For years, travel agencies have been at the forefront of travel and tourism. The massive transformation of the industry however, witnessed the circumvention of these traditional travel channels in recent years. The coming of online travel websites more or less eliminates the need for traditional middlemen who are debatably on the verge of extinction. So has the Internet really won the battle here? Let’s dig deeper into how Internet and Agents influence a particular customer’s choice.
Do travel agents still matter?
Internet has undoubtedly become the biggest distribution channel of this age. From information to offers, it offers you more choices. So, amid all this availability and information just a click away, do we really need travel agents?
Back before the digital wave, travel agents were the only reliable source for everyone. From flights, cruises, accommodation to everything that went into the planning process, their hospitality would take care of it. They would get you the deals you didn’t have access to, and they would save you from the hassle of confusion. But now thanks to the ubiquity of Internet, from travel websites to travel bloggers - there are way too many virtual guides to tell us what to see or do. It leaves the customer with very negligible need of a travel agent anymore.
Nevertheless, not every traveller has the time to rummage through heaps and heaps of information, say, corporate travellers. While the internet does promise to offer you the world, it comes with its own set of adversities. Booking through a travel agent saves you from the hassle and massive time consumption. According to a study by Google, an average traveller looks at 5 videos, 380 web pages through different searches over a span of 2 months. A travel agent offers additional benefits of reduced stress, better time management and makes the journey of a corporate traveller smoother than how it would turn up, had he taken Internet as the only chaperone. With the involvement of a travel agent, you get to leverage customized and discounted itinerary plans. No matter how much information and choices you get on Internet, nothing beats the expertise of an industry veteran. From finding the best of places to addressing all your personal needs, travel agents also serve as great problem solvers.
Does Internet influence a travel consumer’s choice?
Driven by cost considerations, a lot of people choose not to invest in an agent and take refuge in internet instead.
Why pay money to someone when you can find all the information on your own in just a few scrolls?
This disintermediation has given today’s traveller certain independence and the option of weighing choices and that’s precisely why the importance of agents has dipped a bit in the past few years.
Social media is everyone’s primary promotional tool. More than information, the user gets added benefits It’s a great place to start conversations about topics that concern him/her directly. Millennials have a potent belief in their peer groups and the internet is a mutually shared playground for both. More than that, social media is a lot about influencing others. News, hashtags, information, photographs travel faster and to larger masses. More often than not, the decision making of a millennial happens through what he/she sees on his social media feed on a daily basis. A series of blogs or travel videos are enough to pique a millennial’s interest. The offers and contests run by companies make it all the more interesting for someone to plan a trip. This is where travel agencies and agents can take advantage of the internet and make it back on the wagon.
How do travel agencies take advantage of the internet?
Though their offerings are numbered, travel agencies still have the advantage of providing personalized services especially in offering advice to travellers with a personal touch. Travel agents too have seized the opportunity to employ Internet to market themselves and to advertise their offerings. They are still a preferred choice for the customers who need the guarantee of a human element in transactions.
Social media is a vital part of everyone’s life these days. Travel agencies can showcase their offerings through videos, pictures, delightful storytelling to woo new travellers. Internet gives you the choice of not going all promotional and rather entice people in conversations, talk about the experience that you have to offer. Moreover, relationship building as a result of interactive engagement, an exclusive advantage of agents, will go a long way for the customers too.