Why Use a Travel Broker When You Can Book Everything Online?

You absolutely can book your own travel online.

The internet is very good at selling you things.

The harder part is knowing whether you’re buying the right things and whether all those separate pieces will actually work well together.

That bargain flight might have an awful connection. The gorgeous hotel may be nowhere near where you want to spend your time. A fantastic-looking tour might have 40 travellers and hotels on the outskirts of town. And that cheap rental car may look rather less exciting once you discover the insurance excess.

This becomes even more important when a trip gets complicated.

Flights need to connect with cruises. Rail journeys need sensible timings. Transfers need to know when you’re arriving. Stopovers need to work with airfare rules. Hotels need to be in the right place, not simply have good reviews.

My job is to look at the whole trip.

I’m an independent travel broker based in Nelson, arranging international travel for clients throughout New Zealand. That might be a simple island escape, a cruise, a small-group tour or a complicated multi-country holiday with flights, trains, transfers and experiences all woven together.

And if something changes while you’re travelling, you have someone who already knows your arrangements and can help.

You can absolutely do it yourself.

But you don’t have to.