As a Couples Travel Concierge I am often asked “why should I use a travel agent?” Although I could give a list of 100 reasons off the top of my head, it all boils down to this – don’t waste your time or money!
The famous Warren Buffet quote “Price is what you pay, Value is what you get”. As a professional travel concierge, my goal is to help you find the best value for your vacation dollar. Price and value are not always (and sometimes not at all) the same! We all know what price is… it is the amount you pay for a given item, service, or in this case, vacation. Value is another matter entirely. You might say that as your travel concierge I act as your value interpreter.
Value, what is it to you? For some people, value is time and time is money. For some people value is convenience. For some people value is knowledge and expertise. As a professional travel concierge I work with only the best vacation providers to insure that you have a seamless and flawless vacation experience from start to finish thus providing you with time, convenience, my knowledge and expertise.
I’m often asked “are you more expensive than the internet?” That depends, are you talking about price, or value? Most often my clients will find my prices are very competitive; however, admittedly, sometimes my prices may not be less than “the internet” – but the value I bring is considerably more than that.
Do you have the time to research the endless options for your vacation? Do you have the time to deal with things if something goes awry? How convenient is it for you when there is a schedule change and you are notified? How convenient is it for you if you don’t know the documentation requirements and you show up without the correct documents?
Some people think booking on the internet is the way to book travel. If you decide to book “on the internet”, wouldn’t it be interesting to find out if the internet has ever been to where you want to go? Does the internet answer the phone on the weekends or at night if you have a travel emergency? Perhaps you decide to book with an online agency that has a call center. Often times the call center employees (note: they are usually not travel agents) have never traveled to your destination and only knows what “the internet” tells them. Not to mention, have you ever tried to reach an “online agency” from another country? Rarely do they have international phone support and it can be quite difficult to email the help desk if you are in the midst of a storm with no power.
Obviously, the choice is yours. When it’s my money, I opt for value over price every day.
Happy Travels
Kelley
When it comes to Celebration travel (such as Destination Weddings, Honeymoons, milestone birthday or anniversary celebrations), planning your travel in the appropriate time frame is of the utmost importance to maximize your vacation experience and your value.