#tripmule

Online travel shopping has no doubt been the trend in the travel industry over the past decade. With more and more travel websites, consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to plan and book their holidays themselves.

In the U.K alone, over 50% of consumers use between 3-5 websites during the planning process (PhoCusWright).

It could be said that the big online travel sites seem to have got too smart for their own good and to present us with what they think we want to see based on their own assumptions about travel purchasing. However, more often than not we are not being shown what we really want to see or are actually after.

What was supposed to become a useful and easy tool to make planning and booking a holiday simple has now become a hassle. This is why we have come up with a non-exhaustive list of why you still need a travel agent!

1. CONVENIENCE

Travel agents provide the convenience of a one-stop shop. They assist with all the research and tailoring of your trip so there is no need to visit lots of websites and worry about all the details.  Instead you can focus on enjoying your holiday and let someone else do all the donkey work.

2. SAVE TIME

We have come to a point where booking a hotel room takes 5 minutes online but the whole planning and research process before that  could take 5 weeks! Instead of searching blindly on the Internet you can have an expert do the research for you with your personal needs in mind.

3. KNOWLEDGE & EXPERTISE

We all think that we’re pretty savvy shoppers, but no one can deny the knowledge a travel agent has. They can give you insider tips and advice and often offer options that you might have not considered or would have otherwise not come across. A travel agent might, for example, advise you to pay £50 more for a flight, but have the ability to get you upgraded to business… don’t mind if we do! 

4. CONNECTIONS

Thanks to the relationships they maintain across the travel industry be it with hotels, airlines or concierges, they are kept in the loop regarding the latest and greatest offerings on the market. Their connections also gives them a leg up on getting you things and that VIP status with free room upgrades, spa credits or F&B credits, that you just would not be able to get on your own.

 5. CUSTOMISATION & PERSONALISATION

When you are booking online, it’s often a “cut and paste”experience. A good travel agent can create a customised trip, moulded to your needs and preferences - whether it’s planning a honeymoon, a destination wedding or a family get-away.

6. CUSTOMER SERVICE

Online booking sites might be good for the simple weekend getaway, but sometimes you need a bit more than that. You need someone who can be with you from the start until the end of your journey. After all you’re paying a lot of money for your trip, customer service shouldn’t be a “want” it should be a requirement!

7. SAFETY NET

You obviously never anticipate for anything going wrong during your trip but if something unfortunately does, you can rely on your travel agent to assist you. They are able to suggest and arrange alternate travel arrangements, help you deal with any travel emergency you may have, or put you in touch with the right local people to answer your needs.

 8. VISAS & INNOCULATIONS

That awesome family safari you are about to book certainly requires a lot more legwork than just clicking the “BUY NOW” button and receiving the confirmation email. In addition to Visas you will likely be required to have some vaccinations before you go, often a series of them that need to be timed accordingly. Travel agents can help you out with such issues and give you advice on where to go or even set the appointments for you.

 9. PRICE

We saved the best for last! The biggest misconception of all,  “Travel agents can’t compete with LargeOnlineTravelSite.com” – we beg to differ!

Travel Agents have the same tools, databases, resources and access to great prices…. the difference being that they’re not masked as a “super deal” and presented to you with bells and whistles.

  What is Tripmule? 

Tripmule is an online service that matches travellers to travel agents. We connect travel consumers to travel agents who match the profile, and destination of the traveller.