Plenty of people book their holidays online, and for a simple trip that works well. You choose a flight, pick a hotel, pay, and you are done. The question I get asked most often is what a travel advisor adds to that, and the honest answer is that it depends on the trip.
A travel advisor becomes useful when a holiday has more moving parts, when you are not sure where to start, or when you simply want someone to check the details. It begins with a conversation. A good advisor starts with questions rather than hotels. Who is travelling? What is the budget? Do you want to relax, explore, or a bit of both? What went wrong on your last holiday? The answers shape everything that follows, and they are things a booking website never asks.
From there, the real value is advice. Websites show you every option, and an advisor helps you choose between them. I can tell you which side of an island suits your kind of holiday, which room types are worth the extra money, and when a resort looks better in the photos than it does in real life. I will also tell you when a cheaper option is the better choice for you, because the right trip matters more than the biggest booking.
Then there is the planning itself. Flights, accommodation, transfers, tours, cruises, rail and excursions can all be arranged together, which means flight times that match your transfers and check in dates that match your flights. It sounds small, but a late arrival with no transfer waiting is the kind of thing that turns a good start into a stressful one. An advisor also keeps track of the details that trip people up, from passport and document checks to baggage allowances, payment dates and what is and is not included, so there are no surprises at the pool bar.
Plans change too. Flights get rescheduled and hotels change their details. When that happens before you travel, I take it up with the airline or supplier for you, so you are not waiting in a phone queue.
People also ask what it costs. Many holidays cost the same when they are booked through an advisor, because suppliers pay the advisor a commission. If a service fee applies to your booking, I tell you before you commit, and every quote shows you what you are paying for. If you already have a quote from somewhere else, send it to me. I will go through it with you, check what is included, and see whether I can match the price or find something better.
There are times you do not need an advisor. If you are booking a single night away, or a flight on a route you know well, you can probably do it yourself. But if it is a trip you have been looking forward to, or there are several parts to put together, that is where I am most useful.
Who seriously wants to sit with 40 tabs, and spend hours planning? We do this every single day, so that you don't have to.
If you would like to plan something, send me a message through the contact page and tell me what you have in mind.
