8 Travel Advisor Myths – Debunked - Joe St. Pierre & Associates

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I'm here to set the record straight.

In this day and age of information overload (an internet search of "Where should I stay on Maui?" provides 33.9 million results), travelers can certainly benefit from personalized vacation-planning help now more than ever.

Despite what you may have heard, travel advisors are not a vanishing breed. They aren't trying to upsell you. And – trust me – no matter how well-traveled you are, travel advisors still have more connections than you do.

Here are eight of the most common travel advisor myths, and I'm here to debunk them for you.

MYTH #1: Travel advisor is just a fancy name for a travel agent.

Think of travel advisors like financial advisors: they are trusted, knowledgeable sources who help shape and support big decisions in your life. Travel is an investment that can yield an incredible return on life. Deciding where and how to vacation should be taken seriously, whether it's a years-in-the-making Italian sojourn, a bucket-list world cruise, or a safari with your family.

Travel agents are merely transactional. They book hotel reservations and plane tickets. But travel advisors are transformational: they make it their business to get to know you. They will work with you over and over again on your vacation plans, learning everything from your, hobbies and favorite cuisine to the go-to bottle of wine you like to have in your hotel room.

MYTH #2: Every travel advisor is the same.

Travel Advisors each have their own niches and specialties of expertise. Some are pros at destination weddings or family vacations, while others focus on specific areas of the world, such as Europe or the South Pacific. And because they're so well-connected, they can tap into a network of experts worldwide. Not only are travel advisors specialists in travel, but they are also specialists in you.

MYTH #3: Travel advisors are just trying to earn a commission.

A trusted travel advisor wants you and your family to experience the very best vacation possible, and they treat your money as if it's their own. Today's travel advisor considers this job as much of a calling as a career – and takes pride in crafting a perfect itinerary for your needs, selecting the resorts, and choosing engaging tour guides. It's not about making a quick buck; it's about genuinely loving what they do for a living.

MYTH #4: You can't be part of the trip-planning process when you use a travel advisor.

One of the joys of travel is the anticipation and planning: choosing where to stay and which sites to see. For some, this part of the process is as fun as traveling. For others, there is the stress of worrying if you're making the right choice, whether your hotel is where you want to be, and what the room actually looks like. Decision paralysis is real!

A travel advisor will be as involved as much or as little as you want them to be when it comes to swapping travel ideas, making itinerary decisions, and more. When you connect with the right advisor, the vacation planning process is collaborative, personal, and efficient. An advisor makes planning seamless, leaving you time for more fun stuff, like deciding where to get pizza in Florence.

MYTH #5: It's expensive to use a travel advisor.

Travel advisors earn commissions on vacations they plan, which may be paid to them by resorts, cruise lines, and tour companies. Most travel advisors collect nominal fees typically billed as travel design, research, or itinerary-planning services. For many clients, paying a small fee to know that their entire trip is customized and vetted – and knowing they have someone who will be on call before, during, and after their vacation – is well worth it.

Fees aside, a travel advisor is probably still going to save you money and will definitely save you time. Working with a travel advisor provides value you can't access on your own.

MYTH #6: I can plan the same trip faster by myself online.

People are especially time starved across age groups and income levels. Searching through the overwhelming volume of online content often yields questionable results, with conflicting or outdated information. Leisure time is your most valuable, nonrenewable asset. Once it's lost, you can't get it back.

Travel advisors know the answers to questions you may not even think of and plan things you never knew existed. Many spend their own time traveling the world, researching, and collecting ideas for their clients. They know about travel experiences that can't be found on the internet.

MYTH #7: I can find the same prices and perks on my own too.

Through their global connections and years of cultivating industry relationships, travel advisors can access special offers not made publicly available. And beyond the amenities available to travel advisors, there's one more skill they have that online booking websites do not: the ability to pick up the phone. A travel advisor can call the general manager at the Paris hotel their clients are about to check into to see if an upgrade is available. Luxury travel is definitely about what you know and who you know.

If a hotel's website says it's fully booked, there's a good chance a travel advisor can still secure a reservation for you. And if your flight gets canceled or delayed, your travel advisor can probably get you on another flight faster than you can. Travel advisors will also ensure you have the best car services, personalized tours, those impossible-to-get restaurant reservations, and travel insurance. Stop staring at the 73 tabs open on your internet browser and email a travel advisor.

MYTH #8: Nobody uses travel advisors anymore.

The biggest myth of all is that travel advisors are extinct, having disappeared with the advent of the internet. That couldn't be further from the truth: a network of over 29,000 travel advisors in the US alone is proof. And if the coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything, we'll never take the ability to travel for granted again. When it comes to something as valuable and important as your leisure time, it's absolutely worth it to work with a professional who will always have you covered.

My passion is helping busy professionals and retirees by removing the stress and overwhelm from travel planning. I discover your interests and preferences then design your itinerary to immerse you in authentic cultural experiences that are beyond the ordinary.

I will be honored to help you plan your next memorable vacation.