As with everything in life….it depends.
Over 20 years ago (before this whole internet thing became so popular) I used a travel company to book a tour for Mary and I, my parents, and Mary’s mom. It was a great tour of Ireland by bus and there was no guess work on my end. We had a set itinerary and knew exactly how everything was going to proceed for the week. I was very pleased with the company (CIE Tours) which is still in business and was glad that was what we decided to do at the time.
Fast forward several years….I would now never use one. I enjoy planning my own “loose itinerary” and mapping out all the details. It’s really easy and I couldn’t imagine paying someone else to do it for me. I also find that I get amazing deals when you’re flexible on travel dates as well as accommodations, airfare, etc. And now with AI, you can pretty much let that be your travel agent.
In fairness, if you are traveling in a large group or have the means to do a “luxury” vacation, I believe you could still benefit from utilizing a travel agent. But for the family vacation to the islands or a National Park or to Europe….take some time and plan out what you want to do on your own….it’s not that hard.
Our tour group from 2005 in Ireland
Having a proper pint….damn….we looked so much younger!!
Mary and the parents at Blarney Castle.
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