[Craig T]

Another thing to consider is how the travel agent is compensated. Some "travel consultants" charge YOU a fee for their knowledge and trip planning. If you're to busy to due the internet due diligence, or not confident traveling sight-unseen, than a travel consultant might be worth the money.

In the old days, traditional travel agents were free to the traveler, because they received commission from the airlines, attractions, and hotels when they booked. In some cases, they received wholesale rates and marked up the booking fee to the customer. All that's changing. Most airlines and popular hotels stopped paying travel agents commission years ago, or its a very small amount. Like an investment advisor, sometimes the product they put you in is the one that pays the best commission and not necessarily the product that best for you.