Back before the Internet, when people wanted to plan a vacation, most used a travel agent. These lovely folks would book your flights, cruises, resort stays, honeymoons, and everything in between. Over the years, as online booking websites and the sharing economy have become more popular, travel agents have diminished in importance (9/11 and the recession didn’t help either). All those sites have made it easy for us travelers to cut out the travel agent and plan our own trips by booking directly with airlines and hotels (or, nowadays, with locals — thanks, Airbnb, Vayable, and EatWith!). There are also so many deal websites out there helping us find cheap airfares and hotel rates — and travel blogs telling us what to see and do — that it makes little sense for your average consumer to go to a travel agent anymore.
http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/using-travel-agents/
