Organizing a vacation is hard work. If you have ever booked your own vacation you would have spent the actual vacation just recovering from the stress you underwent during the planning stage. But imagine if the stress didn’t end there & came along with you on your holiday! Imagine having to spend time trying to find a taxi to your hotel, or getting an SMS at the last minute telling you your flight stands cancelled.

Vacations are meant for you to unwind so let someone else take care of all the hard work for you. Just hire a travel agent!

Here are 10 reasons why hiring a travel agent (TA) is a good idea:

1. Internet is a great tool to gather data but it does not understand human needs. Seen the advertisement of a sardarji trying to find a ‘changa’ TV on the internet only to be bombarded by Jenga tiles? If yes, then you know what I mean. A machine is incapable of understanding that the travel needs of a woman are different from a man. Similarly an old couple will seek a different experience than a younger one. A human understands these nuances better.

2. Ever tried booking a hotel during holiday season? Most hotels have their rooms booked months ago. Thanks to the relationships travel agents maintain in the industry they can get you that room you need & hence save your vacation.

3. We all get emails announcing attractive last minute discounts from airlines, hotels, clubs, etc. But did you know that your TA was well aware of those at least a week ago. Hence is it any surprise that they can book the best seats or rooms for their clients & the online customers are left to choose from whatever remains.

4. A last minute cancelation is every traveler’s worst nightmare. But you haven’t known a nightmare till you have tried contacting airline authorities for a rebooking. Even if you manage to get hold of an airline personnel chances are that you will get little to no help. Any help available will be at premium charges. Having a TA at such a time would be a boon.

5. While there are hundreds of ‘itineraries’ available for London or Singapore, finding the correct itinerary for offbeat destinations is not so easy. That safari or Lion Park which looked easy to reach on their website may not be so easily accessible if you have no prior experience. What looked easy on the internet may actually be difficult to reach in reality. A travel agent will help you plan your trip to the last minute detail.

6. TAs help you save money. They have access to exclusive deals & offers from suppliers which is not open to general public. They can also pass on to their clients those bar or dining area coupons or free access to a relaxing spa benefits.

7. There are no hidden expenses. The advertised price on a website is often not the one you end up paying in the end. That is never the case with a TA. A TA will always give you a clear idea about the inclusions & exclusions when you make the payment. So there are no nasty surprises waiting for you when you are away on your vacation.

8. TAs can negotiate on your behalf in case of trouble. Again due to their years of experience & due to a guarantee of repeat business from the TA a hotel or wholesaler is more likely to agree to a refund if he is negotiating with a TA than with a direct guest.

9. They offer customized tours. Rather than be bored at that museum which you never wanted to see or waste your money on the toy train ride you weren’t interested in to being with you can actually be a part of the planning process & decide which places interest you. TAs provide you value for money by prioritizing your wishes & tailoring a suitable trip for you.

10. The after sales service of online portals is unreliable. While there is no guarantee that the customer service personnel of an online booking portal will pick up your call on a holiday or after office hours, even if someone attends the call the chances of them actually being able to help you are quite thin. You may spend precious hours being put on hold or talking to clueless staff members. A TA on the other hand is available 24X7, 365 days a year. And in case of an emergency it is always more assuring to speak to a human than to a machine.