Travel…Exciting 
Travel planning…NOT 
Travel for most is considered a cherished event, a chance to visit unseen places and explore. Seeing how this is a once in a year kind of event for most working people, every aspect of travelling to a new country needs to be taken into careful consideration.
A well-planned trip can become a beautiful memory, however, if careful thought is not put into it, it could very well turn into your worst nightmare. With the advent of numerous travel search engines and rise in technology, there has been a shift towards a more DIY approach, with Millennials leading the charge, preferring to plan, book and negotiating everything themselves. Question is, do people have that kind of time on hand to do thorough research and strike gold when it comes to great travel deals?
Here are a couple of reasons why travel agents are probably still your best bet to ensure you get the best bang for your buck;
1 – They save you Time
Let’s admit it, life can be a struggle. Juggling work, family, friends and personal interests daily is just part of your routine and trying to constantly maintain a balance between all, well, can sometimes test your sanity. Isn’t that one of the reasons why vacation time is so very precious?
Spending endless hours surfing the internet researching places, activities, hotel and flights deals for solo travellers or GASP 
, a family of 4 can suck the holiday spirit right out of you even before your vacation starts. While there is no dearth of offers available it is humanly impossible to not be misguided by the so-called value for money online deals, which may look appealing on paper but what you get could be far from it.
Sadly, there is little you will be able to do about it once you have disembarked and set foot on foreign land. This is where travel agents turn out to be your biggest support. They take care of everything, right from your visas, flight, travel insurance, transfers to excursions and what have you.
2 – Travel is Complicated
You bet it is. While you may be able to get away with shorter trips, planning ones that extend beyond a week can get pretty tricky. Taking care of connections will definitely test your patience and make you question your geographical skills.
It is only human to err but is it a risk worth taking with your hard-earned money. In the course of being bogged down by a plethora of offerings available in the market, we make ourselves vulnerable to online scams or sometimes overlook the fine print.
Travel agents are your knowledge experts, possessing the technical know-how and making sure you reach where you are supposed to. And hey, if you happen to miss a connection, they can get you on to the next available flight before you have a chance to worry or arrange for a hotel stay if there are flight delays.
3- Experience counts
Travel agents have a wealth of experience and use it for your benefit by offering you travel tips, money-saving hacks, providing suggestions on a restaurant for that special event you are planning, or tailoring a unique travel experience just for you.
4 – Value for money
It’s a myth that hiring the services of a travel agent will cost you a lot more than what you would have paid had you planned it all yourself.
On the contrary, it really could be the exact opposite. Travel agents have access to better pricing as well as special benefits having negotiated the best deals for their clients, which might be a bit tough to do by yourself. Online travel websites provide you sweet discounts which create a delusion that you have saved money but add to that hidden costs in the form of “convenience fees” and WHAM… that travel deal isn’t so sweet anymore.
Infact, think of them as your personal genie. Want to arrange a birthday cake for hubby’s birthday celebration, a romantic dinner for two by the beach, or hey, that room upgrade you would like to treat yourself to, you know who to call.
5 – They are always there for You
A travel agent is your go-to person should something derail on your trip. Lost baggage, missing paperwork, insurance etc., anything can happen and these are the guys who will help you get your trip back on track.
Your travel agent will be your knight in shining armour (so to speak), who will know exactly who to call and rectify the messy situation you find yourself in, saving you the bother.
6 – They are real people
While technology has certainly enriched our likes for the better, nothing can beat the personal touch. How many times have you felt like banging your head while going through the daunting IVR menu waiting to touch base with a human on the other end? Being able to vent your frustrations on one person gives you some comfort knowing there is someone who is listening and accepting ownership of something that did not go right.
Building customer relationship is their prime focus, since a happy client will not only want to use them again but also refer them to family and friends. At the end of the day a good travel agent will go out of their way to make your vacation a memorable one and will take care of those tiny pesky details.
Their job doesn’t end after selling you a trip. They happen to be there for you during and after the trip too. And that my friends makes it all the more worthwhile to have a travel agent in your corner.