We’ve all been there.
You decide it’s time that you took that vacation. Your long hours at work have left you craving the easy days of endless cocktails and warm sunshine. So, eagerly you start scrolling an online booking site and find that six hours later you haven’t booked anything and you’re more confused than excited.
You need a break. You close your computer and decide to revisit it at another time. Inevitably, another time doesn’t come because you’re busy. Three months later you start the cycle over.
Sound familiar? No, I haven’t been spying on you. I have lived that cycle more times than I can count. Throw in the added complexity of accessible bookings or more travellers than the standard four, and you have the perfect recipe for an emotional breakdown.
The Fear of Messing Up
Whether you want to agree with me or not, travel is a luxury item. And like any luxury item, it comes with a significant investment.
This significant investment is what fuels the fear of messing up that lives inside every Expedia browser’s heart. What if I get to my resort and it’s not like the pictures? What if the food is horrible? What if there’s bugs in the room? What if I feel like I got ripped off?
And the worst part is, that those fears are not irrational! One, if not all, of the short list of fears above has been every travellers reality at some point. When every trip booked is a gamble, travel loses it’s sparkle.
AI is a Horrible Travel Planner
AI has burst onto the scene in a flurry of excitement and hype. And I can tell you that in the travel world we’re bracing for impact. Not because we think AI will take our jobs. Absolutely not. The wave we’re bracing for is actually a tsunami of future clients who will realize the hard way that AI is a horrible travel planner.
AI will never be able to replace the human touch. It cannot read body language or the subtle vocal inflections that can pivot a conversation toward the best outcome. It cannot relay vital information, make special arrangements, or personalize itineraries to the same extent as a human advisor can.
What two-thirds of the population still don’t know is that Travel Advisors are not only still relevant, we are an essential safeguard to protecting your travel investment.
The Solution
A good Travel Advisor builds a relationship with you so it feels like you’re booking travel with a friend. We filter out the noise, identify your priorities, and honour your preferred pace, needs and price point.
Unfortunately, we are travel’s best kept secret. So I’ve made it my mission to uncover the value of working with a Travel Advisor, one client — and one reader — at a time.
If you’re curious about learning more about working with a Travel Advisor or booking your next vacation with me, reach out. Leave a comment. Message or email me.
Together, let’s bring back travel’s sparkle in your life.
