Booking Travel

I have a lot to write about (Seattle and the book I finished and True Blood) but I can’t find the cord to upload my few pictures and I don’t know what I am going to read next and I hate posting my books without something new to put in the “What I’m Reading” corner because it looks lame and I am only five episodes into True Blood so I shouldn’t talk about it yet. So.


I have read several interesting articles on travel lately. This one by Christopher Elliott in the Chicago Tribune lists certain types of trips that we should not book online.

I have used the leisure travel expert from my employer’s business travel agency twice – once for a cruise with my friends and once for a tour of Spain and Portugal with my dad. I felt like an Internet pansy, but I am happy to say that both cruises and international travel are on the list.

For the cruise I took (several years ago) I wanted someone to tell me why one line or one itinerary was better or worse than the others. It also helped to get the plans in order and then tell my friends to call the travel agent to book themselves.

For my summer vacation to New Orleans, I booked online. I was using United miles for the flight, so I used their website. While doing that, I found that I could use miles to book my hotel. I was comfortable doing this because I have been to the city several times before and I did additional research online before settling on a hotel. Also, I am a savvier traveler now than when I went on those tours.

But I was just telling my mother about how every revolution has a counterrevolution (according to Professor Blight) and here it is with booking online:

Elliott says:

“A recent Forrester Research study suggests there's something of a backlash when it comes to booking travel online. It concludes 15 percent fewer travelers will use the Web in 2009, compared with two years ago — a finding that comforts many travel agents who previously saw themselves on the endangered list.”

I am happy to know I am not alone here. And I haven’t had to learn the hard way. Yet.