Do you have a trip to plan? If so, it’s time to find the best travel agent in your area. While many people like to book their own vacations online and try their hand at coordinating everything themselves, hiring an experienced professional can be worth your while—especially if you want expert advice or want to ensure that all the details are taken care of. A good travel agent can save you time and money (not to mention frustration) when it comes to planning your next trip! In this post, we’ll show you how easy it is to find the perfect travel agent for any kind of trip near you: from romantic getaways with your significant other or family reunions with relatives across town (and everywhere in between). So without further ado…

Check for credentials

While it can be tempting to look for a travel agent who is the least expensive, you should always ensure that your chosen travel advisor has been certified and trained by an industry association. This shows that they have undergone rigorous training and have gained knowledge in every aspect of planning vacations—from booking flights and hotels to choosing tours, excursions, and everything else you might need while on vacation. You’ll also want to look for a travel agent who has at least a few years of experience under his or her belt; this will ensure that he or she has the skills needed to help you plan an unforgettable trip- travel agency near me.

Finally, check out their reputation online! A good way of doing this is by searching Google results with key phrases like “[name] review” or “[name] reviews”—if there are lots of negative reviews about them online then run as fast as possible!

Ask how they get paid

You should also ask how they get paid. Travel agents are compensated by the company or person paying them, not by travelers. A few ways to do this include:

• Commissions from hotels or tour operators for booking reservations for their customers
• A commission from travelers who pay for their own trips (this is the most common)
• Commissions from travel insurance companies

Ask how often they travel

There are many ways you can phrase this question, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that you should be asking them about the number of times they have traveled to the same destination multiple times and not just once. If they have gone to a specific destination multiple times, ask them how many trips they’ve taken there. If they haven’t been to that location yet but plan on going in the future, ask them if it’s something they’ve considered before and what their thoughts are on it.

Find out if they specialize in any particular destinations or types of trips

• Do they specialize in a particular destination?
• Do they specialize in a particular type of trip?
• Are they familiar with the destinations you’re interested in going to and what activities you might want to do while there?

Discuss communication preferences

• Discuss communication preferences. If a travel agent doesn’t communicate well, it can be detrimental to your project. The best way to avoid this issue is by discussing your client’s communication preferences before starting a project and determining if they’re compatible with yours.
• Communicate clearly and efficiently. If you prefer email, make sure you specify that in your initial meeting so that the travel agent knows how you like to be contacted. It’s also useful to outline what constitutes an emergency (for example: if there is an issue with your flight home) and what does not constitute an emergency (for example: asking for advice on where to eat).

Ask about their relationships with hotels and other travel service providers

To find out if a travel agent is going to be worth your time and money, ask them the following questions:

• How are you compensated? Are you paid on a commission or flat fee basis? If they don’t know what this means, it’s probably not someone worth working with.
• What relationships do you have with hotels and other travel service providers? Do they offer special deals for their clients? If so, how can I guarantee that I’m getting those same deals when booking direct with the hotel or airline myself (or on my own website)?
• What kind of discounts/special offers can I get through working with you (i.e., what are your “juice” points)? Can I get these discounts if I were to book directly through the provider’s website instead of through yours (and why would this matter)?
• What kind of special treatment can we expect from our selected service providers as part of our package deal with them (e.g., VIP upgrades at hotels or first class seats on flights).

Find out what happens if something goes wrong during your trip.

Before you book your trip, find out what happens if anything goes wrong. When you’re choosing a travel agent, make sure they have policies that take care of issues like these:

• What would happen if you got sick and couldn’t fly?
• What would happen if your flight was delayed?
• What would happen if something happened to prevent you from taking your trip at all or caused a big change in the schedule?
• How much time do I have after buying my ticket to cancel my reservation without penalty (if any)? If I turn down an upgrade or decide not to travel on an upgraded flight, will I be charged extra for it anyway (if so, how much)?

Before you hire a travel agent, know what to look for and how to evaluate prospective candidates!

Before you hire a travel agent, know what to look for and how to evaluate prospective candidates!

• Check their credentials. Ask your potential agent what kind of training they have and if they are affiliated with any professional organizations. Look up their name on LinkedIn before meeting them in person to verify that they actually work at the company they claim to represent.
• Verify affiliation with the client-focused travel network(s) of your choice (i.e., Virtuoso or Luxury Travel Advisor). This will ensure that your travel advisor has access to exclusive discounts for clients who belong to those networks.
• Ask how often they travel themselves—and make sure it’s often enough for them not only have extensive experience booking flights, hotels, car rentals and other services but also understand what kinds of special requests clients typically make while traveling (ease of getting around town without having a car; quiet rooms near an elevator so there won’t be noise when other guests come home late at night; etc.).

Finding the perfect travel agent can be a difficult process. But by asking the right questions and doing your research, you can ensure that you’ll find an agent who is a good fit for you and your needs.