Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/89721
travel smarts Agent Versus Internet Why travel agents still matter in the age of online booking by Jeff Bateman B ACK BEFORE WEB 2.0 MADE US virtual masters of our own online destiny, few apart from road trippers ever left home without connecting with at least one fl esh- and-blood travel rep. Now it seems like a breeze to reserve fl ights, hotels and tour packages online. But can the Internet really beat the human experience? In a recent competition – staged by Westworld Alberta – to fi nd the best price on a two-week Maui vacation for two, Teresa Schile, manager of AMA Travel in Medicine Hat, came in more than $400 lower than Calgary AMA member Adrianne Lovric. Lovric used her favourite online booking sites, Travelocity and Expedia. Schile lever- aged wholesale rates. The biggest savings were on the hotel stays – just one of the many advantages of working with an agent, says Schile. "Naturally I'm biased," she adds, laughing. "But there's no question that the right agent is essential in booking trips that are more complicated than, say, a simple Calgary-to-Vancouver return. Agents can do the heavy lifting in terms of multiple connections, airport transfers, group travel, accommodations and essential doc- umentation. One big bonus is that you're getting an advocate who has your back every step of the holiday." Schile counts off the other ways in which agents trump the online experience: ■ Research Assistance: Thanks to famil- iarization trips and frequent holiday outings, most agents have travelled extensively. Schile herself goes to the Mediterranean once a year and has led tours to Chile, Peru, South Africa and the Ukraine, among other destinations. This been-there expertise can help clients separate wheat from chaff. (Every holiday property looks great on the web, of course. As Lovric, who normally books hotels based on web reviews, notes, "I have no idea where I'm staying, but the photos look nice.") 8 WESTWORLD >> NOVEMBER 2012 Travel agents still book 85 per cent of cruises and 70 per cent of tours and packages, according to the American Society of Travel Agents. ■ Itinerary Building: Challenge agents and watch them shine at putting together day-by-day agendas complete with multiple reservation confi rmations. That's days of research and poring over tourism websites – off your plate. ■ Insider Advantages: Agents spend their lives writing their own renditions of the Hank Snow classic "I've Been Every- where." Each has their share of hot tips in their areas of specialization, whether it's the scoop on a new cruise ship, a great restaurant in San Diego or the latest exhibit at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. And when it comes to bottom-line pricing, agents can call on their industry clout, volume discounts and knowledge of seasonal policies to deliver affordability. ■ Information Central: Paperwork is make-or-break for stress-free holidays. It's a surprise to many AMA clients, for instance, that European and Asian countries require that Canadian passports be valid for three to six months following a trip's conclusion. Agents take the guesswork out of visas, medical/cancellation insurance and international driving permits, and they're go-to authorities on currency, customs, safety, airline schedule changes and immunization requirements. ■ Emergency Assistance: If things go haywire, agents serve as troubleshooters who can guide clients through cancelled reservations, missed flights and lost bag- gage. In the wake of recent disasters like the Japanese tsunami and the New Zealand earthquake, AMA agents immediately got busy tracking down clients and ensuring they were safe – to the relief of friends and family back home. No question the Internet is a miraculous tool for R&D, says Schile. "It's great when a client walks in having done some preliminary research and has a pile of questions," she says. "The wonderful thing is that these fi rst encounters can be the start of a collaborative relationship that endures through many years and holiday adventures." LEARN MORE AMA Travel's knowledgeable and friendly travel specialists are there for you before, during and after your vacation. Whether you're planning a weekend in the Rockies or a dream vacation, AMA Travel will help make your experience unforgettable. Call 1-866-667-4777 for an appointment. Masterfile