In the age of the Internet, it often seems we can do anything with the click of a button. But when faced with planning an entire trip that everyone will love, sifting through mounds of irrelevant information can be a more of headache than helpful. With unending sites promising the best reviews and travel advice, we’re usually left juggling 50 tabs on three different browsers.

So, before you crash your computer attempting the DIY approach, let’s talk about another option: travel advisors. I’m not talking about the stereotypical “travel agents” that you imagine huddled in a dark office, selling pre-planned, mass-market packages. Travel advisors are educated, knowledgeable, and qualified to help you get the most out of your trip because they’ve likely gone somewhere similar themselves.

Here are just a few of the benefits of using a travel advisor rather than booking your next trip online:

• A travel advisor can help you decipher all the mess. While you could drive yourself crazy sorting through all the travel products available, travel advisors have a special eye for this. They know that just because one person gives a resort a “one star” rating, it doesn’t mean it won’t meet all of your expectations. Likewise, just because a hotel is rated “number one” in the city, it doesn’t mean it will have all of the amenities you prefer. By asking the right questions and getting to know your unique preferences, they’re able to tailor travel arrangements specifically for you.
• Advisors can save you time. Travel research takes time—lots of it. If you’re taking the DIY approach, be prepared to spend hours searching through all those travel sites on your own. While that approach can give your results, using an advisor can save you all those late night hours hunched over the laptop. Especially if you’re planning for a vacation, the last thing you want to do is give yourself an extra stress to work through on your time off. Travel advisors know how to be efficient with not only their time, but also yours.
• It’s all about connections. Unless you’re a travel Instagram star, odds are you probably don’t have contacts all over the world that can give you insights on the best perks. But advisors know people. And if you’re booking a travel experience that your advisor often deals with, they can often throw in some added perks. Whether it’s a room upgrade, a bottle of wine, or even entrance to a major site-seeing location before it’s open to the public—travel advisors have access that the average person doesn’t.
• Advisors don’t stop once your trip starts. Say you’re on your way to your grand tour of Italy when a sudden electric storm grounds you in Chicago. Simply call your advisor and they can reroute you or figure out the fastest way to make sure you make that tour bus in Capri in record time. Or, say you arrive at your hotel and find that conditions aren’t quite what you expected. Your advisors can usually smooth those issues over or get you a new hotel all together. You won’t get that kind of personal attention if you booked online.

At Destinations Unknown, we know that an attentive travel advisor can make a world of difference to a traveler. Advisors typically know the lay of the land—and when they don’t, they have contacts all over the globe to get the best rates and accommodations no matter the destination. So, next time the endless stream of information that is the internet becomes too much, remember that a travel advisor can hold your hand every step of the way. That way you can settle back into that plane seat a whole lot sooner.