Travel Agents —Why Should I Use One?

While I have been helping people plan travel since 2021, I recently (Jan 2024) joined a host travel agency to expand my offerings as a travel designer. Here’s what I’m learning about the travel agent business:

Travel Agents Aren’t Just for Luxury Travelers

This one might surprise you, because it did surprise me! I’ve already been able to book client trips ranging from $500 to $10K. You might be surprised at the offerings of nearly all hotels, flights, transportation, and activities available through a travel agent. Often they have access to everything you can find as a regular consumer for a discounted rate and MORE.
But How?
My host agency has created relationships with myriad suppliers. Since those relationships have been existing for many years, there is a sense of trust and an ability to offer discounted rates.
I have booked personal travel through my host agency’s suppliers and I am not a luxury traveler by any means.

Travel Agents Come At Little to No Cost to You

Travel agents work on commission. This means you have to be a little picky in finding one you trust. As a travel agent myself, I built my business on getting to know my clients and making sure the options I provide are in line with their interests. However, now that I have access to travel agent-only suppliers, I still do not leave any viable options unturned. For example, Airbnb does not work with travel agents, so there is no room for commissions. Most agents won’t even look at Airbnb for this reason. But if the Airbnb route suits my client’s needs better than a hotel, I will give them that choice! I will instead add a small fee for my services in finding that Airbnb so I can be compensated for my work. All of this will be up front and transparent when working with me.

Finding the Right Agent

I am learning via discussion forums that many agents DON’T work with non luxury clients. Some make claims such as “it’s not worth my time”. This leads me to understand the reputation I previously believed: that many folks find travel agents stingy and for a very specific type of traveler.
It seems to me that working with a personal travel agent is INCREDIBLY valuable. Not only for the discounted rates, but for someone to help you take the headache out of planning travel in general. Someone to comb through the thousands of options and send you 3-5 to choose from that suit your needs. Someone to input and collate all that data and make everything easy for you!

Why I Could Be The Right Agent For You

I have seen how other agents work, and I refuse to be compromised by commission dollar signs. First and foremost, I will always be a traveler first and a travel agent second. I have been a world traveler since the age of 16. I know the ins and outs of travel better than most. My drive to keeping my clients happy is as unwavering as my integrity.
I have experience planning for every budget and for every type of destination. I am transparent with any and all questions you want to ask! I make planning your vacation fun and enjoyable! Trust me when I say that I am as excited as you are about your trip. Travel lights me up even when I’m not going on the trip! Helping people do what I love creates a fire in me that I hope you will feel when working with me.

If you still don’t believe me, here are some reviews of my services:

“Alex is easy to work with and brings an extra level of excitement to planning your next honeymoon (or any adventure!).”

“She’s traveled all over the world herself so she knows what to look for when picking a hotel or a restaurant for a fancy dinner.”

“When planning a stressful event you only want the best and most reliable people. You will 100% get this if you hire Go Away Alex Travel Design. My wife and I started planing our honeymoon trip to Japan and we were feeling a bit overwhelmed. The Go Away Alex team came to our rescue and helped us tremendously! From giving us lists of food and places to go, to sending along a newsletter they write with travel tips that helped us plan for things we didn’t even think about! Alex we learned, loves to travel so these tips are being shared by someone who shares your passion for adventure while not selling you on something she gets a kickback on. Their rates are very reasonable and the time and energy they spend clearly shows in the breakdowns and itineraries they provide. I have recommended friends use their service and will use them again in the future! “