Do Travel Agents Really Help You Save Money?

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c8c7bb57-331e-436d-a4df-582a384c9d73.jpgWonder which is better, booking corporate travel yourself or using the services of a corporate travel agency? A new study, “Best of Both Worlds: Quantifying How Travel Agents Save Consumers Time and Money” answers that question. The study conclusively shows that using travel agents really do help you save money.

Saving Money

The study showed that most people who arranged their own travel wanted to save money; however, the results showed that using a travel agent saved an average of $452 a trip. So using a travel agent can not only help you avoid mistakes or an uneven quality of flights, transportation, and hotels, but it can also end up being cheaper. Nearly half of the people who did not use a travel agent said that they would have done so if they had known it would save them money.

Time is Money

Sometimes it seems like having your employees book their own travel would be more efficient and cost-effective. However, most employees are not experts at booking travel and can spend a lot of time trying to figure out the best routes, prices, and locations. The study found that on average travelers saved 4 hours by using an agent. So asking your employees to book their own travel adds four hours of their salary to the cost of the trip. Is it worth it?

Expert business travel agencies know far more about different airline routes and hotels than any business traveler. In addition, they have access to deals and information from a private network of global travel. That is probably why 69 percent of people surveyed said agents saved them time when planning and booking.

Consumer Results

One of the most interesting findings of the study is that 63% of travelers said their overall trip experience was better when they used an agent. Travel agents can improve the experience of travelers by:

  • Making sure all of their travel arrangements go smoothly.
  • Negotiating superior hotel, transportation and air accommodations for discount prices.
  • Being able to help business travelers to understand local situations.
  • Helping re-arrange travel to accommodate emergencies or changed plans.

Why Agents Are Better

Travel agents don’t just make arrangements. GTI travel’s agents are available in person 24/7 to deal with emergencies large and small. Getting the best deal is not just about saving money. It is about getting the services you need at the best price. With a travel agent, you don’t just get a person to make travel arrangements, you get someone to make sure those arrangements go well and someone who can help when they don’t.

Why GTI Travel is a Good Choice

Your company has a lot invested when they send out business travelers. Your company representatives don’t just need to get to a location, they need to arrive:

  • Rested and ready to present your company image.
  • On time for meetings.
  • With all of their luggage and presentation materials.
  • At a safe location that lets them travel where they need to go.

With 4000 locations in 149 countries, GTI Travel is well-positioned to take your business travelers anywhere in the world, but more importantly, to also get them home again safely.

 

9 Hacks You Should Know for Booking Airline Tickets

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Everyone knows that flying is a major part of business travel expenses, so snatching some savings on those tickets can add up. If your company wants to cut business expenses, here are 9 hacks that business travel experts say you should know for booking airline tickets:

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1. Go Undercover: Growing evidence suggests that airlines track your online behavior and notice what flights you type in. What does that mean? You may find that prices go up for flights you are searching for often. To get the best deals, try going undercover by:

  • Switching computers.
  • Clearing cookies.
  • Going “incognito” while browsing.

 

2. Go Elsewhere: It isn’t fair, but some International airline tickets within a country are more expensive if you buy them from the U.S. rather than from within that country. Try these hacks:

  • If you have a VPN login, you might be able to search for flights while connected to it to hide your country of origin.
  • Have a travel agency like GTI purchase airline flights for you from their network of international locations.

 

3. Go Local (Money that is!): Be sure to buy those International flights with local currency rather than dollars. Converted rates are inevitably more expensive. How? Select the native country as your location.

 

4. Go Budget: If money is more important than time and convenience, you might want to consider having your travelers fly on budget airlines. However, before you take this step, make sure:

  • Your business travelers will not waste more time on travel than it is worth.
  • Business travelers can bring carry-on luggage since budget travel often adds extra luggage fees.

 

5. Go Late: Need to make a change? Believe it or not, this is one time you ought to procrastinate. Most airlines only charge $50 for changing the flight on the same day. So, as long as there are seats available, you might want to wait until the day of the flight to change.

 

6. Go Trade: Have points for travel on different airlines but not enough for free flights? Consider buying the points you need to get rewards or using a service that lets you trade in points from a variety of programs.

 

7. Go Package: Getting flights, car, and hotels together can save you money. Great travel agencies can provide such packages to help customers not only get cheaper travel but also better accommodations.

 

8. Go Slow: If time is not of the essence, building in a layover or switching to a different airport can often save money. The trick is to not necessarily select a flight with a layover but to stitch two different flights with a common airport together.

 

9. Go Professional. The truth? Professionals like GTI Corporate Travel can probably do a better job of getting you the best deal. Why? GTI helps manage cost by using all of these hacks along with their 50 years of experience and a worldwide network of travel assistance in 4000 locations in 149 countries. For the best prices, best flights and best itineraries for your corporate travels, visit GTI‘s website here.