| When it comes to planning your vacation, it's | | | | put together packages that work best for you |
| tempting to go the do-it-yourself route. | | | | and your family. |
| After all, it's easy enough to book an | | | | |
| airline flight reservation. Why shouldn't you | | | | 3. Great Service |
| also do your own booking for a car rental, | | | | |
| hotel, or even a cruise? Here are five | | | | When you go the do-it-yourself route, it's |
| reasons why you should leave your vacation | | | | often difficult to coordinate all aspects of |
| planning to a professional, full service | | | | your travel. Making sure that your flights |
| online travel agent: | | | | depart and arrive at optimal times, that your |
| | | | hotel reservation is in order, that your car |
| 1. Terrific Deals | | | | rental will be available, and that you'll |
| | | | have everything in order to board a cruise |
| You can do your own booking, but you won't | | | | ship is no walk in the park. An online travel |
| necessarily get a low far or the best deal. | | | | agent can do all the legwork for you so you |
| Airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and | | | | can concentrate on preparing for your trip. |
| cruise ships count on people to make their | | | | And, if you have a change in plans, the great |
| own reservations and charge higher rates to | | | | service that an online travel agent provides |
| those who do. Yet they don't really make a | | | | can make the transition a smooth one. |
| profit until they're completely booked. | | | | |
| | | | 4. Group Travel |
| Think of hotel rooms, airplane seats, and | | | | |
| cruise ship cabins as perishable commodities. | | | | Extended families often travel together, and |
| Just like an expired carton of milk has to be | | | | businesses have group travel requirements |
| pulled off the grocery store shelf, on any | | | | from time to time. In either case, a full |
| given night, an empty hotel room is lost | | | | service online travel agent can easily book |
| revenue that will never be regained. | | | | trips for people who have the same |
| Similarly, an airplane is going to fly and a | | | | destination but who are traveling from |
| cruise ship will embark whether or not the | | | | different places. Having a group travel |
| seats and cabins are full. It's in the best | | | | coordinator gives everyone peace of mind and |
| interest of hotels, airlines, and cruise | | | | ensures that the group's needs are met. |
| ships to be fully booked. That's why they | | | | |
| offer discounted fares to an online travel | | | | 5. Honeymoon Registry |
| agent, who can then pass along the savings to | | | | |
| you. | | | | If you're planning your honeymoon, an online |
| | | | travel agent can provide you with the latest |
| 2. Full Packages | | | | trend in wedding gifts: the honeymoon |
| | | | registry. When you register with a full |
| A full service online travel agent can put | | | | service online travel agent, your guests can |
| together package vacations to destinations | | | | contribute funds to your honeymoon, or they |
| and hotel properties to which you might not | | | | can buy specific services (such as a spa |
| otherwise have access. Perhaps you're a | | | | treatment or a romantic breakfast in bed) |
| golfer, and want a dream golf vacation. Maybe | | | | that you have on your wish list. |
| a Caribbean vacation is on the horizon. Or | | | | |
| maybe you are looking for the perfect cruise | | | | While it's possible to book travel yourself, |
| package. Although it's sometimes possible to | | | | why would you want to? After all, the |
| book travel packages with the destination, | | | | advantages in using a full service online |
| you often don't get the options that best | | | | travel agent are limitless. |
| meet your needs. An online travel agent can | | | | |