Ranier Jenss
President & Founder, Family Travel Association
As summer vacation season approaches, hiring a travel agent may be the perfect way to ensure a memorable, stress-free trip for you and your family.
As the school year draws to a close and the weather heats up, the time to hit the road for an annual summer vacation is right around the corner. And for millions of Americans, this means traveling with children in tow.
Whether your travel plans include kids or not, summer vacations are important. Really important.
The cost of vacations
Vacations matter financially. Have you tried booking a flight, hotel room, cruise, or an all-inclusive stay during June, July or August? Don’t be surprised if you get sticker shock — the feeling of fear when prices are unexpectedly increased. High demand can make traveling in the summer a big financial investment for anyone, not just families.
Emotional importance
Summer getaways are also important emotionally. Simply put, we all need some time away from the office, the house, or the daily grind of our everyday lives. We need time to recharge and refresh. And for parents, traveling as a family is a very big deal. After all, is there anything more precious to a mom or dad than spending quality time together with their kids?
Planning the perfect summer holiday takes on a whole new level of significance for many of us. We all know people who have saved for years for that once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disney. Parents can be obsessed with making sure their family vacation leaves the children smiling and the photo albums full of special memories to talk about for years. This probably explains why the average mom visits 20-something websites before booking their trips, spending around 30 hours doing so.
Who to turn to
With all this time and energy spent researching, we also need to ask ourselves who could be trusted to help make the consequential decisions and execute the perfect itinerary? Who could understand our needs, special circumstances, and personal tastes? Travel agents!
Once thought to be a dying breed, travel agents are making a comeback and for good reason. Financially, they can save you money, get you upgrades, and ensure that you get the best deal for your money. Emotionally, an agent will not only save you time, they’ll be there for you if something goes wrong before, during, and even after your trip is over.
As you gear up for your summer road trip or vacation of a lifetime, don’t forget to pack the sunscreen and equip yourself with the guidance, purchasing power and protection of a professional travel planner. Happy trails!