Updated: November 23, 2019
More and more today the travel professional is asked to take up where the online booking harvesters (Expedia, Booking.com, Orbitz, Trivago, Travelocity, and much more.) leave off. These online booking harvesters have subliminally and consciously encouraged the perception to the traveler that a travel professional is no longer needed, until their plans don’t go as planned. When travel plans go bad is when the online bookers go to the rule book which factors little or no empathy for YOUR travel interruption. That is when their additional fees kick in to get YOU “back in the saddle again”. The on-line bookers do not want to get in the travel consultation (travel agent/travel professional) business for many reasons:
1. Additional and continuous, rigorous training
2. Employee pay increases
3. Employee benefits
4. Academic updates
5. Per customer time increases
6. Increased customer acquisition and retention cost
The aforementioned is just the tip of the iceberg of reasons the on-line bookers don’t step all the way into the travel business. In the past airlines paid the travel agent a commission, but today airline commissions are rare. The truth of this matter is that most travel and hospitality providers prefer the travel agent to book for the traveler for a wide range of reasons:
1. Travel professionals know the client’s needs.
2. Travel professionals look at the total picture of the itinerary
3. Travel professionals help to configure a tailored strategy with the traveler and others in the traveling party.
4. Travel professionals know what additional products and services are needed or NOT.
5. Travel professionals are very mindful of budget constraints
6. Travel professionals have their client as their utmost priority
With a sigh of relief the travel professional is beginning to experience a realization from the traveling public that a bonafide, educated, travel professional is the smartest way to travel domestic and international, but there still remains a segment of the traveling public that want the hard work and assurances of a travel professional for free. Just ask yourself this question – “Do you provide your expertise to your employer for free?” In most cases the answer is a resounding NO as it should.

Therefore, RJ Travel Advisors has developed a service fee schedule for those that prefer to book direct, but don’t have the numerous research tools or the time allotment for such an arduous task. Should the traveler decide to allow our travel professionals to do the booking, *sometimes a portion of the fees will be deducted.

Because of the very nature of travel, time is always of the very essence when considering the “Where, When and How “of travel nuances. Travel pricing is a very fluid environment, therefore when travel professionals quote on any part of an itinerary; those prices are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the provider (airline, hotelier, resort, cruise line…). The RJ Travel Advisors™ travel professionals will always strive to provide optimal quality in every aspect of our clients travel experience by staying abreast of trendings on social, geo, political, and eco terrains, both domestically and internationally. We have invested in technology services that can respond to our customers’ needs no matter of their geo-location. When considering vacations, business, groups, destination weddings, events, or an emergency, consider RJ Travel Advisors™ your strategic partner and our travel professionals will strive to deliver the “Best Routes, Best Service, Best Advice©”. 
We Work For You. Always!