re getting ready to go on vacation…
“When is the best time to visit? How do we get around once we’re there? What are the must-see spots? How do I balance scheduled activities with downtime? How much will this trip cost? What are some hidden gems and unexpected experiences?”
You spend days (if not weeks) scrolling around online to pick the right hotels. You read some blogs from various sources online about how to get around the cities you want to see, only to end up more confused than when you started. You pick your flights, but end up spending hours on the phone on hold after a flight is cancelled and the departure time no longer works with your schedule. You read endless reviews on various tour companies’ websites trying to find one that will take you to the most authentic, local-owned businesses. By the end of all this researching, calling, questioning, and fretting, your trip is booked and you cross your fingers, hoping everything will work out for the best.
Don’t you wish you had someone with decades of travel experience to make your life easier? Don’t you wish you could be sure you were getting the best value for your time and money instead of spending so much of it making educated guesses? Don’t you want someone on the inside with the deep industry connections who listens to your desires and crafts a beautiful itinerary, tailor-made just for you?
You deserve just that! Here are just 6 ways working with a travel advisor beats booking your trips yourself – Every. Single. Time.
Featured photos by our travel advisors (top to bottom): Monica Saito; Theresa Wain; Susanne Hamer; Cara Kobzeff; Michael Rathauser
#1: We have deep connections
Let’s say you already know what hotel you want and are ready to book. Don’t click “Book” just yet; by booking through a travel advisor with a long-standing relationship with the hotel, you are highly likely to get extra perks, special treatment, and sometimes even upgrades that you’d never be able to get on your own.
Our advisors have fantastic working relationships with hoteliers and hotel general managers all around the world. When your advisor books on your behalf with someone who knows and trusts them, the hotel staff will go the extra mile to make your stay that much more special.
“…we decided to give booking through Patrick Hinds a try vs. booking on our own as I’d always done – and the result of that was the absolute BEST seats on the flight that we could get, UPGRADES at every single destination we went to, along with being greeted at the hotels as if we were the most important VIP guests there, and significant added value above and beyond what I could get booking on the hotel site directly… We had such an amazing and perfect honeymoon thanks to Patrick” – V.V., TravelStore Client
#2: You have a powerful advocate when things go wrong
When something goes awry – a flight gets cancelled, a room isn’t the right fit, you can’t get ahold of your tour company – we are in your corner ready to advocate on your behalf. Our relationships with airlines, tour companies, cruise lines, and hotels & resorts help us solve problems – fast. We get on the phones and find solutions. When things go wrong, your travel advisor has far more resources than you would have on your own to make things right so you can get back to enjoying your vacation.
“I have completed 6 group trips through Nada Vostmyer… If something goes wrong, as inevitably happens when with so many people… Nada steps up to her plate and adjusts our tours and schedule. She is incredibly responsive and answers each and every text and call with attention to detail.” – M. Z., TravelStore Client
Expert Travel Advisor Susanne Hamer in Mwasinasi, Tanzania
#3: We handle all the details
Isn’t it nice when all you have to do to prepare for your trip is pick out which outfits you want to take to Tahiti? The best trips are the ones where you don’t have to stress about flight changes, worry about getting tickets to the Louvre, or burn up a bunch of time waiting on hold to make reservations for your anniversary dinner in Greece. We handle all the details, all the phone calls, and all the nitty gritty so you can arrive at your destination relaxed and ready for the experience of a lifetime.
“We had such a great trip all set up by Katie Cadar…Everything was a total breeze, we had no problems at all, loved the recommendations we got and I’m not sure if we had a single complaint. It was so nice to have everything just set up and ready for us.” – Matthew B., TravelStore Client
#4: We help you make better itinerary choices
Unless you are constantly traveling for a living (like our advisors), it is highly likely you are vacationing to places you’ve never been before. You want the best experience possible and the most value for your time and money.
By working with a travel advisor, you have full access to our first-hand boots-on-the-ground destination knowledge. We know how to get you from point A to point B without wasting your precious vacation time. We know when it’s better to book a private tour and avoid spending hours waiting in line – hours you could be soaking in the sights, sounds, and feel of the incredible world around you. We also know which tour companies have the best reputation, the friendliest staff, and the deepest knowledge that will allow you to experience a place with true local experts. Our advisors will even suggest experiences you may never have thought of or considered before. That’s the power of booking with a true travel expert – we have the inside scoop!
“Nina Omari made planning a 3.5 week trip with 8 cities SO much easier. She did everything from help us narrow down the cities to choosing activities and tours that best fit us. She also did an excellent job choosing hotels in each city. I would highly recommend Nina and look forward to using her for our next trip!” – Sara D., TravelStore Client
#5: We know the latest & greatest so you don’t miss out
We are constantly reading, watching, listening, questioning, and learning everything that is happening in our industry. We get the most up to date information directly from our industry partners. We know which hotels have recently been renovated, know which areas are over touristed and which are hidden gems, and even know when new direct flights are added at airports near you. We have our finger on the pulse and a network of trusted travel professionals to call upon to get you the best of the best.
“From the first day we got in touch with Florence Brethome, she started asking all the right questions… details I never would’ve thought about. Based on our requests, she sifted through dozens of properties and resorts, and gave us a perfectly curated list of 6 potential resorts. From there, we dug into each individual property with her – and as she’d visited the majority of them, she was able to give us all of those extra details that you’d never get from sites like TripAdvisor. It was perfect – everything we’d asked for and more!” – Sianna P., TravelStore Client
#6: As our relationship grows, we know your needs better with every trip
After that first trip, your relationship with your travel advisor only continues to blossom. When you return from each subsequent trip, wow-ed and excited, sharing everything you loved and found surprising, your travel advisor’s imagination gets going. They get to know you and continually match you with more gorgeous and once-in-a-lifetime experiences to suggest for your next trip, custom selected to your preferences. Did you love your Alaskan cruise? You just might adore a river cruise on the Danube. Did you fall in love with the animals you saw in Costa Rica? Maybe a safari in Africa is in your future. The world is yours to discover and we help you get anywhere you want to go.
