Travel Agent vs. Online Booking

It's the dead of winter. The holidays are over, and thanks to the blah, gray, wintery surroundings, you're in a blah mood. You get out your laptop and start to dream about a much-needed getaway – somewhere with sun and sand, and of course, a Piña Colada in your hand.

As the excitement of getting away for a while builds, you ask yourself a question: What is the best way to plan your tropical vacation? Should you go to one of the many popular travel sites and plan it yourself, or should you seek the help of your trusty travel agent? We'll help you out, and break down the pros and cons of using a travel agent vs. online booking.

Why use an online travel site?

• Personalized experience. By planning a trip online, you are able to personalize the experience by picking out the hotel closest to the beach or a restaurant you want to visit, or you can plan for certain shows you'd like to see. Planning the trip yourself allows you to make sure you get exactly what you want.
• DIY satisfaction. Many people book their trip online because there's a certain satisfaction in being able to plan your own trip. Why pay someone else to provide a service you can do on your own? Planning a trip yourself can actually be a fun, rewarding experience.
• Save some dough. The great thing about booking your own trip online is you can save a little dough. While travel agents are paid a commission from hotels, resorts, transportation and other travel companies, they are also paid through booking fees and planning fees (much like a deposit). While planning and booking a trip may cost you the same amount, you may be able to save a little by skipping the booking fees.
• Book a trip anytime, anywhere. One of the main reasons to use a travel site is for the convenience of booking a trip anytime and anywhere. No need to wait for your travel agent's office to open – if you want to book a trip in your pajamas at 2 a.m., go for it! Being able to complete the entire process from the comfort of their own home or while at work is appealing to people – especially in our fast-paced lives.

Why use a travel agent?

• Travel expertise. Transportation, flight costs, location information and the inside scoop on the best places to dine and shop – this is all part of a travel agent's job. Take advantage of their expertise and let them help you plan an amazing trip!
• Save time. A lot of time and research goes into planning a trip right. Finding the best hotel rates, looking at flight schedules and Googling the sights to see can be a time-consuming process. Between work and family responsibilities, a lot of people don't have the time to plan all their trip details. This is where a travel agent comes in.
• Simplify your trip. You're going on vacation, so you should truly go on vacation! There can be a lot of complications and stress when planning a trip as well as during a trip. Luckily, it's some people's jobs to make sure you can go enjoy your vacation!
• In case of an emergency. The worst place to have an emergency is when you're away from home. If anything goes wrong, whether it be a mistake with the hotel or a medical emergency that requires you to fly home early, it's nice to have someone with the power and connections to "fix things" quickly. If something goes wrong, it's helpful to have another person away from the situation who can help the situation!

In the end, our vote goes to working with a travel agent. Yes, travel websites are extremely convenient, but part of the excitement on going on a trip is relaxing and getting away from the routine. So why use a travel agent? It will make your entire trip relaxed and simplified by having someone plan it for you! More and more Americans are realizing this, and it may be the reason a study in the November 2010 issue of Budget Travel magazine found that travel agents are actually on the rise. Bryan College Online offers an outstanding Travel Agency Operations program that can help you become a knowledgeable travel agent. The online travel agent degree program takes only 70 weeks to complete.