DLers, what ever happened to travel agents?

Yes, broadly because of the internet.

But they still exist in lesser numbers and can be fantastic for throwing a lot together (flights, hotels, car rentals, tours, etc) - especially for a multi-destination trip.

I almost always book everything myself directly (and have done so going back to when we had to use services like Prodigy!), but now I'm older and there is just so much out there that sometimes I find it overwhelming. So I decided to try a travel agent at AAA. What a mess. First of all, all they do is look at stuff online, then when you're interested in something, they have to call ANOTHER agency (or booking service - I don't know what it is.) So you have several middlement which of course creates more opportunity for errors. I was trying to do a cruise with a pre-cruise hotel stay and flights. First they came back with the correct info for the cruise, but the flights were for a MONTH before the cruise. The AAA person didn't even notice this until I pointed it out on her screen. Then they didn't include a transfer that we'd requested and more than a week later that still hasn't been resolved. Never again.

Today I booked another cruise directly with cruise line online and it couldn't have been simpler (granted, this one didn't involve flights or hotels.)

I use VacationsToGo for booking cruises. They always have the best deals. I got a two-week Panama Canal cruise on Celebrity (solo) in an outside cabin, with air and a Miami hotel prior to sailing, for $3,000. The brochure price for the cruise was $2750 per person (double occupancy) with a 100% single supplement. My deal also included a $75 onboard credit. I've used them many times and always found them reliable, and they really search to get you the best-possible deal on the vacation you want.

They became influencers.

Wasn’t Pete a travel agent?

They exist in immigrant neighborhoods. My Seattle suburb has several travel agents run by Vietnamese and Korean people.

I still use one for better hotel bookings. A good agent usually will get you a better deal, upgrades, breakfasts, etc... and then if there is a problem, like my trip to Milan last month, where my room booking was supposed to have a balcony over the Piazza, but they gave me a room overlooking a back alley, you send your agent a text and let them work it out with the hotel, which my bad ass agent did... movin' on up!

They still exist, but in much smaller numbers.

I can’t be bothered to wade through various airlines and flight times, though I do go online to check out hotels I’m considering. I’m at a time of life when I want travel to be as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Since I’ve had an American Express card for many years, I call their toll free number and use their travel agents once I’ve decided where and when I’m traveling.

And AmEx has good hotels they regularly do business with where they can give you upgrades, and look for breakfast-included deals.

I book most things directly because I have a promo code with hotels (my sister works for one of the big hotel companies). My spouse loves to book flights because he has a dedicated line through a credit card. I can see where they're handy though. My cousin is in charge of block-booking for a group she goes on cruises with (like 30 people, ugh) and her agent sends her a list of passengers and she checks off all their needs (accommodations, dietary info, shore excursions, etc.). He can often get great prices and perks. I can see that in 10-15 years that as the digital generation ages they'll have the skills to do everything online for themselves. Not a great outlook for agents, I guess.

I have my assistant deal with stuff like booking hotels, flights, dinner reservations. Why would anyone bother with travel agents?