Herro everybody. My name is Rex and I'm the newest worker at Travelwise International located in Fort Washington, MD on 9201 Livingston Rd. I originally signed on to help my buddy Alvin with his accounting books but ended up doing everything not accounting related. To sum up what I've done so far...I've shredded about 5 years worth of invoices, paid checks, and random other records and did Western Union transactions.
To start off, my personal thoughts about travel agencies is that they were going to go the way of the dinosaur. I mean how could they possibly compete with the likes of online travel websites? Well after talking with Alvin he convinced me that travel agents still have a competitive edge. Apparently their advantage is that they can find international flights at a cheaper rate or comparable rate with reduced travel time, offer advice on traveling as well as assist you if anything should happen during your flights. They also specialize in putting together cruises and tours for your next vacation.
So, for those that are interested in how the business of airline ticketing works with online booking agents and travel agencies here's a little bit about how the business works. Online booking agents have an advantage over travel agencies in the domestic market (i.e. the U.S.) because they provide discounted tickets via cost reduction through automation and they buy tickets in bulk so they can sell them off with thin profit margins. Travel agencies on the other hand charge a service fee for domestic flights making them slightly more expensive. For international flights however, online booking agents do not buy the tickets in bulk and ultimately get prices that are comparable to what you would get from a travel agent. The major difference is that travel agencies will give you the customer service and advice you need to have a great travel experience. For example, if you book a flight online from Dulles to Tokyo and the lay over to Dallas is delayed what happens if you miss your connecting flight? At least with a travel agent you can have a contact to help you out. In addition, travel agents would be able to advise you on getting visas to countries so you aren't stopped by some airport agent to pay $60 for a visa to enter Thailand that you didn't need to pay in the 1st place.
That's just a little bit of what I've learned so far. So to conclude, from here on out I will be blogging about my experiences at this agency and sharing any travel tips to any fellow travelers out there.
Smart people Travelwise
