Dear Joyce,

As owner of Incredible Journey, and a licensed CPA, I know that it takes a tremendous amount of time and energy to plan vacations. Some vacationers know exactly what they want, they return year after year to the same spot and couldn't be happier - these vacations are pretty simple and straight forward to plan. But the majority of vacations include multiple destinations or coordinating family members traveling from different regions of the world, and when you start mixing these types of scenarios together travel planning becomes a more daunting task.

I recently read a report that stated the majority of travelers believed they found the best vacation value on their own. What the survey did not state is how many hours they spent planning and researching their vacation and at what cost. It makes sense that if you spend several hours doing the research yourself you would assume to get compensated for the work? And according to many polls the majority of vacation planning takes place at work.

I wonder if the self planners ever asked for a price comparison? And if not, how would they know they are getting the best value? As many of you know when traveling it is important to match exact flights, type of accommodations, travel dates etc. in order to get a true comparison. And what if your dates are flexible, how many times has a travel planner asked you this question, and for good reason - we all know that the price of an airline ticket can vary dramatically from one day to the next. Not to mention high and low season rates, or special deals that are offered during a limited amount of time. Travel professionals are constantly getting bombarded with marketing from vendors for limited time only sales.

What about the relationships the travel company has with the various hoteliers, resorts and cruise lines. I know that our company sends many clients to Hawaii and Tahiti and for ALL our VIP clients we bend over backwards to get complimentary upgrades, free meals, or activities included. This alone can be thousands of dollars saved.

I have to conclude that working with a travel professional makes the most sense. For those who want to do the research (remember CPA, I concur and can relate to these travelers) go for it, but by all means take your findings to a professional and ask his/her opinion. I know at Incredible Journey we always can price match, so you won't be spending more - you will be gaining an ally along the way, a confidant who will provide you unbiased information, and by all means use a specialist - someone who has been there, done that!

Once you find a professional travel planner you trust, you can build a working relationship with this person. They will get to know your likes/dislikes, which will make your life so much easier each time you plan your next Incredible Journey!