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Why 2021 Will be the Year of the Travel Advisor

It didn’t take long for people to realize why they should have booked their holiday with a travel advisor this time last year. As the corona virus pandemic was in its infancy, uncertainty swarmed the travel industry causing airlines to cancel flights and routes, resorts to shut down and destinations to close borders.

People spent countless hours on the phone trying to reach someone, anyone, to assist with their changing reservations. However, those who had a trip booked through a Travel Advisor simply called the direct line and were in contact with their agent within minutes.

Throughout the latter part of 2020, we did receive numerous calls from passengers, who had either booked directly with the airline or online, and were stranded because their flights had been cancelled. We did provide whatever assistance we could, but ultimately as we hadn’t issued their original ticket, we could not access their complete ticket details.

Moving into 2021, Travel Advisors will be a vital part of the travel booking process. Of course, there are obvious reasons for working with a Travel Advisor – saving time and money – but this year there are even more important reasons.

The year 2020 has been a rollercoaster for the travel industry. After the initial uncertainty, the year consisted of closures, phased reopening’s and endless amounts of ever-changing travel restrictions. And these restrictions aren’t the easiest to navigate. Some destinations only allow visitors from certain areas; others need a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival, and certain places even require a specific type of travel insurance.

Not only do Travel Advisors have this knowledge at the tip of their fingers, but they are continually staying up to date with the changes.

By the time a travel announcement reached your ears, though, agents had already advised all of their clients and provided them the necessary information or assistance if it affected their trip in any way.

Travel Advisors also have direct contacts for airlines, resorts and destinations, so it doesn’t take long for them to acquire the details they need. They also ensure their clients have flexible itineraries and are covered with the best insurance plans in case an emergency presents itself.

Working with a Travel Advisor has always been the way to go, but 2020 brought this to light for many people.

We actually had a case last Wednesday night, one of our passengers was booked on the Brussels Airlines flight from Entebbe via Brussels to Heathrow. Unfortunately, the aircraft that was due to operate from Entebbe to Brussels had a technical glitch and the flight was cancelled. The passenger phoned us and within 10 minutes she had a new ticket on KLM from Entebbe to Amsterdam and onto Heathrow.

If you haven’t worked with an agent in the past, this year is the time to do so.

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