Think You Save Time and Money Booking Trips Yourself Online? Think Again! Three Misconceptions of Online Travel Enthusiasts

Many friends and clients of Purple Light call us right away when they are thinking about booking a cruise, but still think that they save time and money booking their own hotel stays online rather than seeking our help. It has taken a while for us to convince them otherwise. Here are three of the biggest misconceptions about booking your own trips online:

I Save Money Booking My Own Trips Online

You may think that you can find a better price online than travel agents get. This thinking is flawed for several reasons. Let’s say you find a great price using a search engine such as Expedia or Orbitz. Well, these sites offer the same rates to travel agent affiliates such as Purple Light. When Purple Light books a trip for you, it can almost always at least match the great rate you yourself found. Because Purple Light extends a gift to its customers who book hotel stays of five or more nights, essentially sharing its commission with its clients, you are simply leaving money on the table by booking it on your own. Plus, because travel agents like Purple Light receive constant communication from hotels and other travel suppliers, it is very possible that they have knowledge of special deals of which you are not aware.

Finally a travel agent such as Purple Light provides you with city overviews and other destination insight. Therefore, why would you insist on booking your own trip when this would deprive you of added value that you would receive at no additional cost?

I Know How to Find the Best Deal

If you are booking a hotel room in a city you travel to frequently, you may be able to spot a great deal. However, are you really able to sort through reviews on Trip Advisor, Yelp or other sites and really know which hotel best suits your needs? Do you know which hotels are really 5 star quality regardless of the stars they claim to have? Do you know how to sort the complaints of whiners from those with valid concerns?  Do you know whether the best deal is the hotel that is $20 cheaper or the one that is $20 more but worth $100 more? Good travel agents do. We have some clients who are extremely knowledgeable about the places they travel. However, even they have come to realize that, almost always, we can at least match the great hotel deal they found. Sometimes we know of a better deal and always provide some added value. It is a no-lose proposition to contact us.

I Save Time By Booking Myself

It takes time to find and sort through the various hotel offerings out there to find the one best for you. A quick phone call, text or email to a good travel agent may save you a ton of time at no additional cost. You can then spend your time shopping for your trip, going to the gym to look/feel your best for your voyage, or attending to the rest of your life.