Why Should I Use a Travel Agency for My Group Vacation?
At first glance, you might think a travel agency is just a middleman that adds extra costs. Understandably, you may prefer to handle everything yourself to avoid those additional expenses. However, this widespread belief is actually a myth.
While it's natural to want control over your booking, those who understand the benefits of using a travel agency can reap significant rewards. These include opportunities like better pricing, resort credits, insider knowledge of destinations, connections with local professionals (in the case of pickleball vacations), strong relationships with resort staff, and much more.
Most travel agencies don’t charge fees for booking all-inclusive resorts or cruises. Instead, they are paid by the resort or cruise line, functioning much like an employee assisting with group bookings. Resorts are not only happy to have groups booking with them, but they also highly value the additional support provided by travel agencies. They believe that the travel agency will add to their experience, and the group is more likely to book in the future.
In fact, representatives from cruises and resorts like Sandals Resorts often pay to meet with travel agencies to share the best ways to book their properties. Travel agencies also have close relationships with Business Development Managers (BDMs), which can be invaluable for resolving issues during vacations or highlighting special resort amenities. Last year in Jamaica, a resort snafu at the pickleball courts that could have been a protracted "disaster" at the pickleball courts was quickly resolved by travel agency and BDM within a few hours.
For example, when planning a pickleball getaway, you might not realize that you could qualify for additional resort credits just by setting up a virtual zoom with a travel agency and their BDM contacts. This is a way that the expert at the resort can identify specifics of the group that match up well with the resort. Additionally, agencies and resort representatives often manage pickleball court reservations, ensuring your group has exclusive access. Just last week, I joined Mark Price (renowned pickleball pro coach) and a group from Georgia, and I enjoyed an incredible pickleball trip to Jamaica. We had private access to the courts, refreshments delivered daily, group photos, and special dinner reservations arranged for us—all thanks to the travel agency.
What Are the Advantages of Not Using a Travel Agency?
Some travelers may prefer to have complete control over their bookings. However, those who aren't immersed in the travel industry every day might miss out on special deals, resort updates, or hidden perks.
As for cutting out the "middleman," it's important to note that resorts want travel agencies involved and pay them directly for their services. This doesn’t cost travelers anything extra.
Some agencies, like Pickleball Travel, even offer unique benefits such as certified pickleball coaches who accompany the group to enhance the experience. At times, Pickleball Travel provides free coaching, especially at new destinations where the agency seeks to research the area.
There are so many amazing destinations for pickleball groups, including Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, Mexico, and Punta Cana, to name a few.
Why not reach out to a group leader to set up a video chat with a travel agency? It could lead to the pickleball trip of a lifetime!