So you want to book your trip with a online Canada travel agency but don’t know where to start? There are so many choices on the web for internet travel agencies in Canada, which is both good and bad. Good because having a lot a choice is a good thing and bad because a lot of choice can also be very confusing!
Traveling is a very exciting and enjoyable experience, however, the planning stages of a vacation can be quite time-consuming and complicated, especially for first-timers. Owing to this, a good number of people prefer to seek the expertise of a professional to help them handle their travel arrangements.
A travel agency is a business that helps to arrange travel or tourism-related services for people. These agencies help to simplify the travel planning process by booking flights, cruises, rental cars, and hotels, coupled with resort stays and events.
They offer vacation and accommodation suggestions based on their experience and research as well as work within a stipulated monetary budget if need be. Aside from being invested in their clients’ happiness and satisfaction, they also make sure that every detail of the trip is properly arranged in order to ensure that clients enjoy a lovely, stress-free family vacation.
Today, the simplicity of making travel bookings online using self-serve booking engines make people to now believe that there is little or no need to use a travel agency for their booking needs. However, have it in mind that leveraging the expertise of a professional when it comes to making traveling plans can have a massive impact on how much you spend and how much you enjoy your vacation.
Top Online Travel Agencies in Canada
Truth be told, finding the ideal online travel agency for your needs can be quite confusing. Nonetheless, here are the top options to consider when seeking an online travel agency in Canada;
Redtag.ca
Redtag.ca is renowned as one of the most popular online travel agencies fully owned and operated by a Canadian Corporation. According to reviews, they offer some of the best flights, hotels, car rentals, all-inclusive packages, and cruises.
One of the many things that make this agency attractive to Canadians is the price drop assurance Red Tag offers; but aside from that, they offer streamlined services and many options to suit the needs of varying clients.
Sunwing.ca
This is another top option for anyone inside or outside Canada. They always have exclusive deals on a whole lot of resorts and this guarantees that you can always find some pretty good deals, especially if you’re flying last minute. Also note that they offer seasonal flights to destinations in Canada, U.S., and Europe. The lowest prices accorded by this company are only possible because they are a budget airline.
Expedia is renowned globally as an online agency that offers travelers quick access to flights, hotels, and cars. According to statistics, they are the biggest travel agency in the world. Hotels.com, trivago, and Travelocity are all owned by Expedia, and together they offer something for everyone. Some of Expedia’s offerings and features include:
- Expedia rewards for hotels, cars, and more
- Experienced support
- Compare cruise lines
- Big savings when booking flights, hotels, and car
- Operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages
- Luxury travel options
Google Flights
Google Maps remains one of the most popular websites; however, note that Google Flights is not that far behind. The site does a wonderful job as a flight search engine. It will help you search all available flights, as opposed to flights just provided by a specific carrier and its partners.
Google flights are the top option when looking to plan your next trip as you can get inspiration at a quick glance. It allows you to search by airport, best price, or destination. Google Flights will then provide you with all available options for your next movement or travel.
TourRadar.com
TourRadar is renowned as one of the best travel resources, especially for group travelers. According to recent reports, this company offers over 40,000 tours including ones provided by Intrepid Travel. In addition, they have adequately consolidated all the varying tour operators onto their site so you can quickly compare your different options.
Note that this includes small groups and large group tours. This of course is better than searching through different websites. Aside from that, when you sign up with a referral link, you will obtain 5% off your first tour.
Booking.com
Booking.com offers customers the platform to book their travel and car rental. It ensures that travelers can explore various accommodation types, destinations, and deals. It is a full-scale and exhaustive OTA for the everyday traveler. Some of its offerings and features include:
- Intuitive booking tool and website
- Flight + Hotel booking for easily planning trips with no cross-referencing travel websites
- Simple car rental options and taxi hire
- Available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries
- You can book experiences in your destination city to entertain you on your travels
- Genius rewards program
Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Travel Agency in Canada
There are so many benefits to traveling. You only need to ensure that you select the right travel agency to help you make the arrangements. There are a whole lot of things to consider when looking to choose a travel agency in Canada. These factors include;
Affordability
In many situations, especially when looking to travel to places outside Canada, the best option would be to use a travel agency to save cash. Have it in mind that travel agencies tend to offer clients a wide range of options depending on their budget as well as itinerary. Owing to that, you need to find an agency that best aligns with your needs and pockets.
Smooth booking process
Most often, you will want the process of arranging your travels to be smooth and fast, especially since you wouldn’t want to spend so much time just making travel arrangements.
Have it in mind that a properly streamlined booking process that leverages state-of-the-art online booking tools is a sure factor to consider when choosing any good travel agency in Canada. Also, ensure to find a travel agency with approvals workflows integrated into their online booking tool, so you can have the whole approvals process automated.
Customer Service
This is, without doubt, one of the most viable factors to take into consideration when searching for a travel agency. Have it in mind that there will be back-and-forth communication right from the moment you get in contact with an agency.
Owing to that, excellent customer service should be on top of your priority list to ensure you find a reliable and efficient agency. Note that you can find out if a travel agency values customer support the first time you get in contact with them.
Were they responsive to your messages? How long did it take them to respond to your questions? Always remember that a good agency will always keep you informed whenever there are developments with your traveling arrangements.
Access to a vast range of carriers and products
Agreeably, the bigger the range of carriers, the more you can easily compare and get the best possible deals on your travels. A meager range of carriers translates into fewer options and a higher probability of bookings being made outside your travel policy. Howbeit, since you will be paying for the trip, it is imperative to make sure that the costs are convincing.
A good travel agency will explain in vivid detail the costs so that you can understand exactly what you are paying for at every stage. You should be worried when the travel agency is trying to push you into booking an extremely cheap deal, as there could be hidden costs or the deal might not be worth it.
5. Transparent fee structure
You wouldn’t want to have to contend with hidden costs when you are working with a travel agency. Owing to that, it is imperative you make sure that their fee structure is transparent and that you understand precisely what you’re being charged for.
It is also recommended to check if their online booking tool (OBT) displays any penalties or fare changes when you cancel or change travel bookings. Note that this will help you understand more what you’re up for. Also ask your friends and family members who have had prior experience with the agency or better still look up reviews for the company online.
Some Tips for Using an Online Canada Travel Agency
Search out where you want to go and the dates of travel first, then you will be comparing apples to apples
- Look at several sites to compare prices
- Check in with a real live travel agent, they can have access to deals not found online
- Keep notes on the names of the travel sites and prices, after a few hours of searching, all the information will get mixed up in your head!