5 Reasons Even Savvy Travelers Work With an Advisor

Before I got into the travel business, I didn’t actually know the value of using a travel advisor. Now that I do, I want to make sure you understand it too, so you can evaluate all your options when planning your next trip! Here are 5 reasons to use a travel advisor, even if you're a savvy traveler.

Enhanced Value

As I’ve learned more about the travel industry, I’ve realized how much extra value my clients can get (for the same cost) when they use a travel advisor. As a travel professional, I have access to a wide variety of perks and amenities that you can’t get by booking online. For example, with Virtuoso hotels and with all partner hotels, my clients usually get $100-$200 of food/spa credit, upgrades to higher room categories (depending on availability), a welcome amenity, VIP treatment, and early and late checkout if available. If you have a very early arriving or late departing flight, the value of the early/late checkout alone can save you the cost of booking an extra night! Similar amenities are available on cruises when booking through an advisor as well.

Time Savings

Planning a really quality trip can take between 20-60 hours of planning time! You’ll spend nights and weekends scrolling through TripAdvisor reviews wondering if the people who reviewed are even similar to you at all. You’ll go down Instagram and Pinterest rabbit holes during lunch. Then after you decide where to stay, you need to plan all the details around activities and how to get point to point most efficiently. As a very experienced traveler (I’ve been to 100 countries) and travel advisor, I can do this part more efficiently and with more first-hand knowledge. I spend the time upfront to get to know you, your travel style, your pet peeves, hobbies, and more – all so I can narrow down the options to plans that are tailor-made for you.

Better Service

When I first started as an advisor, I didn’t understand why it was such a big deal to have personal relationships with as many hoteliers, tour providers, and wholesalers as possible. Now, I do. I recently booked a last-minute Christmas trip for a client and was able to find accommodation that wasn’t available online – because of my relationship with that hotelier. If something goes wrong on your trip – my partners in your destination are more willing to help because of my personal relationships and the reputation of my host agency. When you are celebrating a special event at the Rosewood or the Shangri-La – I have the phone number of the person who is going to leave a beautiful cake in your room or bottle of champagne. For those who care about the details, relationships are so important!

Unique Experiences

Another reason to use a travel advisor is because good advisors are on the cutting edge of the latest travel trends. I spend 10s of hours per week talking with tourist boards of other countries, tour providers, hoteliers, cruise companies, and other advisors. I travel constantly to check out the newest hotels in person, find “off the beaten path” destinations, and insider experiences that can’t be found online (a meeting with Winston Churchill’s grandson, per chance?). My team and I study travel all day long and have access to proprietary sources of knowledge that you can't find online. Through me, you can also be the first to know about new experiences like Ritz Carlton Yacht Club or book popular sporting events like the World Cup or the Olympics.

Risk Management

Sometimes things go wrong while traveling. It’s my job to help you make sure snags are kept to a minimum (I triple check your passport expiration date and read all the fine print!) and that when something does “go bump,” I minimize the damage to your trip. When your river cruise is canceled last minute due to low river levels, you can relax in a German brewpub while I re-craft your itinerary. If there’s a taxi strike in Spain, the concierge who knows me may just drive you to the airport herself. If Coronavirus strikes weeks before your trip, I'll be negotiating on your behalf to minimize your cancellation losses. Last but not least, I’ll help you price the travel insurance that you really should buy. You get the picture – when you use a travel advisor, you are protecting your travel investment.

You can read about more perks of working with an advisor here, or reach out to me any time to learn more!

Bell & Bly Travel Design is a boutique, entrepreneur owned, travel consultancy. We have built deep connections across the industry and are affiliated with Brownell Travel (the oldest travel agency in the United States) and Virtuoso. These connections and partnerships mean VIP status and extra perks and upgrades for you, our client. If you would like to learn more, get started today!