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Travel Agents, with reservations
More consumers than ever are booking trips online. But are there times 
when you should call in a pro?
Image: Planning a trip
Mark Lennihan / AP
Planning a honeymoon
    
By Cindy Loose
Updated: 5:37 p.m. ET Sept. 28, 2004

Pundits once predicted that toll-free numbers would be the death of 
traditional travel agents. The bells tolled again as travel agents came 
under assault from airlines that cut commissions and online providers 
that offered a World Wide Web of options.

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The more recent blows have weeded out the weak and the slow-to-adapt. 
Americans last year booked at least part of 45 million trips on the 
Internet, up nearly 6 percent from the previous year, according to a new 
study by the Travel Industry Association of America. Still, reports of 
the demise of travel agents were premature.

Although many agencies are increasing their focus on corporate clients, 
103,840 U.S. travel agents still plied their trade as of May 2003, 
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So who's getting the better deal—the do-it-yourselfers, or those who let 
the professionals handle the details?

It depends a lot on what you're buying and from whom, on the level of 
expertise you bring to the table, and the value you put on your time.

The travel industry is complicated and volatile. But in a way, it's like 
any do-it-yourself home project: If you have to start building your 
patio between weekend soccer games by studying books about the frost 
line, maybe you need a contractor. If you're handy, have the tools and 
enjoy spending ample spare time at Home Depot, you may be your own best 
patio maker.

Here are five occasions when you might want to use a travel agent—or 
not.

BUYING AIRLINE TICKETS

Doing It Yourself: Be prepared to check a number of online sites for the 
best deal, and increase your odds by checking often. Be aware that some 
carriers, including Southwest, limit their online sales to their own 
sites. Most online agencies, like Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity, add 
$5 or so to the ticket price; airline sites do not. However, most major 
carriers are now charging $5 if you book via their phone reservations 
systems, and $10 if you buy at the counter. (JetBlue charges $6 round 
trip for reservations by phone; Independence Air charges $10.)

The Agents' Argument: Travel agents were forced to charge fees to book 
flights once airlines cut their commissions—a process that was basically 
complete by 2002. On average, agents nationwide charge $26.55 to book a 
flight, according to the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). 
(Since consolidators and charter operators still pay commissions to 
travel agents, they may charge nothing for those.)

‘If you're comfortable with the airline, know exactly what you want and 
what it should cost, you can save yourself the service fee of an agent.’

— Lynda Maxwell
Travel agent, on booking airfares
“If you're comfortable with the airline, know exactly what you want and 
what it should cost, you can save yourself the service fee of an agent,” 
says Lynda Maxwell of Destinations Inc., an Ellicott City, Md., travel 
agency. But that advice, she adds, applies to simple point-to-point 
destinations. Open-jaw tickets—where you fly into one city and depart 
from another—can be difficult for the amateur to finesse, and planning 
travel for a family or other group coming from different places can get 
nightmarish.

Consumers should definitely turn to travel agents when shopping for 
tickets from consolidators, says William Z. Goldstein, chairman of 
Travel-On, headquartered in Beltsville. “Some consolidators out there 
are less than reputable. Good travel agencies will have a network of the 
tried-and-true.” (Air consolidators buy in bulk and offer discounts, 
typically for international travel.)

When consumers had limited access to airfare information and travel 
agents were working for the airlines, suspicion abounded: Is my agent 
steering me to a more expensive ticket to jack up his commission? Even 
the temptation to do so is now gone, since agents work for a consumer 
fee.

Can agents beat the best price the average consumer can find by enough 
to make up for their service fees? It depends on the skill levels and 
time commitment of individual consumers, compared with that of their 
agents.

A series of studies by Topaz International, which advises corporate 
clients on travel issues, sheds some light on the subject. For the past 
three years, Topaz compared the cost of business travel itineraries 
booked by a corporate travel agency with those booked on an Internet 
site. Each year, travel agencies beat the competition, but by less and 
less. In 2001, agencies saved corporate clients an average of $171 on 
each round-trip flight. Last year, the difference was $69. Since 
business travelers tend to pay higher airfare prices, it's safe to 
assume that leisure travelers can't expect the same results.

Travel agents also point out that those with 24-hour backup can help 
bail you out when connections are missed, flights are canceled and 
things generally go awry.

Bottom Line: If you have a modicum of ability on the Internet and a 
willingness to invest some time, you should be able to track down your 
own point-to-point flights, especially in the United States. When it 
gets more complicated, as with open-jaw tickets, group travel and 
last-minute ticketing, a travel agent can save you time, and maybe even 
money. Unless you have first- or secondhand info about a consolidator, a 
travel agent who has experience with a trusted provider could save you 
grief.

BOOKING A CRUISE

Doing It Yourself: Start by doing some homework, checking out various 
lines and their ships at independent sites like CruiseCritic.com, 
CruiseMates.com,CruiseOpinion.com and, for smaller lines, 
SmallShipCruises.com. Once you feel confident that you have some idea of 
what to expect, shop. The cruise lines all have toll-free numbers, some 
have online booking sites, and numerous Web agencies are fighting for 
your business. In addition to the well-known, all-purpose sites, there 
are online cruise specialists. Among them: Cruise411.com, 
CruisesOnly.com, CruiseBrothers.com and Cruise.com. All advertise 
drastic reductions, but often it's for a few cabins on a given cruise. 
You can easily truth-squad them by checking the site of the relevant 
cruise line.

The Agents' Argument: Since it usually doesn't cost you a dime to book 
your cruise through a travel agent, you might as well take advantage of 
their expertise, says Kathy Sudeikis, a Kansas travel agent and 
president-elect of ASTA.

Cruise lines and even individual ships have personalities. Finding the 
right match is critical, says Maxwell. “A couple dreaming of black-tie 
dinners will be miserable on a cruise with kids in tank tops drinking 
beer, and vice versa,” says the Maryland travel agent. Moreover, a given 
ship may have 20 different categories of cabins. Are you aware that a 
“porthole balcony” is basically a hole cut into the side of the ship, or 
would you be expecting to sunbathe on a private veranda?

“The most advantageous rooms are midship and as high as you can go,” 
says Goldstein. But do you know on which deck lifeboats are stored? 
First-time cruisers often don't even know basic things, such as that 
drinks cost extra, says Maxwell.

Since cruise lines pay commissions, the travel agent does stand to earn 
more by selling higher-priced cruises. But with the growing transparency 
in prices, an agent who fails to serve the customer's best interests is 
taking a major risk. A good agent works to find the best value not only 
on the cruise, agents say, but on airfares and port excursions as well.

Cruise lines often charge top dollar for their land excursions, and 
they'll be filled with fellow cruisers. If you want to book your own, 
you have to be careful, says Maxwell. An experienced agent, she says, 
can point you to trusted providers who offer shore excursions that are 
better, or cheaper, or both.

Agents can also help cruisers sort through the myriad insurance options 
so they cover the contingencies most likely to happen to them.

Bottom Line: An experienced cruiser who knows his or her way around the 
various lines shouldn't find any surprises when booking without agent 
assistance. But given that travel agents generally don't charge booking 
fees for cruises, agents are a good bet.

RESERVING A HOTEL ROOM

Doing It Yourself: Most major-brand hotels promise that if you find 
something cheaper than what's listed on their own sites, they'll match 
and give you a bonus, such as an upgrade or free breakfast. Most online 
sites, such as Hotels.com, Quikbook.com and all-purpose sites like 
Expedia.com, make the same best-price guarantee, under varying 
circumstances. They also allow you to view prices at thousands of hotels 
at one location. But these sites generally require you to prepay, so 
you'll end up paying at least something if you cancel. Sometimes you'll 
find your best price by calling a hotel directly and negotiating. You 
also can find inns and bed-and-breakfasts at local tourism sites and by 
using a search engine that will lead you to B&B trade groups. Beware of 
taking the photos at face value.

It's a common misconception that travel agencies will only steer you 
toward major hotel chains.

The Agents' Argument: It's a common misconception that travel agencies 
will only steer you toward major hotel chains. Heather Dolstra, of 
Democracy Travel in Washington, says she deals with providers who rent 
villas and condos and with groups of small inn and B&B owners. 
Goldstein, of Travel-On, says his agency belongs to three buying 
consortia that provide discounts to tens of thousands of hotels 
worldwide. If you doubt that you're getting the best rate on a 
particular hotel, you can of course check that hotel's own site.

Agents are inundated with notices of special promotions, says ASTA's 
Sudeikis. “If you like the Four Seasons, for example, I can tell you 
that the one in Boca Raton is having a half-price special.” Agents can 
also clue you in to the little things that may be a big deal to you—like 
the difference between an adjoining and a connecting room. If you're 
getting a second room for your kids, you'll probably want 
connecting—meaning there is a door between the rooms. If your snoopy 
in-laws are with you, you'd want adjoining (no connecting door), or 
maybe different floors, or even adjoining hotels. (Blame the latter on a 
travel agent mix-up.)

Some agents charge a fee for making hotel reservations, some don't. 
Those who do charge an average of about $15 per trip, according to ASTA.

Bottom Line: If you want to stay at a chain hotel or someone has 
recommended a lovely little property or resort, do it yourself. If price 
is your chief concern and you're willing to do the legwork to ensure 
that you're in the right part of town, skip the agent. If you're not 
sure where you want to stay, or have a special request—say a villa in 
Provence—you might be better off getting the help of a travel agent 
who's been there or has heard back from a lot of satisfied clients.

RENTING A CAR

Doing It Yourself: Online travel sites generally provide prices from a 
variety of car rental agencies. Check a few, and be sure you know what 
is and isn't included. Things to watch out for: Is mileage included? Is 
the company on airport grounds or merely “near” the airport? Given that 
weekend rates are so cheap compared with weekdays, are you better off 
taking cabs for a couple days of your trip and then renting later in the 
week? Is insurance included, and if not, is it mandatory?

The Agents' Argument: Travel agents routinely negotiate bulk rates, but 
usually only with the top car companies. Thus, if you're determined to 
deal only with a major brand like Hertz or Avis, you might find that 
your agent's negotiated rates are as good as it gets. Agents have an 
incentive to book with the companies they've negotiated with, since if 
they don't deliver volume, they won't get the best rates the following 
year.

If you're open to other car companies, make that clear; an agent can 
shop sites open only to agents, as well as sites consumers can see, too. 
Some agents charge a fee for this service—an average of about $15 per 
rental. Some waive or reduce the fee if the customer is also buying 
other products.

Bottom Line: If you prefer to deal with the largest car companies and 
have an agent who has a negotiated rate with your favorite firms, call 
the agent. If you're shopping for price only, it's probably not worth 
paying an agent fee.

  Fact File    Picking the Right Travel Agent
•    Introduction
•    Ask friends and colleagues
•    Check affiliations
•    Check credentials
•    Ask for references
•    Ask questions
•    Listen for questions
•    Decide if you need a specialist
    
Introduction
Tim Boyle / Getty Images
With more than 100,000 travel agents working in the United States, the 
challenge isn't finding one, but choosing the right one. Here are tips 
for doing that:

Ask around for a referral, just as you would when looking for a dentist 
or contractor.
Membership in organizations such as the American Society of Travel 
Agents (ASTA) and the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) 
indicates that the agent has agreed to a code of ethics. (They can be 
excommunicated from the group for failing to adhere to them.) You also 
can dig one level deeper and ask for the industry affiliations of a tour 
operator they've recommended. The U.S. Tour Operators Association, for 
example, not only vets its members but requires them to put money into 
an escrow account in case they go out of business. To find ASTA members, 
visit www.travelsense.org . The site allows you to search for agents by 
location, specialty, your destination, or all three at once.
The Travel Institute, a nonprofit training center in Massachusetts, 
offers certification. A CTA, or Certified Travel Associate, has 
completed at least 12 travel-related courses, has worked in the industry 
for at least 18 months and has passed a test. A CTC, or Certified 
Traveler Counselor, has completed at least 24 courses, has at least five 
years experience and has passed a test. The institute also trains 
destination specialists. Certified agents, and those further certified 
as specialists, are listed at www.thetravelinstitute.com , with links to 
each agent's site.
A good agent should have satisfied customers willing to share their 
experience, says Alexis Benson of the Travel Institute.
Ask where they've been, where their colleagues in the office have been, 
and where they've sent large numbers of people. "If no one in the office 
has been anywhere but Cancun and you're not going to Cancun, maybe 
they're not the ones you want," says Heather Dolstra of Democracy Travel 
in D.C.
Agents should feel you out before suggesting a destination or particular 
cruise line. "If you tell me you want to go to Mexico, I shouldn't say, 
'Great, I can set you up in Puerto Vallarta,' " says Kathy Sudeikis, 
president-elect of ASTA. "Agents should be asking what trips you've 
taken in the past that you've enjoyed, whether you prefer quaint, rustic 
or luxurious, or if you had to choose between a Hyatt and a Motel 6, 
which would it be. They should ask you what you like to do: If you like 
sightseeing, you have to go to certain places in Mexico."
Increasingly, agents are marketing themselves as specialists in either 
certain types of travel or certain destinations. Many agents interviewed 
said they can research an unfamiliar destination, but admit that it will 
take them more time than planning a trip to a place they know well. All 
acknowledge that familiarity breeds expertise, but on the other hand, as 
Dolstra put it, "Are you looking for someone you can have a relationship 
with in planning lots of trips, or a one-shot Johnny?"
    • Print this

BOOKING A TOUR PACKAGE

Doing It Yourself: All the major all-purpose sites sell packages, as do 
discount package sites like Go-today.com and Site59.com. Surf a number 
of them to get an idea of which one comes closest to what you want, and 
do some price comparisons. Then, to really get an idea of whether the 
package is worth the hype, break it into its individual pieces and price 
each segment (air, hotel, etc.), remembering that packages are always 
priced per person, while hotels often are priced per room.

The Agents' Argument: The U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA) 
requires its members to make their tour packages available to travel 
agents, and they are paid sales commissions. Consequently, most agents 
will not charge for booking a package. There is one caveat: Some agents 
now charge planning fees that are deducted from the cost of whatever you 
buy—a way of avoiding people who come in for the sole purpose of picking 
their brains for hours, with no intention to buy.

‘We are promotions central; my e-mail inbox would horrify you. Some of 
the offers are junky, but if a good deal is out there, chances are it's 
come to our desk.’

— Heather Dolstra
Travel agent
Agents say they are best equipped to match you with a reputable tour 
operator and match your desires with a tour that's right for you. They 
might even be able to save you money. “We are promotions central; my 
e-mail inbox would horrify you,” says Dolstra. “Some of the offers are 
junky, but if a good deal is out there, chances are it's come to our 
desk.”

Experience teaches travel agents the right questions to ask both of 
clients and providers, they say. “Just the other day, two senior women 
came into my office with a brochure for a trip they thought was perfect 
for them,” says Sudeikis. First she talked to them about what they were 
most excited about, then called the tour operator and pinned down 
details. “Not only didn't they go on that tour, but they went on another 
one that was four days longer, it did more of what they wanted, and when 
all was said and done, it ended up costing less, too,” says Sudeikis.

Can a consumer find a better price than an agent's best price? “It 
depends on the nature of the trip, how complicated it is and how much 
time they are willing to spend shopping,” says Goldstein. “If an amateur 
armchair agent has sleepless nights and spends three hours on the 
Internet, he could find something more price-appealing, perhaps. But 
again, he doesn't know much about what he's getting and may not know 
whom he's getting it from. Since there is little or no cost associated 
with going to an agent, why not use our expertise?”

Bottom Line: If you already have a pretty good idea where you want to go 
and what to expect once you get there, then invest some time in focused 
online window-shopping. If you have only a vague notion of a 
destination, the shopping alone could drive you crazy. If you're nervous 
about giving your money to an unknown entity, then let a good, 
experienced agent broker your deal, especially if they're not going to 
charge a fee.

PLANNING AN EXOTIC TRIP

Doing It Yourself: Unless you've been there, done that—or know someone 
who has—finding that great African safari or planning a trip through 
Russia could be challenging. Generally, a search engine will come up 
with tour providers. If they're strangers to you, check that they belong 
to a reputable trade association, like the USTOA. Pay by credit card so 
that if the company goes belly-up before you leave or return home, you 
have a chance of getting your money back. Tourism and visitors bureaus 
for particular states and countries offer a wealth of information, 
although none would recommend one tax-paying provider over another.

The Agents' Argument: The farther afield a traveler gets from his 
comfort zone, the more he needs us, agents say.

Travel agencies looking to survive in the leisure market have 
increasingly turned to specialization as a niche, says Karen Dunlap, CEO 
of Travel-On. Specialties like Caribbean travel are even getting diced 
down to the island-by-island level. And agencies that advertise 
themselves as generalists often bring to the table a lot of specificity.

Travel agents add the most value when directing clients to destinations 
that require a lot of knowledge and thought—safaris, for example, says 
Goldstein. You not only have to identify a safe and reliable provider 
but know which countries have the animals you want to see and the 
migration patterns of those animals, to say nothing of what's happening 
in a volatile region of the world.

Clients often come to a travel agent with only the vaguest idea of how 
long it takes to get from one part of a country or continent to another, 
how much time is needed to explore a given locale, what prices are fair, 
what travel documents or shots are needed, or even what weather to 
expect, agents say. Often, they even delude themselves about what kind 
of traveler they really are.

An agent has to be a bit of a psychologist, says Dolstra. “They might 
think they want to see seven countries in eight days, but you have to 
ask a lot of questions. Are they really the kind of people who are up at 
7 a.m. and still raring to go at midnight, or deep inside, do they 
actually like to putter?”

Bottom Line: The highly experienced, intrepid traveler may not need any 
assistance. If moving into unfamiliar and particularly dangerous parts 
of the world, do your homework and develop a broad idea of your desired 
trip—pinpoint where you want to go, what you want to see and, possibly, 
where you want to bunk. Then consider letting a travel agent help with 
the details.

    For Foreign Destinations, Agents Who Specialize
Some national tourism bureaus operate training programs for travel 
agents whom they then designate as country "specialists." Currently 
there are no industry standards for how much training is given, but the 
countries below require course work, arrange visits to the country and 
send their designated agents frequent updates and literature. Using the 
resources below, you can find country-designated agents near you, 
searching by city or zip code.
Country    Contact Information
Australia    800-723-1400, www.australia.com
Canada    www.travelcanada.ca
France    410-286-8310, www.franceguide.com (click on "travel services")
Great Britain    www.visitbritain.com
Ireland    www.shamrockclub.net
Jamaica    www.visitjamaica.com (click on "Planning Your Trip" to see an 
agent locator)
Mexico    The country is currently conducting its first training of agents. 
In coming months, you should be able to find them at www.visitmexico.com 
or by calling 800-446-3942
Puerto Rico    A list of specially trained agents will be included in a new 
site, www.prteonline.com, that is slated to be up and running in October
Spain    www.okspain.org
St. Lucia    Agents will have completed a new training program and be 
listed at www.stlucia.org by the end of this year
    • Print this
© 2004 The Washington Post Company

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