Does anyone do inside travel agents to book holidays anymore

[88greebballoons]

Just wondering, as looking on line as we usually do, prices are just ridiculous and then someone told me going inside travel agents they can sometimes save you a lot of money. I can't see it as surely they make a profit?

My PILs until very recently, and one of my SILs and her husband. No idea if it saves money, though. PILs did it because they’ve never managed a home PC and have never so much as booked their own flight, and I think SIL developed a relationship with the same small local travel agent through them, and use them for complex, multi-stop trips.

I think travel agents can often save you money as they can tailor your holiday exactly to suit your needs which isn't always easy online.

We went into one recently to book a party minute trip and to see if they had anything extra deals that you can't find online. Wasn't the case!! The travel agent just sat there and used the exact same search engine to look up the exact same holidays that we had already seen... We stopped half way through when we realised they were no extra offers for being in store - what's the point then! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Yes, this was my experience when I used one.

I didn't bother again.

Although think it was a Tui branch.

Maybe an independent travel agent is different / better?

I'll confess I don't actually really know how they work. Although they do need to make their money somehow so don't understand how they could get you anything cheaper?

Travel Agents aren't cheaper, but the good ones should know a lot about your chosen destination. They will have been on familiarisation trips and know points of contact.

So if you're looking for a week in say Mauritius, the should be able to reccomend the best places for your budget, and not just the ones on the big sites, and also have local contacts for trips and guides, restaurants and so on.

But I've never found any of them useful. Tripadvisor is my Travel Agent. Especially the forums.

I genuinely have no idea why Travel Agents still exist.

Thank you, I think I'll stick to online. Honestly can't see how they would be cheaper

XH used a travel agent recently, first time booking a holiday and he's not very computer literate...they told him the price, he said he'd seen it cheaper on Jet2 so they priced matched, so I don't see how the make any money!

We have a travel agent dh books business travel and trips through. He also helps us with holidays. I usually look online find a few I like and then give him some ideas and requirements.
He's just saved us £1,500 on a family trip to Dubai in May and got us a suite rather than family room for that price too.

We did, the Tui rep was really good, she picked up on things we hadn't noticed when we'd looked ourselves. For instance, even though it was a Tui hotel and holiday, the flights were with Ryan Air. But to be fair, I hate looking at holidays and am happy to go wherever anyone else books.

I can't imagine why anybody would use a travel agent in this day and age

All the tools and sites to do it yourself are out there

I have a great travel agent who goes above and beyond and price matches online. If any problems occur they will help you. They were inundated with enquiries when covid started from people who used online but couldn't get through to anyone to get any answers. She meanwhile gave advice and help to all who had booked through her.

I have some allergies so the travel agent the last time I used one was in direct contact with the cruise line to sort this out. I couldn’t fault them.

My parents use one, and mum has been in to see what they can do re multiple peoples flights and hotels for a wedding, saving me 20% on booking myself ... thumbs up to high st travel agents from me

My sister always does but that’s because she likes to use Hays and their website is horrific. The same holiday was online on jet2 but I think she got an extra night and flew with Ryan air which actually saved them money.

I went into Hays recently to ask about Salou but they just used the Jet2 search engine so I don’t think I’ll bother again as I can do that myself. I guess it probably depends which travel agent you get on the day?

We used Charter travel for Florida last year which was just over the phone because the online packages with Tui and Virgin were ridiculous, they saved us a tonne of money by sorting us Aer Lingus Flights and a luxury villa through their third party villa company, as well as cheap car hire. It was cheaper than when I priced it all up individually but I presume they still make money somehow!

Trailfinders are good for special long haul trips.

I was just about to say that.

I called Trailfinders for a trip to the Far East and I found them nice and helpful but very limited in hotels they offer and £££.

I booked independently with airline and booking dot com and got it £1500 cheaper.

I hate researching and booking holidays with a passion, so if it's anything more than the bog standard Villa and flights I use an independent travel agent. I give her a list of what we want and she does all the hard work for me.

We went to one when we were thinking about booking a cruise. They then pestered me for weeks on the phone until I had to stop answering their calls. We booked direct with the cruise line in the end.

Of course it's dearer they need to make money it's a business.

Always, we use a local independent one and have done for years.

They spend all their time putting together an itinerary after a discussion ( mind you they know what we like by now) and have yet to be disappointed with hotels they've chosen.

But some posts on here say they have found it cheaper and also someone in real life who I know recons she saved £100's with a travel agent

It's a waste of time to go into a travel agent if you're competent with a computer

I went into one as I wanted our first family holiday abroad with an autistic child, and I wondered if you would have recommendations for airports and all inclusive resorts

The travel agent did a search on their own website in front of me, and then turned the screen round to show me and literally read out the reviews as if I couldn't read and offered to book it, right then via that webpage

When I suggested one was not completed resort because the pictures were all artist impression she said yes yes that's the artist impression and I said I don't want to book anything that isn't built yet and she said no that's it. That's the pictures and I said no, it's the artist impression love which means they have no pictures.

Truthfully, just a waste of time if you can use a computer

Depends on the one you go to.

Virgin Holidays were excellent for what we needed and helped us get money back when it all went tits up in Hurricane Irma 😂

TUI I might go into a shop again as the website is just so bloody awful.

Newells Travel etc, there's absolutely no point as per a PP they use the same search engines and websites I can. In fact the last time we went in, I came home and booked it with a 20% discount through an affiliate link..... I felt slightly guilty about it but it was a lot of money off.

ETA - other than in Virgin, the staff don't have the personal knowledge anywhere anymore, so if you ask for a specific type of resort or location they don't have any recommendations and use the same refining options as we can at home. Drives me nuts. In Virgin she had at least been to a few of the places we discussed!

We’ve always booked through travel agents. I like to know everything is booked properly, if hate to do it myself and fuck up everyone’s holiday.

they do the same search but more times than not they add on an extra discount

we’ve had money off every holiday we have booked since covid.

His years holiday through the travel agents was only £50 dearer than me doing it online and that £50 gives me peace of mind that it’s all been done correctly.