In an age where you can book almost anything online in minutes, many Kiwis ask me the same question: “Why should I use a travel agent when I can just book it myself online?”
It’s a fair question — and as someone who has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years, holds the prestigious CLIA Master Cruise Consultant qualification, and has helped thousands of New Zealanders plan unforgettable holidays, I’m going to give you the honest answer.
The short version? Booking online is easy. Booking the RIGHT holiday is harder than it looks — and getting it wrong can be very expensive
You Don't Know What You Don't Know
The biggest advantage a travel agent brings is knowledge you simply can’t get from a website. After 30 years in the industry I know which cruise ships have noisy cabins near the engine room, which hotels have stunning views from some rooms and car park views from others, which tour operators cut corners and which ones genuinely deliver, and which flight connections are too tight to risk.
Booking.com and Expedia don’t tell you any of that. I do.
We Save You Time — and Often Money Too
Think about the last time you tried to plan a holiday online. How many hours did you spend comparing flights, reading hotel reviews, checking cruise itineraries, comparing inclusions and trying to figure out what’s actually included in that “all-inclusive” price?
A good travel agent does all of that for you — in a fraction of the time — and often finds better value than you’d find yourself. We have access to exclusive deals, special rates, cabin upgrades, onboard credits and package inclusions that simply aren’t available on public booking sites.
For complex itineraries — multi-destination trips, group travel, cruises, or holidays combining flights, hotels and tours — the time saving alone is worth it.
We're On Your Side When Things Go Wrong
This is perhaps the most important reason to use a travel agent — and the one most people only discover when it’s too late.
When you book online, you’re on your own if something goes wrong. Flight cancelled? You’re on hold for hours with the airline. Hotel overbooked? You’re dealing with the front desk yourself. Cruise itinerary changed? You’re navigating the cruise line’s customer service alone.
When you book through Beyond Holidays, you have a dedicated expert in your corner. I’ve helped clients rebook cancelled flights at short notice, negotiate compensation from hotels, find last-minute solutions when tours were cancelled, and manage complex itinerary changes — all without the client having to stress or spend hours on hold.
During COVID-19, my clients who had booked through Beyond Holidays had someone fighting for their refunds and rebooking their holidays. Many who had booked online were left completely on their own.
We Give You Personalised Advice — Not an Algorithm
When you search for a cruise or holiday online, you get results based on an algorithm designed to maximise the website’s revenue — not to find you the best holiday.
When you talk to me, I ask about your travel style, your budget, what you’ve loved and hated about previous holidays, whether you prefer window or aisle seats, how you feel about sea days, whether you’re travelling with children or grandchildren — and then I use 30 years of experience to find the holiday that’s genuinely right for you.
That’s something no algorithm can replicate.
Cruises Are Especially Complex — And This Is Where Expertise Really Matters
As New Zealand’s CLIA Master Cruise Consultant — the highest qualification in the cruise industry — I bring a level of cruise expertise that very few travel agents in New Zealand can match.
Choosing the right cruise involves dozens of decisions: which cruise line suits your style, which ship class is right for you, which cabin category and location gives the best experience, which itinerary matches your interests, which shore excursions are worth booking and which are overpriced, what travel insurance covers cruise-specific risks, and when to book to get the best price.
Get any of these wrong and your cruise holiday can be disappointing — and expensive. Get them right and it can be the trip of a lifetime. That’s why working with a CLIA Master Cruise Consultant makes such a difference.
It Costs You Nothing Extra
Perhaps the biggest misconception about using a travel agent is that it costs more. In most cases it doesn’t — travel agents are paid commission by airlines, cruise lines, hotels and tour operators. You pay the same price whether you book through us or directly.
In fact, you often pay less — because we have access to exclusive rates, early booking discounts, cabin upgrades and package deals that aren’t available to the public.
So you get expert advice, personalised service, someone to help when things go wrong, and access to better deals — all for free.
The Beyond Holidays Difference
Beyond Holidays is not a large call centre where you speak to a different person every time. When you contact Beyond Holidays, you deal directly with me — Hemal Jani, Owner/Operator and CLIA Master Cruise Consultant.
I remember your preferences. I know your travel history. I take the time to understand exactly what you’re looking for. And I’m genuinely passionate about finding you the perfect holiday — not just processing a booking.
Most of my business comes from repeat clients and referrals. That tells you everything you need to know about the service Beyond Holidays delivers.
Ready to experience the Beyond Holidays difference? Call us free on 0800 799 997, email travel@beyondholidays.co.nz, or fill in our enquiry form. Let me take the stress out of planning your next holiday — and make it the trip of a lifetime.
