Excerpt from Barrons
Waves of infections, changing protocols, and postponed flights are merely a handful of realities folks face while traveling during the pandemic. Even during “normal” times, travel isn’t always straightforward, and with a plethora of moving parts, every vacation brings risk. But those risks have multiplied with Covid, and trip planning has become more complicated.
Enter the travel agent—or, as they’re more often called these days, the travel advisor. They’re organizers, destination experts, and a 24-hour concierge who can tailor a trip, replan, reschedule, and even keep a momentous holiday from crumbling to pieces.
“Whether it’s a flight cancellation, problems at a hotel, or unexpected illness, a travel professional can quickly jump in and assess the situation and then navigate all the roadblocks to find a solution,” says David Harris, CEO of North America-headquartered Ensemble Travel Group, and, previously, a second-generation travel agency owner. “That has never been more apparent than during the pandemic.”
While travel portals such as Tripadvisor, Booking.com, and Expedia Group have exploded in the past decade—with many people taking the lead to plan their own vacations—websites and apps can’t replace an individual offering personalized advice or curating a bespoke experience. And jetsetters are in agreement. In 2021, in particular, travel agencies are in the middle of a boom.
“After enduring the most brutal year in the 20-plus since I started the business, I’ve seen a staggering rebound in the last six months,” says Casey Halloran, co-founder, and CEO of Costa Rican Luxury Vacations, a company designing high-end, custom trips to Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua. “Now that traveling has new barriers, ever-changing rules, and mild anxiety attached, agents are able to add even more value to travelers.”
Halloran explains that specific to pandemic travel, advisors assist with gathering the destination’s Covid statistics, info on entry and exit requirements and local regulations, not to mention protocols at hotels, advice on travel insurance, and contingency plans for worst-case scenarios.
“As all these factors are in flux, it’s the job of a great agent to be constantly on top of it, filtering the noise and informing the customer,” he adds. A reputable travel agent should help their clients “understand risks, mitigating those as best we can, and helping them feel comfortable to responsibly travel again.”
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