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Contact: Great Southern Travel
www.greatsoutherntravel.com

Travel Agents: Masters at Complex Vacation Planning
Smart Money Magazine says travel agents can help with travel perks, lower prices

Springfield, MO. Feb. 21, 2008 – Internet or travel agent? It’s a dilemma many people wrestle with when planning their next vacation.

If you think most travel agents would always recommend their services over booking a trip online, think again. “Depending on the individual needs of the traveler and the complexity of the trip, a travel agent may not be necessary,” advises Kris Conley of Great Southern Travel, a 25-year travel industry veteran, “especially if it’s a simple airline ticket or booking a room at a well-known hotel chain. The Internet has made those types of transactions easy for most travelers. On the other hand, if your trip involves multiple destinations or several trip components, or you’re seeking a truly unique and personal vacation, that’s when an experienced, well-connected travel agent can really make a difference.”

According to an article in Smart Money magazine, travel agents can also use their connections to obtain hard-to-get travel perks for their clients. In the “Smart Spending” section of its June 2007 issue (“Travel Agents Are Staging a Comeback”), the magazine states, “… web sites like Hotels.com, Orbitz and Travelocity are losing some of their edge, especially when it comes to high-end locations. And customer displeasure is starting to show; growth in the once red-hot online travel business is cooling, up 20 percent last year after a 28 percent increase in 2004. Enter the travel agent, the most savvy of whom can use longtime connections to secure that ‘sold out’ room or coveted aisle seat …” Indeed, many travelers enjoy numerous special privileges because of the long-standing relationships their travel agents have developed over the years with travel suppliers.

Here are five other scenarios when a travel agent’s expertise may outperform the electronic variety:

  1. If you’re going on a cruise –With nearly 150 cruise lines and more than 225,000 staterooms to choose from, according to Cruise Lines International Association, where does one begin to narrow the choices for this very popular vacation option? Try a travel agent. Travel counselors stay plugged in to what’s hot – and what’s not – by frequently going on cruises and ship inspections and attending industry workshops. Agencies like Great Southern Travel can also work on your behalf to get you the best price, plus special perks and benefits not available when booking online or directly with the cruise line. For instance, Great Southern Travel can book you on one of its popular Ensemble® Hosted Cruises, which offers the extra attention of a knowledgeable host when needed during the cruise, plus other privileges like a private cocktail party onboard and a complimentary Ensemble® Experience shore event, ranging from gourmet luncheons and private museum openings to special musical performances and personally guided wildlife cruises. Expect the same insider information and special deals from many travel agents when it comes to independent or escorted tours.
  2. If your trip is complex – A vacation involving a 10-day Mediterranean cruise followed by a week on your own driving the Grand Corniche into Monte Carlo and on to Provence requires numerous airline, cruise, hotel, and car reservations. Arrival and departure times, hotel check-in and check-out policies, directions to the rental car agency, all can be overwhelming to most travelers. Leave those critical details (they’re all interconnected, too) to a travel counselor who has instant access to it all. The travel pro can probably even give you turn-by-turn directions to pick up your car in Nice (and what to do if rental agency is closed when you drop it off), not to mention the best café for people-watching along the famous "Croisette" in Cannes.
  3. If you’re looking for the out-of-the-ordinary – As more people search for the “road less traveled” when it comes to vacation experiences, savvy travel agents are creating quite a following in creating personalized “over-the-top” vacations for their adventurous clients. For instance, Great Southern Travel has access to hundreds of unique experiences for their clients – oftentimes off-limits to the general public. Interested in complimentary breakfast for two in a 13th century Irish castle? Sipping champagne at the foot of a waterfall in Hawaii? Building a nomad home out of felt, wood, and rope in Mongolia? Arriving by seaplane for a romantic private lunch on a remote Scottish Loch?  Whether it’s staying in a centuries-old castle or partaking in a culturally enriched encounter led by local experts, travelers have hundreds of these kinds of unique experiences to choose from when they book their vacation with a Great Southern Travel expert.
  4. If you’re traveling overseas – Do I need a passport and/or visa? What inoculations are required for entry? Are there security issues or travel advisories for this country? These are just three of a myriad of questions that a travel agent can answer for you within minutes. Travel counselors also have access to the specific locale and region, such as which museums are closed for renovation, which holidays shut down the city, and which festivals are coming up. Also, depending on your destination, certain “undiscovered” spots may not be accessible via the mainstream airlines (and by most travelers). Not to worry as travel agencies like Great Southern Travel have relationships with charter carriers and lesser-known airlines to get you to your hidden treasure.  
  5. If you want an ally 24/7 – Many people like the comfort in knowing they have a built-in problem solver if anything should happen along the way. When your flight to Ft. Lauderdale is cancelled (meaning you may miss your cruise), or the resort has lost your reservation (and it’s sold out for the next three days), or you’ve slipped and broken your leg while shopping along the Strøget in Copenhagen (and you’re in desperate need of a doctor), who are you going to call? If you booked it through an agency, you’ve got help – immediately and round-the-clock. “Our clients have our home phone numbers and cell phones to contact us in the case of an emergency after hours,” said Roy Shelby of Great Southern Travel. Travel agents can also recommend ways for you to save money without jeopardizing the quality of the vacation experience. Changing your departure or return date, selecting a similar but slightly different room at the resort, or modifying your choice of travel supplier in many instances will reap great savings.

And what about pricing? The Smart Money article also compared the vacation pricing of three traditional travel agencies to two travel Web sites. The results? The travel agents were able to deliver the greatest savings to their clients when going head to head with Expedia and Travelocity.

Indeed, a travel agent should not be the sole source when planning your next vacation. But if you’re seeking extraordinary experiences, insider connections, VIP treatment, and exclusive perks and privileges not possible on your own – plus the benefit of a real person – there’s none better.                      

Founded in 1977, Great Southern Travel, a division of Springfield, Mo.-based Great Southern Bank, is one of the largest travel agencies in Missouri and ranked among the top 100 agencies in the nation. The company is open seven days a week, 364 days a year and operates offices in Springfield (including a full-service office in the Springfield-Branson National Airport), Branson, Columbia, Joplin, Lebanon, Lee’s Summit, and St. Louis. Great Southern Travel corporate headquarters is located in Springfield, Mo., at 3424 S. National.  For more information, please call 1.800.749.7116 or visit www.greatsoutherntravel.com.  

Great Southern Travel is a member of Ensemble Travel® Group, an elite circle of professionals with knowledge of every type of vacation experience. Preferred partners include premier cruise lines, tour companies, on-site destination specialists, and hotels and resorts around the world. Great Southern Travel offers special amenities and unique travel opportunities, which are only available through an Ensemble Travel Group member agency.