In the age of the internet, travel agents may seem unnecessary, but they have benefits. Here are a few reasons you might need one:

• They’ll save you so much time. You may be able to do a fair job searching for the best deals on the web, but you won’t do as well as someone who spends their whole day doing the same thing. They’ll have deals no one else can get, when no one else can get them.
• Insider connections. A travel agent can link you to their network of tour guides, hotels, and people who can help you with any problems you encounter on the other side. You might even get better service or better rates than you would have gotten on your own, because of their relationship with the service providers.
• You actually won’t pay as much as you think. Travel agents make most of their money through commissions from the service providers they connect you to, not from the fee you’re charged.
• If you’re traveling with a group or you’re not sure where you want to go, a travel agent could find exactly what you’re looking for, whether the brief is adventure or luxury.

Booking with them could be the best thing for your pocket and your peace of mind.

Words: Modupe Oloruntoba
Image: Wall St. Cheat Sheet