08/01/2019
I want to make sure people understand something: Yes, you can easily book your own trip online still - that's something we've all been able to do for a long time now. When you do that, though, you are doing the work of a travel agent - but you are letting the commission, that is built into the rates, stay with the online corporation.
If you use a travel agent, even if they can only get the same price you can find online, you are letting a local, small business have that commission, and it doesn't cost you a dime more. More agents are working from home these days!
Agents can almost always get our clients a better deal, or at least upgrades/perks/special things on their trip - but even if we can't, there is still commission that is "going to waste" when you book it online.
If you pay $100/night for a hotel room, there is a commission built into the rate that is budgeted to pay an agent if there is one. If you don't use one, the corporation/vendor keeps the extra money that they were willing to pay. If you do use an agent, the agent gets paid and you don't pay a dime more than you would have anyway. AND you have someone in your corner if things go wrong on the trip - I promise, those online travel agencies will NOT be there for you if there is a problem.
If you are going to book a trip online, I ask you to do one of two things:
1. Allow a local, small-business owner to book it for you; support them, not the corporation; and allow them to serve you in come way, even if just to help get you an upgraded room or extra onboard credit - maybe a bottle of wine in your room. We do that all the time.
2. Register as an agent. You can actually do that. Then book your own trip and either use the travel agent discount up front to save even more, or book yourself as a client and get that built-in commission back on your own trip. Think about this: If YOU are doing the work of booking online, shouldn't YOU get that commission back instead of the online booking engine that did nothing to help you??
When you realize how the travel industry/travel bookings work, it's a no-brainer to help someone out that you know, or to help yourself save more money and travel more. :)
Happy Travels!
