Why You Still Need a Travel Advisor in the Age of AI Trip Planning

I became a travel advisor in 1995, back when plane tickets were paper. When the internet came along, people said travel advisors were done. Then came 9/11. Then the pandemic.

31 years later, I'm still here. And now people ask me about AI.

AI is great for ideas. Ask it for the top hotels in Cape Town and you'll get a decent list. Picking the one that fits YOU takes knowing you.

Travel is personal

When we plan your trip, we think about your travel personality, your comfort level, what stresses you out, food allergies, your family's needs and all the little preferences that make a trip feel easy.

We remember that you can't stand long layovers. That you like quieter resorts. That you need gluten-free meals at every stop. That comes from knowing you over time.

We've been there

Our team has more than 40 years of travel experience between us. We've stayed in the hotels, walked the beaches, eaten at the restaurants and met the people who will take care of you.

I've slept in a tent at Tubu Tree in Botswana while a bull elephant rubbed against the tree outside (well, Dan was awake for it). I've sailed Norway on Seabourn. I've stayed at MalaMala, Mahali Mzuri and The Twelve Apostles. When I recommend a place, I'm telling you what I saw.

And I'll always tell you about the room. You're in your room more than you think. Towels matter. Views matter. Pillows matter.

Relationships get things done

We've spent years building relationships with hotel managers, destination partners, tour operators and teams on the ground. Those relationships often lead to upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, welcome amenities and better service.

When Kurt and Randi Sue went on their birthday safari in Kenya and Tanzania, every hotel greeted them with a welcome note, wine and cake. They sent me photos every single time.

Those relationships matter most when you need help. We can call the front desk, the manager or our partner directly, because we know them and they trust us with their guests.

When something goes wrong

Flights change. A driver doesn't show. A room doesn't match the photos.

With us, you send one message and we handle it. Missed transfer? We call our partner and get a new driver on the way. Wrong room? We call the hotel and get you moved. Flight change? We rework the rest of your schedule around it.

When my client Barbara BROKE HER BACK in Tahiti, I got on the phone with our partners. We got her husband, Michael, a hotel while Barbara was in surgery, then got them both home in lie-flat seats once she was cleared. And their travel insurance paid them back in full. For the win!!!

We catch problems before you see them

A good plan flows. The room fits your family. The transfer times make sense. The connections are realistic.

I watch my clients' flights, so if something goes wrong, I'm usually working on it before they've even heard about it. Sometimes the fix is in the routing itself. For a trip to Norway, I'd rather fly you out of LAX than send you Phoenix to Chicago to Norway. Fewer connections, less stress.

And knowing which resort looks luxurious online and which one actually feels luxurious takes having been there. That knowledge saves you time, stress and expensive mistakes.

A small team on purpose

Susan's Travel Services is small by design. I started the business in 2018, and today my daughter McKenzie works right alongside me. We take on fewer clients so each one gets more of our attention.

We work for you. We take care of you before you go, ON the trip and when you get back. The trip is amazing, but it's secondary. What you're hiring is our expertise and our care.

So let AI give you ideas. Then bring them to us.

What's the last travel headache you had to fix yourself?