Is a Travel Agent Worth It in 2026? An Honest Answer from an Actual Travel Advisor
Almost always - yes!
4/29/20263 min read
Published by Alex | Ontario-based travel advisor with Fora Travel
Let me save you some time: if you're booking a four-night all-inclusive in Cancún and you've done it before, you probably don't need a travel agent. As much as I'd love your business, you can book it yourself. You'll be totally fine.
But if you're here because you're planning something more complicated - a three-week trip to Japan, a cruise with multiple ports, a milestone trip where things actually going wrong would be devastating - then keep reading. These are the things I love to do.
The honest case for using a travel advisor
Can you find most of what you need on Google and ChatGPT? Yeah.
But it can be hard to know what to trust. Everyone has a differing opinion on what's the best, unmissable, or worth your money.
A travel advisor isn't a replacement for the internet. They're the person who's already done the research, knows which sources to trust, and is reachable by phone if everything falls apart while you're already in a foreign country.
I'll tell you things you didn't know you needed to know (and so you didn't know to Google!). And I'll do the heavy lifting of putting the pieces together and finding the best prices.
What I actually do that a search engine can't
I've been there, or I know someone who has. The trips I plan aren't built from aggregator sites. They're built from supplier relationships, advisor networks, and actual first-hand knowledge. When I recommend a ryokan in Kyushu or a shore excursion in Athens, it's not because it ranked well on Google. It's because I know it's the right fit for you specifically.
I match the trip to the person, not the other way around. This is hard to replicate online. Reading a person and figuring out whether they're the type who wants every hour scheduled or who needs breathing room, whether they'll love a 6am temple visit or resent it - that's a skill. A listicle of the top 10 things to do in all of the UK isn't going to do that.
I handle the stuff you didn't know you had to handle. Entry requirements, visa considerations, travel insurance, cruise line loyalty programs, deposit deadlines, cancellation policies. Not the fun part of trip planning. Also not optional.
I'm in your corner when something breaks. When a cruise port gets cancelled, when a hotel overbooks, when an airline reroutes your flight and dumps you in a city that wasn't on the plan, you want someone who has supplier contacts and knows how to escalate. That someone is not the chatbot on the airline's website.
Does it cost more to use a travel advisor?
No!! Most travel advisors - including me - earn through commissions paid by hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators. The rate you'd book at directly is typically the same rate I can access, or better, because of agency relationships and negotiated perks. I'm also obsessed with constantly rechecking to see if prices on something have dropped, and if I can, I'll price match you to the new cost.
That said, some advisors charge planning fees for complex itineraries. I'll always be upfront about that before we start working together, so there are no surprises.
When you should definitely use an advisor
Multi-destination international travel. Japan, Europe, Southeast Asia, anywhere with a lot of moving pieces
Cruises. Especially if you're new to cruising, or choosing between cruise lines and don't know the real differences between them. Cruises are actually my specialty, so please reach out if you've ever wondered about getting on a big boat for a vacation!
Once-in-a-lifetime trips. Honeymoons, milestone anniversaries, family reunion travel. Anything this important deserves someone in your corner coordinating everything.
Group travel. Coordinating multiple people's preferences, flights, and rooms is its own job. I can also often get group discounts!
Anywhere you've never been. Particularly destinations where language, logistics, or cultural norms are significantly different from home.
A bit about me
I'm an Ontario-based travel advisor working with Fora Travel. I'm TICO certified, Fora certified, and trained with Disney, Royal Caribbean University, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. My specialty is cruising, but I plan trips across a lot of destinations.
I work with people who want their trip done properly. Not cookie-cutter, not a package someone assembled without knowing anything about you.... a trip that actually fits so that you can have the trip of a lifetime!
If that sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to hear about it.
Ready to talk? alex.wells@fora.travel or reach out using the form below.
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Alex Wells
Fora Travel
1235 Bay Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON, M5R 3K4