Yes, You Should Use A Travel Agent, NASDAQ Says
by Cheryl Rosen /
It seems Wall Street has discovered travel agents.
“Before everyone carried the Internet around in their pocket, travel agents were a near necessity for a successful trip. Now, with smartphones and tablets at the ready, it’s a lot easier for anyone to look up flights and read hotel reviews. But is it always smarter?” asks an article that ran this weekend on Nasdaq.com. Its answer: “A well-connected agent can make sure your trip goes smoothly and stays affordable. Plus, they’re available for an emergency call if you run into a problem.”
A professional travel agent can ensure you don’t “stress over every single detail of a trip and whether you’re getting the best possible deal,” the article notes. A travel agent is especially useful when things go wrong, or when you plan a specialized itinerary, a trip to a theme park or a first cruise. “An agent who knows the territory can be a huge timesaver, even if you have to pay a fee for the assistance,” it says, and quotes ASTA’s Erika Richter as saying, “when you decide to use a travel agent you are going to be working with someone who specializes in customer service.”
It even suggests that fees are the way to go, noting that 76% of ASTA agency members said they charged service fees “from $50 to several hundred dollars” in 2016.
For the full article, click here.