How to Find an Online Travel Agent

A good online travel agent provides personalized services. (Photo: travel airport image by jeancliclac from Fotolia.com )

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In this age of book-it-yourself and bid-for-the-deal travel Websites, securing the services of an online travel agent can seem redundant. However, there are good reasons that travel agents are not obsolete, as these travel professionals have expertise and provide personalized recommendations and services not found anywhere else. The key is to find and choose an online travel agent that will be the best fit for helping you plan your perfect getaway.

Step 1

Ask friends, family or coworkers for recommendations to online travel agents they have used in the past. Word-of-mouth is still the best way to find a great travel agent. Ask specific questions about their experiences, such as why they chose a particular online travel agent, destinations they booked and the level of customer service received, which helps to determine if the agent is a good fit for your plans.

Step 2

Perform a search and plan on spending time analyzing the results. Online travel agents generally have a prominent Web presence. Search for \ travel agent,\ but include other, more specific search terms that describe the type of trip you are trying to book (such as \ honeymoon\ or \ educational tour\ ), the destination (for instance, \ Bali,\ \ The Pacific Northwest,\ or \ Europe\ ) and any specific needs or wants you have (such as \ child friendly,\ \ handicapped accessible,\ \ budget,\ or \ senior\ ). This will whittle down your internet searches somewhat, however, many websites do still \ stuff\ themselves with keywords that may or may not be applicable. Look for professional-looking websites that appear to have been recently updated and which feature customer testimonials.

Review the agent ??s specializations. While many are generalists, travel agents do tend to have a niche in which they have expertise. Twenty-year veteran travel agent Molly Sumption, owner of Molly ??s Caribbean in the Pacific Northwest, says, ??A good travel agent will be able to give you recommendations based on their personal experience at the destination--give you a personal view beyond tourism brochures. ?

Contact the agent directly, either by email or phone, and speak with them about the services they provide. A good online travel agent should be available to you before and during your travel, advising on how to find the best rates, how to prepare for your trip, things you should expect or look out for during your travels and be available to you should something unexpected happen (for example, sudden hurricanes in the Caribbean or other natural disasters).