I Used A Travel Advisor To Plan My Entire Trip, And I'll Never Go Back

Traveling in a pandemic world has brought a new slew of obstacles and stresses — so let the experts help you.

In late January 2020 I was on a long flight back from Asia. I had just spent three weeks traveling across Thailand — a trip that was planned by a small travel agency — when news of a new virus started spreading. Now, well over a year later, traveling looks a lot different.

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I had gotten back from my trip with the intention of writing this post, hoping to show how using a travel advisor can be a truly stress-free way to plan an incredible vacation, but everything went on pause as COVID-19 rapidly spread and our world shut down.

Truthfully, I've had this draft sitting around for 15 months. With vaccinations rolling out and traveling picking up, I realized using a travel advisor is actually more valuable than ever — more than it ever could have been in January of 2020.

So I am dusting this post off. I want to share a little bit of how Bailie (my fantastic travel consultant) planned the trip of my dreams and how easy she made it, but more so how travel companies like hers can help you navigate traveling in our new pandemic world.

Because here's the thing, pandemics aside, traveling is stressful. From the conception of a trip, to the planning, booking — shoot, just figuring out *what* you want to book (excursions? restaurants? best hotels?) — and then the actual traveling and navigating part. It can be a lot.

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Before my trip last year I knew wanted something truly relaxing. I didn't want to spend hours on research, stress about the logistics, or really do anything. It had been the first time in a while that I could burn through all my PTO, and I was adamant about having a stress-free vacation — if such a thing even exists.

And that's where the travel consultant comes into play.

Now, if you're thinking, travel advisors are still a thing? I get it, I had similar thoughts. What *do* they do in 2021? How are they different from Toula Portokalos à la My Big Fat Greek Wedding and other old-school agents who sported headsets and handed out brochures? More importantly, how can they help you travel thoughtfully, safely, and smartly in a pandemic?

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Since I had a lot of questions, I chatted with my travel advisor Bailie. I even got back in touch with her to see how her company, BE The Travel, is navigating COVID-19, and how she's helping her clients travel now. "Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there is a single part of our business that COVID did not touch in 2020. But looking back, I don’t think it changed too much of how we do business — I would say it enhanced a lot of things," says Bailie.

So what does she do? For starters, BE The Travel and other travel agencies help travelers navigate the wealth of the information out there on the internet. Just think about all of the reviews (are they fake? is this just a bitter old guy?), deals, promotions, flights, hotel options — I can go on — that are out there. It's never ending.

Travel advisors sift through the ever-growing travel landscape, even traveling to locations to experience it firsthand, so they can do the heavy lifting for you and recommend solid places they trust that cater to your interests.

Here are just some of the reasons I loved booking with a travel advisor (truly, could not recommend it more), plus more information on how they can help you plan a trip in our modern day.

1. First, I had full control over how much I wanted my advisor to step in. I provided her a budget, a to-do wish list, and a handful of things I'd handle on my own, and she did the rest.

Kayla Suazo

When I initially started this process, I knew I wanted to do The Bare Minimum. I didn't want to figure out the best time to fly or how to get to my hotel from the airport. Yes, I wanted *some* control over what hotel to stay at of course, and I had a list of things I definitely wanted to do and see, but I left the rest up to her.

I gave her my budget and how much I was willing to spend per night at a hotel, my airfare, and the like. She then came back with an itinerary proposal based on my interests and requests, and we worked together to finalize everything.

2. Expanding on that, travel agencies offer a variety of services beyond just purchasing plane tickets. My travel advisor booked all the ~touristy~ things I wanted to do, and even recommended other local attractions I could see (if I wanted, of course). She created a perfectly customized itinerary just for me and the dream trip I wanted.

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Yes, this is me with an elephant, and yes it was the best experience of my life. Visiting an elephant sanctuary was a big thing on my to-do list, and Bailie handled the entire booking process for me, including transportation to and from my hotel. She even found other local activities and pitched those as a part of the itinerary proposal.

Bailie has told me many times that she wants her company to "re-humanize traveling." It makes sense. I've grown accustomed to typing some words into Google, and hoping it spits out something I might be interested in. Realistically, a booking engine could never pay attention to the great detail that a travel agency can.

3. Transportation was taken care of for me and arranged before hand.

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Call me a baby, but I hate figuring out transportation in cities I've never been. Do I use Uber? A cab? A train? No, I have this massive suitcase with me, that wouldn't work.

So after traveling for days, it was nothing short of a relief to walk out of the airport and have a driver waiting for me. Reader: This also made me feel bougie as hell.

Bailie ensured transportation was lined up to all excursions and to and from each hotel I stayed at — which thank god, because I would have had a FUN time figuring out that there is one way to get to Railay Beach: by longboat.

4. Everything I needed for my trip (think: documents, itinerary, maps) was on a handy app I ended up relying heavily on.

Umapped / Kayla Suazo

This was, and I cannot stress this enough, life changing. My Thailand trip was packed with excursions and the app kept everything in order. As a lover of all things organization, this is what heaven looks like.

Not only did the app have each day broken down by activity and transportation pickup, it also had every document I needed for it. Plane tickets, excursion passes, transportation information — every online confirmation was there on the app for easy access.

5. My travel consultant and her travel agency work closely with hotels, global suppliers, and tour groups all over the world, which helped me feel at ease in the event something went wrong.

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At one point during my trip, I realized I needed to change plans and fly out of an airport that would involve a longboat trip to the main island, and then a two hour car ride from there. Not really something you want to be figuring out while night kayaking is calling your name. Bailie handled everything. In a matter of hours, I had an updated itinerary with who would pick me up and how I'd get to the airport.

Travel companies' connections with these global suppliers make a pivot in plans a breeze.

And now, a year into COVID-19, travel agencies like BE The Travel are working even harder to ensure your trip is successful. Here are additional ways they can help *you* plan a trip in a pandemic.

6. They remain up-to-date on testing requirements for each state and country.

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My first question for Bailie in all of this travel chaos was, how do travelers know what they need to do before traveling? Great news, her agency handles all of that.

"We stay on top of the ever-changing entry requirements for all corners of the world so that our clients don’t have to. What airlines are approved for entry into certain countries? What health declaration forms are needed to be filled out prior to travel? Where are vaccines or COVID tests required for entry? What test types and from what labs are acceptable to the destination? Is the test conducted 48 hours prior to travel? 72 hours? 120 hours?" If you've had those questions, she's got answers.

Her company even helps you plan for the biggest concern: What happens if I test positive before coming back?

7. They can help cancel a trip in the event you get sick with COVID, or simply need to postpone the trip for other reasons.

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Whether it's a last-minute positive COVID test, or a need to push a trip, travel agencies can make the unfortunate cancelling process easier on you.

Bailie's team had to reschedule innumerable trips planned in 2020. "I hate to say that cancelling and rescheduling at the last minute is something we’re especially good at these days, but it’s definitely a hat we just have to wear now. It’s part of it."

Basically, if you've gotta cancel a trip, leave it to the experts to help you reschedule it or get your money back.

8. They can plan the trip you want, whether it's a big bachelorette party, babymoon, destination wedding, or anniversary — you've got a trip idea, they'll see it to fruition.

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Many full-service agencies like BE The Travel offer their assistance in planning a variety of trips. Here are the big five that Bailie's company sees a lot of:

Romance Travel: "Mini-moons, honeymoons, mega-moons and babymoons; just-because trips and milestone anniversaries. We get jazzed about romance travel and believe it's the best investment to make in any relationship.

Family and Friends Group Trips: "Be it a family vacation or crew of friends getting away together, all group travel calls for an extra layer of communication and attention to detail. You'll want to work with an advisor with the perfect skillset to manage it all for you!

Quick Little Getaways: "Even the smaller trips can benefit from some BTT (Be The Travel) TLC. From domestic mini-vacations to the short escapes that still require a passport stamp, our team can take any quick little getaway from good to really, really great.

Multi-Stop Adventures: "The trips where you unpack your suitcase more than once always call for more complex planning in the front end. No matter where you're dreaming of jet-setting off to, our team of advisors are excited to bring that vision to life!

Destination Weddings: "Planning one of the most important days of your life can come with its challenges; planning that day from afar can come with even more. We have the connections and experience you need to make the entire planning process a breeze!"

9. They offer a variety of packages so you can find something that will work with your budget.

BE The Travel

I think a common misconception is that travel agencies are only for the fancy and affluent. Their services might seem unattainable, or like a big extra charge on an already pricey trip, but different companies offer services at different price points, meaning you can absolutely find something that's in line with what you want to spend.

For example, BE The Travel offers an "A La Carte" package for different travel options (like romance travel!) that starts at $50. Their travel consultants can plan bits and pieces of your trip, and handle the things you dread planning.

10. And finally, working with a travel advisor — especially today — means you're not alone in the chaos of planning, and even when the traveling part happens.

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I don't think it matters if you love planning trips or despise them, you can find comfort in knowing you have people to support you in your planning endeavors. We're busy. It's hard to find time to really plan the trip of our dreams. BE The Travel takes that stress away from you, while still giving you keys to the driver seat. They'll be as involved as you need them to be, and then every step of the way from the planning process all the way until you touch back down in your home state.

COVID changed a lot about how we live our lives and how we travel. It changed travel agencies, too. They've shifted their business to better meet the current needs of their clients.

Bailie so wonderfully summarized how it changed it her business, "I feel so much closer to all of our travelers now than I ever have before — because if you want to serve your people well, you have to really understand them. Travel is such a fragile thing right now. It’s a risk, in a lot of ways: a financial risk, a health risk, even a time risk. When people come to us for help and guidance in travel planning these days, it goes way deeper than helping them navigate Google search results."

If all of this sounds amazing to you (and I promise you, it is), here's more info on BE The Travel, plus a list of additional agencies that cater to other travel needs!

BE The Travel — read more about their process here, and more on their services here

Las Morenas de Espana — an agency that can help you with actually moving abroad 

Milk + Honey Travels — a small boutique agency that does a range of things like custom trip planning, one-day itineraries, a la carte options (like BE!), and smaller experiences

Esprit Errant — a luxury destination wedding company that can step in and help plan your big day abroad 

Curiosity — a Black-owned agency that connects you with "a network of African design hostels and hotels, sharing an authentic experience of this continent, one city at a time"

Salt & Wind Travel — a "food-first" small agency that will prioritize your trip around what matters to you most: food