Why do people still go to travel agents?

TRAVEL AGENTS are still in business because people need the convenience and expertise that only a travel agent can offer. Travel agents can help plan every aspect of a trip, from the budget to the destination. They can also provide valuable advice about where to go and what to see.



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A Travel Agent Can Handle the Unexpected. Between weather delays, natural disasters, flight cancellations, lost luggage and much more, a lot can happen on vacation. Travel agents act as the traveler's advocate in the event something goes wrong, helping navigate the challenge of making any necessary itinerary changes.

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A travel agent can keep things organized, negotiate with services and personally work out any complications that may arise. Rather than trying to reserve rooms in the same hotels and seats on the same flights with multiple credit cards and names, let a travel agent do that work.

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People still choose a travel agent to help them book their travel experience, whether it is for business or pleasure. A travel agent helps travelers navigate any issues that may arise. They can even help save travelers money because they know what kinds of discounts and packages are out there.

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Employment of travel agents is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 8,600 openings for travel agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

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  • You're Not The One Planning Your Travel. While not planning your travel is a pro to some, for other travelers, it's a major con. ...
  • You Add Another Person To The Equation. ...
  • You Actually Have To Find The Agent. ...
  • They're Not Great For Spur-Of-The-Moment Changes.


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Then along came online booking sites like Travelocity and Expedia. These and other web platforms gave consumers the ability to plan and purchase their own trips. Losing clients to online providers and reduced commissions hurt brick-and-mortar agencies, leading many to downsize or leave the industry altogether.

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A 2023 consumer research survey from ASTA (the American Society of Travel Advisors) found that 50% of travelers are more likely to use a travel advisor post-pandemic. (This is a 7-point increase from 2022.) Here are the crib notes: There's no better time to become a travel agent.

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If you're a millennial or Gen Zer, you may be surprised by the retro hack some fellow travelers use to book seamless trips: a travel agent. Will Pay for Wanderlust! Millennials and Gen Zers are more likely to use travel agents/advisers than Boomers, according to a December 2022 Flywire survey of luxury travelers.

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A 2021 poll by the American Society of Travel Advisors found 76 percent of advisors saw an increase in customers compared to prior to the pandemic while 81 percent said they were hearing from consumers who had never used an advisor.

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Generally, leisure travel agencies' main revenue is from commissions vendors pay on vacation packages, cruises, air, and other add-ons. However, consultation fees and service fees are becoming more common as agencies try to diversify income sources to become less dependent on supplier commissions.

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Travel Agents Can Save You Time Booking a trip, with all its working parts, can take hours, especially if you're researching and comparing the best deals, said Avery Harris of Viking Travel. A travel agent will take much less time to help you find what you're looking for, Harris said.

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Take advice from friends and business associates who use an agent they trust and always check business profiles on BBB.org. Visit or call several agencies to find the one that best suits your needs. Consider everything from the appearance of the office to the agent's willingness to listen and answer questions.

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Whilst over three quarters of all travelers said that they typically use a travel agent/advisor to help manage their itinerary in real time, when broken down by generation a staggering 87% of Gen Z and Millennial travelers say this compared to just 50% of Boomers+ travelers.

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Gen Z also tends to be more open-minded and understanding of social change, and they seem to think anything is possible because it is. Those in the younger generation seem more inclined to want to get out and explore — even though their parents and grandparents may not have had the same opportunities.

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70% of Gen Z and millennial respondents agree that they have been inspired to visit a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show, news source, or movie. And 61%of Gen Z and millennials agree that a top motivation for traveling in 2023 is to visit a destination because it looks great in photos and videos.

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Younger travelers want to feel that they are truly experiencing the culture they have traveled to, and to avoid anything that feels inauthentic. 79% of Gen Z and Millennial respondents agree that they would love to partake in a day of the life of locals in the destination they are visiting.

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Travel agent demographics research summary. There are over 29,992 travel agents currently employed in the United States. 78.1% of all travel agents are women, while 21.9% are men. The average travel agent age is 50 years old.

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Some travel agents do have the ability to book Airbnb properties through special partnerships or programs. For example, Airbnb for Business offers a travel agent program that allows agents to book Airbnb accommodations for their clients and earn commission.

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Does not follow up: A bad agent promises trip options and rates, but fails to deliver in a timely manner to the client, who then moves on to another agent. A bad agent also fails to follow up with the client after a trip that has been booked to see how it went.

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It's been devastating to an industry entrenched in tradition and stale relationships. And yet, though “the death of travel agents” has been touted since Expedia debuted, they still exist, though greatly diminished in number (the number of freelance travel agents went from 124,030 in 2000 to 66,670 in 2019).

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With close connections to airlines, hotels, and tour guides, travel agents often have access to special deals and preferential pricing you won't find on your own. They know about seasonal deals, low-cost specials, and unique experiences that would be hard for you to find building your trip online yourself.

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