{"id":333,"date":"2017-01-03T17:14:47","date_gmt":"2017-01-03T17:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.skybirdtravel.com\/?p=333"},"modified":"2017-01-03T17:14:47","modified_gmt":"2017-01-03T17:14:47","slug":"how-to-answer-are-travel-agents-still-relevant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.skybirdtravel.com\/?p=333","title":{"rendered":"How To Answer \u201cAre Travel Agents Still Relevant?\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve probably read the articles. They shout \u201cTravel Agents Are Relevant Again!\u201d <\/strong>and it makes you feel good thinking that customers who once sought the ease of OTAs will come knocking on your door.<\/p>\n

Are travel agents relevant though?<\/p>\n

Do you find that people tilt their head and say \u201cDo people still use travel agents?\u201d when you tell them what you do?<\/p>\n

The answer is: Yes. Yes, people still use travel agents!<\/p>\n

And you can retort with any of these reasons to get them to realize the errors of their ways and knock on your door when they are ready to book their next vacation.<\/p>\n

They Say: Why would I use a travel agent? I can book from my phone!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hidden fees.<\/p>\n

Fine print.<\/p>\n

Blackout dates.<\/p>\n

If that doesn\u2019t scare them paint the scenario of them being trapped in a blizzard in New York with hundreds-of-thousands of travelers all scrambling to rebook their cancelled flights. Should they call the OTA and maybe reach a human being? Should they wait in line or call the airline? Or call you who has been tracking the storm, knows about the cancellation and knows how to rebook them on a flight with ease?<\/p>\n

Or how, according to NBC News,<\/em> about 6% of hotel reservations made last year were on fake hotel sites designed to look like legitimate hotels. FAKE HOTEL SITES\u202615 million reservations!<\/p>\n

\"Travel<\/p>\n

They Say: It takes me 5 minutes to get the best deal online.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Travel agents can get more access to deals and promotions. Tour companies, hotels, and cruise lines work with agents all the time and relationships are nurtured. It\u2019s not unusual for vendors to give travel agents more access to upgrades, special offers, and more.<\/p>\n

How much more?<\/p>\n

ASTA said $452\/per trip.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t include all the time planning a trip and the possibility of making mistakes. A travel agent will be able to help you determine your trip based on your budget without any major surprises.<\/p>\n

\"Travel<\/p>\n

And those best deals online? Those fake hotel sites mentioned above use great deals and steal legitimate company logos to entice the consumer to \u201cbook\u201d.<\/p>\n

They may find a better deal in 5 minutes but it takes far longer than 5 minutes to plan, book, and arrange a trip.<\/p>\n

They Say: Kids don\u2019t use travel agents. They grew up on the Internet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Au contraire. Millennials are increasingly using travel agents. In fact, according to an ASTA poll:<\/p>\n