You want to get away. You want the best deal you can get. How do
you wade through all of the information available to make for a stress-free
travel experience from start to finish? This is exactly why you should use a
travel agent.
With the increasing number of options, planning a trip today can be confusing
and time consuming. A travel agent not only arranges the various modes of
transportation, researches the accommodation details and travel advisories, but
can continue to be of full service throughout the duration of your trip
to help in the case of an unplanned event. All while, possibly
saving you money with special fares and promotions to help you stay within
your travel budget.
- When Using a Travel Agent
You do NOT have to pay
to consult with your travel agent. Travel agents are paid on commission by the
travel companies, hotels, cruise lines, and rental car agencies they
book with. So, we only get paid if you book through us. If you don’t use a
travel agent, the travel company (hotel, cruise, rental car, etc.) keeps
the commission.
So, say you book a trip online. You spend hours researching the best companies
for your trip you’ve been dreaming to go on. You finally make a choice, you
book, and pay. You probably would have paid the same price or less for the trip
if you’d booked it through us. You see, the tour companies, hotels, airlines,
and cruise lines don’t pass the commission along to you for omitting the agent.
Furthermore, you’ve paid the same amount, and you’ve done all of the work.
- When Travel Agents Charge Service Fees
People tend to shy
away from using a travel agency because they think they always charge
a fee. Some, but not in all cases, travel agencies do charge
nominal fees. For example, most travel agents these days charge a fee for
airline only bookings. Why? Well, the airlines, in an attempt to cut costs, no
longer pay commissions to agents.
However, this isn’t a reason to shy away from using Orco Travel to
book your airline tickets. We have access to all of the available flights on
all of the airlines. We can quickly check availability and find the cheapest
cost per ticket. We can get you the best flight times, connections, and seats
available. We can sell you insurance on the ticket and we can get you travel
vouchers if you had a bad flight. Therefore, for Air-Only tickets we do charge
a $25.00 service fee per ticketed passenger. However, if you add a
car or hotel to the same transaction, it is no longer “Air Only”
and the service fee will not apply.
- Travel Agents Really Do Get Better Deals
Travel agents have industry connections that the general public does not. There are many travel wholesale companies that only deal with travel agents. These big companies negotiate rates with the airlines and hotels and pass the savings along to travel agents.
- Travel Agents Will Leverage Their Industry Pull for You
Travel agencies are
service providers. We want to have a relationship with you. Your happiness ensures
future business from you. So, if you experience a problem we will advocate on
your behalf. You had a bad flight? Tell us and we will take on the task
of letter writing to the airline.
Furthermore, with over 600 travel agents associated with Dugan’s Travels (our
parent company), Orco Travel truly has industry pull.
- Use Travel Agents as a Resource
We use word-of-mouth
advertising and are eager to work with you. Call us and ask us to price out
your vacation. We will ask you for information about your budget, your travel
experience, and your flexibility. Travel agents can be a great starting point
when planning your trip as they know all of the ins-and-outs of the
business and know where to find the best solutions to customize your
travel needs.
Then do a comparison. See if you can get a better deal online. Ask yourself if
this is a time-intensive trip. Are you likely to encounter problems? If you
would feel comfortable going it alone, and if you can get a better price
elsewhere, go for it. There are some times when travel agents can’t compete
with the last minute deals airlines run.
Another benefit to using a travel agent is that you have a point of contact if
you have a problem at any time during your vacation. For example, if you are
unhappy at the hotel or with a rental car, you can contact your travel agent
who can then contact the business for you. Most businesses are more likely
to bend for travel agencies than an individuals because they do not want
to lose the relationship and repeated business that a travel agency provides
for them.
At Orco Travel our goal is not volume sales, but to provide personalized
service while customizing your vacation just for you! We will dedicate as
much time as needed in helping each traveler on an individual basis. You
are important to us.
Thank you and may all your travels be safe and memorable.
Jason L. Osieczanek
Orco Travel