Over the past 15 years or so, the Internet has managed to pervade every part of our lives. These days we use it to stay in touch with friends and family, pay bills, watch television, and a whole lot more. Of course, travelers were amongst the first to see benefits from the Internet, and now days it has become common practice to track, compare, and purchase airfares online. But the benefits to travelers have gone well beyond that, as it’s now simple to book hotels or even entire vacations, without ever speaking to an actual person.
But is this approach the best way to make your travel plans? According to CNN Travel, not always. In fact, they’ve come up with a list of 7 trips you should never book online, suggesting instead that, at least in these cases, you should consult with a travel agent rather than making the plans yourself. They argue that it is too easy to get duped on the web and hidden fees can end up costing you more in the long run anyway. A cautionary tale of a couple’s disastrous honeymoon, completely booked online, is used to illustrate these points.
And what are these seven trips you should avoid using the Internet to book? The list includes cruises, around-the-world trips, international travel, exotic journeys, like a safari or trekking expedition, or when you’re traveling for a special occasion, such as an anniversary or honeymoon. They also say that you should avoid using the Internet when you lack the time to do the proper planning yourself or if you are uncomfortable with using technology or navigating online in general.
So, what do you think? Are there times when it’s still not prudent to use the Internet to plan your travels? Ever had any horror stories from booking online? Personally, I’ve had very good luck with using the Internet as a tool to not only research destinations, but also make all my plans, connect with fellow travelers, and purchase airfares and hire guide services. At this point, I can’t imagine doing it any other way. That said, I can still see the benefit of using a travel agent under certain circumstances.%Gallery-67351%