Travel Advisor – what is their role and how they can help you?
Well-planned travel allows you to make the most out of your vacation and have long-lasting happy memories.
Travel planning can be a really exciting process but it can be equally overwhelming as well. When you start searching for cheap deals for a certain destination, many options appear and you start wondering which one to pick up.
If you are currently searching for vacation options, some of you have probably asked yourselves which is better – online booking or using the services of a travel advisor. In this article we will offer you answers to this question.
There are several benefits of working with a travel advisor. Having a travel advisor by your side when planning your travel can make a huge difference in terms of total cost of travel expenses and overall experience.
Searching through the internet for best travel offers can be often overwhelming as you are likely to find a lot of information.
A travel advisor knows how to connect all of the available information related to your travel and provide you with a well-planned itinerary.
It’s worth establishing a relationship with a reliable and trusted travel advisor, if you want to have a pleasant and memorable air travel experience every time you fly.
Booking your travel through a travel advisor is a wise, convenient and easy way to have an upgraded travel experience.
No matter if you are planning a business trip or a family vacation, a professional travel advisor will help you get the exact type of travel you want.
What is a travel advisor?
A travel advisor (travel agent) is an individual who provides their clients with services related to travel or tourism and who makes all the arrangements travel plans involve.
Travel advisors play an important role in the development and growth of the tourism and travel industry.
Travel advisors suggest to their clients vacation and accommodation offers on the basis of their research and professional experience. Their main role is to make the process of travel planning simple for each client.
They handle the entire travel planning (booking flights, making hotel reservations, arranging car rentals, transportation, cruises, resort stays, events) while working within a set monetary budget, if required.
In their role as professional travel consultants travel advisors have expertise and own the needed resources and connections to help you with your travel plans. They operate on the behalf of their travel suppliers.
Travel advisors make sure that every detail of your travel arrangements is well-planned, so that your vacation goes smoothly and without any issues. They strive to make their clients happy and satisfied with their travel plans.
The job of travel advisors includes several different tasks:
- suggestions of suitable travel packages or services to clients that meet their needs, specifications and wishes.
- organization of travel from beginning to end that includes accommodation, tickets booking and the arrangement of rental transportation.
- offering clients relevant up-to-date information and convenient travel materials (maps, guides, event programs and other materials).
Travel advisors are responsible for the promotion and booking travel arrangements for either individuals or businesses, the research of different destinations and means of travel. They should include information about prices, weather conditions, recent news, customs, reviews, travel advisories as well as required documents to visit a certain destination.
Travel advisors work together with clients to choose and plan the right type of travel. They prepare promotional materials and use special methods with the purpose to sell itinerary tour packages.
One of the main things a travel adviser should do is to achieve customer satisfaction as well as reach set targets in terms of revenue and profits.
They also take part in conferences to be informed about the latest tourism trends, create and update electronic updates of clients, be in contact with key partners.
Another thing that goes in the list of responsibilities travel advisors have is to fix unforeseen issues and handle complaints. They also decide whether a client is eligible for a money refund, store financial statements and documents, collect deposits and balances.
Some travel advisors don’t require a fee. Tour operators, hoteliers and car rental companies pay them instead of individual clients.
Advantages of using a travel advisor
Expertise
One of the most important features that distinguish a good travel advisor is their expertise. In the same manner a financial consultant can help you manage your finances, a travel advisor will assist you in arranging your travel from beginning to end.
A good travel advisor is dedicated to offer their clients best quality travel assistance. Professional travel advisors have an expert knowledge of the different types of travel and they make travel arrangements following the current tourism trends.
A travel agent has experience as a traveler around the world and they also use a variety of reliable travel-related resources. During their travel they gain information and firsthand perspective about different destinations, excursions , resorts, events.
This enables them to answer all your questions in a quick and correct way and help you make an informed decision that suits you most. Their advice will also give you an idea of what to expect from a given destination.
Thanks to their rich knowledge and experience, a travel agent can give travel advice to all types of travelers – business travelers, families and couples looking for vacation offers, solo travelers, groups of travelers going on a tour.
Knowledge
Another reason why you should trust your travel plans into the hands of a travel advisor is that they have extensive knowledge about the sphere of travel.
Travel agents are constantly making research for travel recommendations and best travel offers. They are well-informed about different big and small destinations around the world and for this reason they can offer you professional advice for all types of travel.
When you are wondering which option is best for you, a travel agent is the best resource that will provide you with the information you need.
For instance, if you are traveling to a place that is totally new to you, the assistance of a travel advisor will be really helpful in this case. A travel advisor will offer you guidance about what are the best hotels to book, the best restaurants, cafes and nightclubs.
It often happens that travel advisors have already been to these places themselves. Besides, travel advisors can give you information about local customs and traditions of a destination and also advise you on the standard social or business etiquette of the country you are going to visit.
In this way you will be better prepared to meet with a new culture rather than to rely on a guidebook that hasn’t been updated yet.
Convenience
Proper search for travel options can be time-consuming. But getting help from a travel advisor will definitely help you save time in your travel planning.
Using the services of a professional travel assistant is a convenient way to enjoy the type of travel you want without spending much effort in researching available options.
As we have already mentioned, the job of a travel advisor is to make all the arrangements for flights, excursions, accommodations, ground transportation, airport transfer. Travel advisors take care of every aspect of your travel and optimize it according to the amount of time and budget you have.
At the end of their research they will provide you with the entire information they have gathered for your travel and the final details. Travel advisors simply provide you with the answers to all of your questions and present them in a comprehensive way.
They do all of the work instead of you and simplify the whole process which saves you valuable time. Travel advisors are real people that are always next to you and ready to handle any unforeseen problem in the travel plans along the way.
Less travel-related expenses
Most people who have never worked with a travel assistant are reserved to consult with such a professional at first. The most common assumption is that it will cost a lot of money.
But using the service of a travel agent will not cost you more money than if you choose to book online your travel on your own. In fact travel agents can help you save money in making travel arrangements.
The reason for this is because travel advisors have an exclusive access to special deals, lower pricing and they keep an eye on the latest vacation offers.
So, they are able to tell you when is the best time to book a flight for example and also tell you the exact value for your money you are going to receive depending on the destination and circumstances.
One of their main goals is to find such an offer that best suits your travel budget without exceeding it. You probably know that getting perks during traveling can really increase the quality of your travel experience. So, a travel advisor can provide you with the perks you need.
If you want to feel special and cared-for during your next travel, you should choose your personal travel advisor.
Thanks to their access to the best travel deals, travel advisors can offer you the best value for your money. They can also protect you from scams and prevent you from missing the fine print when looking for travel deals.
Travel advisors have connections with tour operators, hotels and resorts, which is really helpful when they want to offer their clients some travel perks. They also stay updated for special discounts clients haven’t learned about.
Valuable connections
Travel advisors have global connections in the world of travel, which means as a client of a travel advisor you can get advantage of this. More connections mean exclusive travel deals, great perks and excellent service quality.
With the help of a travel advisor you can establish valuable partnerships not only with them but also with other travel advisors. With the combination of valuable knowledge, experience and connections travel advisors are able to offer you quality assistance.
Stress-free travel
Getting assistance from a travel advisor definitely takes out of the stress that travel arrangements usually include. The job of a travel advisor is to ensure the vacation of each client goes in a smooth and enjoyable way.
In this way you will be able to focus more on enjoying your vacation rather than thinking about all of the small details. This definitely enhances your travel experience and helps you get the perfect vacation.
A travel advisor helps you look forward to your vacation rather than dreading the whole planning process. Even if something with your travel doesn’t go to plan, a good travel advisor should provide you with a solution to your problem as fast as possible.
Personalized attention
One of the greatest things about working with a travel advisor is that they care about their clients and take into account the clients’ personal vacation requests and specific needs when arranging their travel. They will offer you travel plans that are tailored to your specific requirements.
For example, if you have specific dietary needs, accommodation or room preferences, a travel agent will pay attention to them and adapt the travel arrangements to these needs.
Thanks to the special approach they apply for each client, travel advisors can save you from unknown situations and wrong decisions that can occur during the travel planning process. As a result you will have an enjoyable and memorable travel experience thanks to a well-crafted itinerary.
Travel advisors also want to get feedback from their clients after the end of their travel because they want to make sure they are pleased with the service.
Easy access
Another advantage of relying on a travel advisor is that they are easily accessible. You can contact them when you need assistance or have certain questions.
When you are traveling, a reliable travel advisor is available for you 24/7 to help you. So, you can always be sure they will assist you before, during and after the trip.
