Splurge on This Adviser When Planning the Trip of a Lifetime

An on-the-ground destination expert can help craft the perfect trip, suggest best-kept secrets

a map with a camera, plane and various other travel icons around it

A destination expert can help streamline your travel plans when planning a trip seems overwhelming.

Stocksy

Erin Gifford,

AARP

Published April 24, 2025

Planning a vacation is exciting, but creating an itinerary can be overwhelming. A destination expert can streamline the process and even suggest experiences that may not have been on your radar, like hands-on cooking classes or cultural activities, that can enhance your trip.

Why use an expert?

According to AARP’s 2025 Travel Trends report, travelers 50-plus are increasingly open to expert guidance when planning travel. When introduced to the concept of curated trips – where an itinerary is tailored to your interests – 55 percent say they would be on board.

In the U.S., a traditional travel agent or travel adviser must have an IATA number (International Air Transport Association, a trade association of the world’s airlines) to book and issue airline tickets and earn commissions. Most destination experts do not book trips, but will provide suggestions on what to book.

Working with a travel expert means collaborating with someone who knows your destination inside and out. “By having a conversation with someone, we’re able to better get to know them, so we can tailor the [trip] tips to that person,” says Cameron Seagle, a travel expert with The Banff Blog, which helps travelers plan trips to the Canadian Rockies. “We bring a link with the local knowledge. We’re able to save a lot of headache.”

How destination experts help

Whether you’re unsure where to begin or already have a rough plan, an on-the-ground expert can provide valuable insights. Locals or long-time residents offer deep knowledge of a region, from cultural nuances to locals-only experiences.

Consultations usually take place face-to-face over video calls, where the expert can get to know your travel goals and provide customized suggestions. Their value lies in offering more than free resources. They provide guidance on how to manage your time, where to find specific wildlife or certain kinds of cheeses, and how best to structure the first day of your trip.

What’s one of the biggest advantages of a destination expert, especially for first-time visitors? These experts help travelers wrap their heads around the scale of a destination.

For national parks, such as Yellowstone, and nature-focused trips, destination advisers can help navigate permit requirements, trail conditions, and seasonal considerations.

Courtesy Erin Gifford

“If you don’t understand, sort of, the layout of the road system and also just how big it is, then a lot of people … don’t give themselves enough time, or they try to fit in too many things in a day,” says Melynda Harrison, founder of YellowstoneTrips.com, which offers online consultations for trips to Yellowstone National Park. For national parks and nature-focused trips, these destination advisers can help navigate permit requirements, trail conditions, and seasonal considerations.

Destination experts are also invaluable for return visitors looking for deeper experiences.

“A lot of my clients are second, third, fourth. I even had a woman who, I think it was her seventh trip to Spain, who just wanted to do something different, something special,” says Karen Rosenblum, founder of Spain Less Traveled, a travel planning service specializing in Spain.

Finding the right planner

Destination experts aren’t certified; they are living in and experiencing a destination. Meanwhile, a travel agent can take online courses to earn a destination specialist certification.

Working with a travel expert means collaborating with someone who knows your destination, like Banff, Canada, inside and out.

Courtesy Erin Gifford

Destination-specific websites like The Banff Blog and YellowstoneTrips.com offer sample itineraries and personalized consultation services. Facebook groups, such as Travel Spain!, which Rosenblum founded and has over 49,000 members, serve as valuable resources where travelers can access expert and community advice.

By looking at the free sites or Facebook group posts, you can get a feel for the depth of the advisers’ knowledge without paying any money. You can then decide whether they have the on-the-ground expertise you want.

Ann Payes, 49, and her husband, Matt, 56, found an expert through social media for their Portugal trip in December 2023. She noted that traditional guidebooks were filled with generic suggestions.

“We wanted to do something that was more suited to our tastes and specific interests,” she says, explaining that the expert guidance helped them optimize their route and choose more cost-effective transportation options.

What it costs

After finding a destination expert, start small with a short and inexpensive 30-minute consultation. That will help you determine whether the expert will meet your needs.

When considering a destination expert, the cost will depend on the level of service. Harrison of YellowstoneTrips.com charges $80 for a 30-minute consult or $150 for a one-hour session. Spain Less Traveled offers Zoom consults starting at $135 for 30 minutes. For a full itinerary with ongoing support, Rosenblum may charge from $125 per day of the itinerary. Seagle of The Banff Blog charges $175 for a one-hour consultation. A custom itinerary starts at $350.

Famous windmills in Consuegra, province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain

A destination adviser can identify the big sites, such as the famous windmills in Consuegra in La Mancha, Spain, and the hidden gems to include in your itinerary.

Shutterstock

For soup-to-nuts trip plans, Rosenblum recommends reaching out at least three months in advance. For budget-conscious travelers, itinerary review services can be cost-effective. These services let travelers submit their self-made itineraries for evaluation. Destination experts can refine the traveler’s plans to better meet their interests without the price of a fully customized trip.

However, Rosenblum, like most destination experts, does not book trips. “A lot of people know how to book travel, and I can tell them what to book for Spain,” says Rosenblum. She adds that many of her clients want to travel on points and miles.

Choosing an expert

When considering a for-hire expert, avoid those who charge for one-size-fits-all itineraries, which can be found online for free. Instead, tap those who live in or have spent time in your destination.

“I’m an American, but I live here, so I understand the needs of travelers coming from far away who want their dream vacation,” says Rosenblum, who has lived in Spain full-time since 2018. “[I] also understand the culture and the transportation and the history. … Obviously, the big monuments, but also the off-the-beaten-path gems that this country has.”

Local insights also can expand your itinerary beyond what you originally envisioned.

“I think a lot of people, too, don’t realize how many options there are right on the border of the park,” says Harrison, referencing activities near Yellowstone, such as river rafting and horseback riding. “[A travel expert can] show you things that might be of interest to you that you just weren’t aware existed.”

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Erin Gifford is a travel and outdoor writer based in northern Virginia. She has written for The Washington Post, Parents, Thrillist and The Wall Street Journal.

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