04/11/2026
๐จ ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ
I came across a recent news segment that suggested travelers should use a travel advisor for adviceโฆ and then book everything themselves to avoid paying.
Let me say this clearly:
That is not a โtravel hack.โ
That is a misunderstanding of how this industry actually works.
Hereโs the reality ๐
Another misconception?
That travel advisors are always on โvacationโ or traveling for free.
Letโs be real.
When we travel, weโre working.
Weโre touring resorts, taking notes, meeting with suppliers, evaluating experiences, and paying attention to the details most travelers would never think to look for.
We may be at an oceanfront resortโฆ
and never touch the sand.
Because weโre there to learn, to vet, and to make sure when we recommend something, itโs based on firsthand knowledge, not guesswork.
We invest in travel so our clients donโt have to take risks.
Professional travel advisors are not Google.
We are not โidea generators.โ
And we are certainly not here to provide free labor.
We are business owners. We are problem-solvers. And we are experts at what we do.
We:
โข Design personalized travel experiences
โข Navigate supplier systems and policies
โข Monitor changes, disruptions, and risks
โข Advocate for our clients when things go wrong
โข And stay with our clients from planning โ travel โ return
That level of service doesnโt start at booking.
It starts the moment you ask for expertise.
๐ก Letโs put this in perspective:
You wouldnโt ask an attorney how to fight a lawsuitโฆ then represent yourself to save money.
You wouldnโt ask a financial advisor what to invest inโฆ then cut them out of the transaction.
So why is it acceptable to do that to a travel advisor?
Organizations like ASTA - American Society of Travel Advisors responded quickly, and rightfully so.
Because this isnโt just about one comment.
This is about an industry made up of ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ
โข 95% are small business owners
โข 80% are women-owned
This is real expertise. Real careers. Real livelihoods.
Hereโs what I want travelers to understand:
โ๏ธ In many cases, working with a professional travel advisor does NOT cost more
โ๏ธ In many cases, it actually saves you time, stress, and costly mistakes
โ๏ธ And in every case, youโre getting someone in your corner
If you want DIY travel, thatโs your choice.
But if you choose to work with a professionalโฆ
๐ Respect the process
๐ Respect the expertise
๐ Respect the business behind it
Iโve spent 30+ years in this industry, and one thing I know for sure:
The difference between a โtripโ and a ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ-๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐
is the person behind it.
