When deciding whether to book on the web or through an ASATA accredited travel expert, before you click to book and pay for a holiday online, consider the following:

One of the biggest traps when booking online is websites that use multiple currencies, or quote in US dollars – a potentially rude shock when converted.

Some hotels and tour operators have similar names, a problem that has caused many travellers to end up in the wrong place.

Car rental companies have also had problems with online bookings for the wrong city, such as Sydney in Canada instead of Sydney, Australia.

Many web-based deals are also non-refundable, so travellers who accidentally click on the wrong dates or click to accept terms and conditions without reading can find themselves ‘out of pocket’.

Internet booking sites often advertise low rates to attract the customer but then they charge some hidden fees.

Quite often travellers cannot confirm their specific requirements while making an online booking, but they can spell it out to the travel expert whose task it is to make sure that every detail and individual requirement is successfully accomplished.

Worst of all, some unaccredited websites may turn out to be scam websites, taking your hard earned cash in return for fake tickets or travel or accommodation vouchers.

There is no denying that the web has become an indispensable and invaluable research tool for travel, but an annual holiday abroad usually requires obtaining components from several different sources and your travel expert is the best person to do just that. (See Part 1 & Part 2 for more valuable reasons to book with an accredited agent)

Quite simply a reputable travel expert maximizes the advantages while allowing you to reap the benefits of using a single service provider for all your travel needs.

Yours in Travel, Lindsay Quail.