The Game Has Changed. Here Are a Few Benefits of Crafting Your Travel Plans With an Expert Travel Advisor.

Benefits

Greater flexibility.
Flexibility is probably the most important objective when planning travel moving forward. And because professional travel advisors have relationships around the world, they are often able to negotiate even better flexibility when it comes to important aspects of your vacation like deposit policies and minimum night stay requirements.

Someone to help free up your time.
In terms of value, one of the greatest benefits of working with a professional travel advisor is the incredible amount of time they will save you. But that extends beyond the planning process. With Covid, the amount of time spent on hold has grown exponentially. If changes are needed or cancellations need to be made, an expert takes care of all that for you. And will usually get much quicker responses and better results because of the great relationships they have.

A professional vs. the great abyss of Google.
There is more information about travel on the internet than anyone can possibly manage. And the information about travel, Covid and all of the different policies and restrictions is constantly changing. Trying to stay on top of this requires a LOT of time, and patience. If you work with a travel professional, they will keep track and keep you updated on all pertinent information you need to know about Covid and your travel plans.

Recommendations

Put together your bucket-list.
Covid has definitely made everyone realize that you only live once. If you are a lover of lists, or want a fun activity for a normally boring Covid evening, get together with your travel partner and put together a list of all the places you’d love to visit. You can put them in order of interest, note which ones are the ultimate dream trips, any special occasions you want to celebrate in certain destinations, and highlight any specific activities or events you want to hit – like seeing the Northern lights while visiting the Fjords in Norway, or catching a soccer game in Brazil. Sharing a list like this will be extremely helpful for your travel advisor in coming up with a game plan for travel when things open up. The demand is going to be through the roof. Being flexible about destinations, and knowing what you’re interested in, will provide an invaluable head start on planning and securing you what limited space might be available.

Consider travel insurance.
Definitely not as fun as preparing your bucket-list, but looking into insurance options your travel advisor proposes is now, more than ever, something to consider. On top of that, many countries are now requiring insurance as a qualifier to entry (in case you were to become ill while traveling and need health coverage).

Plan in advance – way in advance. 
You are not alone in your desire to travel. The demand is unprecedented and securing space early is more important than ever. If there is a trip you are serious about taking, don’t hesitate in starting the planning process with your advisor. They will work to get you flexible cancellation and deposit policies, secure your space, and give you something exciting to look forward to. We recommend a minimum of 6 months for bigger trips. Ideally 9 months to a year (or more) if you have a particular trip in mind.

Be flexible and have reasonable expectations.
Hotels, air travel, and cruise ships will all look and feel very different and will be constantly evolving experiences. Understanding and expecting this, and “going-with-the-flow” will undoubtedly provide a better, more enjoyable time traveling. You may have had your heart set on that cruise to Alaska to celebrate an anniversary, but your travel planner can provide you with great alternative itineraries before we can get back out to sea. Having a plan B is a very good idea (another reason to have a bucket list created). As much as we all want to travel abroad, our own backyard is pretty incredible and there are some great destinations and hotels a short flight, or even a road trip away. With flexibility, Covid doesn’t have to completely derail all of your travel fun.