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Gen Z Is Using Travel Agents in Record Numbers — so I Decided to Try One for Myself

High-rise jeans are out. Travel advisors are in.

Samantha Lauriello/Travel + Leisure

I never thought I needed to use a travel advisor. I’ve been traveling solo for more than a decade, and if anything, I’m the one my friends ask to plan their trips. So, when I noticed several trend pieces popping up on my newsfeed about the comeback of the travel advisor , I didn’t think much of it — but then I saw another article. And another.

The statistic that piqued my interest was from a survey by IBS Software , a software provider for airlines, cruise lines, and more, that found 38 percent of millennials and Gen Z are opting to use traditional travel agents rather than booking themselves online. That’s significantly more than the 12 percent of Gen X and 2 percent of baby boomer respondents who said they use a traditional travel advisor.

I was born in 1996, putting me in a strange no-man’s land between Gen Z and millennials. I’m a millennial at my core, but naturally, I cling to anything that could give me the effortless, confident aura of a Gen Zer. When Gen Zs said they use travel advisors, I decided it was time I used one.

Enter Kuoda Travel , my agency of choice for a trip to Patagonia . After some thorough internet research, Kuoda was at the top of my list for three reasons: 1. The agency specializes in luxury trips to South America — the trip I was after in the region I wanted to visit. 2. It has a focus on off-the-beaten-path experiences. (Sure, I’m a tourist, but I don’t want to be surrounded by other tourists.) 3. Kuoda works with you to create a custom itinerary based on your interests and passions.

“No comment is too small,” Mery Calderón, founder and CEO of Kuoda Travel, told T+L . “A seemingly offhand remark can lead to some great activity or destination suggestions that may otherwise not come up and can transform a trip from something great to a truly unforgettable journey.”

Samantha Lauriello/Travel + Leisure

Fast forward to my flight to Argentina, and I’ll admit: I was nervous. Everything outlined in the itinerary sounded fantastic (history tours, guided hikes, boat rides). Still, I hadn’t done any of the research myself, meaning I didn’t read reviews or do my usual vetting process before booking a tour or activity. The agent who planned my trip, Jennifer, was originally from Argentina, so I trusted her guidance, but did she really get me? Did she really understand how I like to travel?

I was greeted at the airport by a man with a big smile and a wiry handlebar mustache — Alejandro Kazanietz, my tour guide for my couple of days in Buenos Aires. I don’t know whether it was his relaxed, conversational approach to guiding or that he weaved personal experiences into his stories about the country’s history and politics, but it felt easy right off the bat. I didn’t feel like I was on a tour but instead exploring the city with a very, very knowledgeable friend.

As someone with the social battery of an iPhone 7, having a tour guide whose company I enjoyed made a huge difference. I thought I had gotten so lucky, but I quickly realized it wasn’t luck at all, but the advantage of booking with an agency. The team at Kuoda has either trialed these tours and activities themselves or gotten feedback from other clients so they know which experiences are the best of the best.

“Working with a travel agency, especially a local agency, you get people who know the different options available, whereas when you book online following the advice of reviews, you typically only get advice from people who have that one experience without being able to compare it to other options,” Calderón says. 

My trip was full of best-of moments: seeing one of the most iconic tango shows in Buenos Aires, Rojo Tango, at Faena Hotel; mini trekking (walking with crampons and a helmet) along the icy cracks and crevices of Perito Moreno Glacier; and watching a gaucho demonstration of horsemanship so remarkable it can only be described as horse whispering.

I told Jennifer I grew up riding horses and would love to ride in Argentina. The only thing about riding on vacation after growing up a horse girl is that it can feel a little... boring. The trails are often short and easy, and the pace is slow.

She booked me for a trail ride at Estancia Cristina, a ranch in Los Glaciares National Park accessible only by boat. I was intrigued when I saw it on the itinerary, but when I saw it in real life, I was blown away. On the two-and-a-half-hour boat journey across Argentino Lake's Gatorade-blue water, we passed staggering cliffs, gushing waterfalls, and icebergs that looked like mini-mountains sticking out of the water. Who cares what the riding is like , I thought. This is incredible.

It turned out that the scenery on the boat ride was just a preview of what was to come on the trail. Estancia Cristina is surrounded by rugged Patagonian wilderness — easily one of the most dramatic natural landscapes I have ever seen. Snow-capped mountains are in the distance, pastel yellow and green grasses line the path, and a turquoise lake is where we stopped for a traditional barbecue lunch. Boring? Not in the slightest.

“Patagonia is such a complex and diverse destination,” Calderón says, “ranging from the rugged wilds of Torres del Paine to the imposing glaciers of El Calafate to the famous hiking trails of El Chaltén. Knowledgeable guidance by a local experience curator is key.”

Throughout my weeklong trip, each experience was better than the last. I didn’t have a single moment when I felt like an activity wasn’t worth it or that I could have found something better. So, as is typically true (like in the case of switching to mid-rise jeans or doing away with girl boss culture), I think Gen Z is onto something when it comes to booking with travel advisors.

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