So you decided you want to take a vacation. You can’t even remember the last time you went on a really nice getaway like a cruise or stayed at a beautiful all-inclusive resort. So you think this should not be a problem. I will just jump on the old computer plan and book it through one of the many OTA’s (Online Travel Agents) available. Easy right?
There are many that come to your mind because you keep seeing their names on TV or in print ads. Giants like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, TripAdvisor, Priceline, Booking.com all waiting for you to jump online and use any of the services they provide. They all claim that they can give you the best deal and you will save lots of money on your special vacation trip.
OTA’s were originally designed to sell excess inventory in times of slow demand. The OTA’s used to rely on ample off-peak inventory, like empty seats on planes; rooms in hotels; cabins on cruises to offer discounts, and it worked. Vendors would dump their excess inventory on OTA sites for a premium commission to the OTA’s.
But like anything that is good, too many OTA’s went into business and the suppliers finally wised up to what was happening in the travel industry. They stopped offering the full cache available to them; made them sign contracts that they could not offer prices lower than what a customer could find on a vendor’s own website; stopped paying the high end commissions to sell a vendor’s product.
The airline industry learned early that they lost control of inventory and pricing when they allowed OTA’s to fill their plane seats. What was once a one-stop-shop on booking your travel is no longer available on OTA sites. They can no longer offer the smorgasbord of travel products and discounts they used to.
So what happened as a circumstance of this reduced inventory is that the OTA’s began not to offer the best deals on a regular basis. The OTAs pricing began to shift constantly due to supply and demand. This means that customers could potentially be directed to sites that weren’t the best deals. For example, using their current high-end technology, the OTA would know when and how a traveler is booking. So if a traveler is attempting to book a hotel, on a mobile phone, the same evening of their desired reservation date, the OTA’s magic algorithm will smell their desperation, and potentially steer the customer to more expensive booking.
So what is my alternative if you don’t use an OTA to book your vacation. Your trusted and friendly Travel Advisor. While the OTA sounds like an easy and economical way to compare and book your special vacation, it actually costs you money you don’t even think you are spending.
The average number of hours a person spends researching and booking a vacation is 25. Now if you take the number of hours spent and times it by the average hourly wage in the U.S. in 2019 of $23.83, you will see it costs you $595.75 just to plan and book your next special vacation.
Couple this with approximately 140 different websites (a conservative number) a person visits to plan a vacation, using that Travel Advisor, who will do all of your legwork for you and won’t cost you anything to use them, doesn’t sound like a bad idea. In fact, it’s a relief you can now spend your time on other things that need your attention. So let’s compare using an OTA vs. a Travel Advisor and see which way serves your best interest.
Pricing
OTA: They will show you the best price at the time you are searching, this may not be the final and best price you will pay once you decide to book. Prices can fluctuate daily and even hourly. Prices can even change based on which device you are searching on. And remember those cookies. Those are the algorithms that your search engine keeps on your computer or phone. Once you have visited a site so many times, the price you see will constantly keep changing. So you are never assured that it is the best price. You may also find, once you proceed to the final booking process, hidden fees and taxes tacked on at the end that were not disclosed in all of your searching.
Travel Advisor: A Travel Advisor is always looking to get you the best price and will do all of the necessary research to determine if it is actually the best deal. Travel Advisors belong to travel network consortiums which can provide exclusive deals and offers that are not available to the public online. The price you are quoted is the price you will pay and you can be 100% confident that you’re getting a great deal.
Personalization
OTA’s: Provide the basic services that are available. You want to book a flight, hotel room, rent a car this can all be done with little hassle. But that is where the services end. If you have any questions regarding any part of the services you booked, good luck. There is no person you can call to ask questions or has much knowledge of where you are headed.
Travel Advisor: This is where the Travel Advisors really shine and can make all the difference in the overall experience you will get on your vacation. Need a group booking on a cruise, that special restaurant to go for an anniversary in Paris, the land tour package at a cruise port, the Travel Advisor can not only help they can make all of the arrangements. Most Travel Advisors have traveled extensively and their knowledge and recommendations will ensure that your special vacation is top notch. They can customize your vacation according to your exact needs. Something you will never get using an OTA.
Customer Service
OTA’s: Is not a forte for OTA’s. Remember they provide basic services. If that is all you are looking for, great. But if you are a person that likes to ask a lot of questions on every phase of your trip, using an OTA is not the answer. You will be sorely disappointed in your overall experience of your trip. Many have terrible reviews criticizing this part of their business.
Travel Advisor: On this vital part of planning and booking your vacation, the Travel Advisor specializes in great customer service. Along with recommendations and personalization, a Travel Advisor is available as needed to answer questions before, during and after your trip. They are a simple phone call away.
Upgrades
OTA’s: Remember, basic services here. Airlines, hotels and car rental companies pay a huge fee to OTAs, which means less money in their pocket when you book through one. Why would they be inclined to give an upgrade to someone who is essentially making them less money? What you see on your computer screen is what you are going to end up with on your vacation.
Travel Advisor: Using their network of travel consortiums not generally available to the public, a Travel Advisor will work hard to get you not only the best possible price, but any upgrades that are available. Because Travel Advisors book so many cruises, hotels, and rental cars each year, their vendors will pass along discounts and upgrades as part of the vendor loyalty program. These discounts and upgrades are then passed on to the client. So that cruise with Oceanview stateroom can now become a Balcony stateroom and the hotel with a partial view of the ocean can now be upgraded to a full view of the ocean. These are perks you would never receive using an OTA.
Emergency Service
We all hope that our special vacation goes off without a hitch, but less face it, problems do arise. Weather, natural disasters, family emergencies can turn a good time into needing immediate service. Instead of talking to a robot or waiting on hold for hours with an OTA, your Travel Advisor can take care of anything that needs to be done. With one phone call any service that you need taken care of will be handled.
Rebooking flights due to weather; booking added stay at a hotel due to a delay on a cruise; making arrangements with the cruise company on any refunds due to an illness or death in the family. Personalized, friendly service you will never get using an OTA.
So which method of booking a vacation will work for me? If you are looking for a “no frills” straight-forward booking of a flight, hotel room or rental car, then using an OTA will work for most people. Just make sure it is a reputable OTA site. OTA site fraud is increasing rapidly and could leave you with no reservations and your bank account missing the money.
But if you are planning a vacation that has many parts and details like a cruise to many ports, shore excursions, flights, hotel rooms and connections to several places, than it is best to use a Travel Advisor. Their knowledge eclipses OTA sites when you factor in the exclusive money-saving deals, great travel tips, and time-saving research they do on the consumers behalf. And that’s not to mention the passion they have for their jobs. They will have the time, knowledge, recommendations and your best interests at heart.
Travel Advisors also eliminate the element of surprise. They are aware of how much hidden resort fees cost and which hotels have them. They know which countries require two full blank pages in your passport and which ones require visas. They will also do all of the hard work for you and come back with a total package at the best price, so all you have to do is just have to pack a suitcase and then go have the time of your life.