Wednesday, May 5 is National Travel Advisor Day and there's never been a better time to be reminded of the importance of booking your vacation with the help of a trusted travel professional.There are many benefits to working with a qualified travel advisor but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted some of the lesser-known advantages, including travel advisors' ability to keep their clients safe by updating them on the latest travel advisories and entry requirements as well as booking them with travel suppliers who are emphasizing guest and customer safety, whether it's an airline blocking middle seats to allow for physical distancing or an all-inclusive resort offering free testing, operating at limited capacity with face mask requirements and other enhanced health and safety protocols in place.ADVERTISING Trending Now Travel advisors also save their clients valuable time and eliminate the need to research airlines, destinations, hotels and resorts, cruise lines and tour operators as they can point you in the direction of the best supplier for you based on your needs, their own personal experience as well as legitimate feedback from their previous clients. There's no sifting through countless reviews—some of which may be anonymous, unreliable or incomplete—or having to browse website after website to compare deals that might even come with an unexpected catch.By eliminating the more tedious aspects of planning a trip, travel advisors ensure that their clients stay on schedule in the booking process and don't miss out on the best time to book. Working with a travel advisor will never prevent you from participating in the exciting parts of planning and building out your itinerary.In addition to time and the stress that inevitably comes when you feel like you're wasting it, travel advisors save you your hard-earned money by building a trip based on your budget and accessing exclusive discounts and perks that can lead to a better experience at a lower cost compared to if you had booked yourself. Since travel advisors are human beings and not search engines you can benefit from customization and perhaps even enjoy a few pleasant surprises, whether it's a bottle of champagne waiting for you and your significant other in your hotel room or an awesome restaurant recommendation in your destination.The COVID-19 pandemic also has travelers considering travel insurance more often than ever before and travel advisors are there to answer your coverage and cost questions. In some cases, your advisor can use their connections with a supplier to get you out of paying annoying cancellation fees in the event that you can't go ahead with your trip for whatever reason. There have been numerous examples in the past of advisors fighting for their clients to secure them future credit so they can take their trip at a later date without losing out on their investment.If you've yet to work with a travel advisor and aren't sure where to start, consider TravelSense.org. Here, you can search for an American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) verified advisor based on your destination of choice and trip type. Adblock test (Why?)