People who book travel regularly, often assume that using a travel agent is obsolete. And, in fact, there are many websites available for the sole purpose of booking one’s own travel: Orbitz, Travelocity, Kayak, Airline Direct, etc. So why, with all of these resources, would any one need to use an agent and how are they even still in business?
Why use a travel agent?
Travel agents still serve, and are quite important, to a large majority of travelers, especially business travelers. Agents are able to apply discounts, identify and monitor savings, adhere to corporate travel policies, and give personal, customized, one-on-one service.
In a recent SKIFT article, it was stated, “Travel agents are alive and well and they do a robust business by providing expertise and advice to millions of travelers every year, using a combination of new and old technologies.”
How are travel agencies still in business and growing?
For Christopherson Business Travel, the answer, I think, lies in a recent post written by our CEO Mike Cameron, wherein he identified our unique competitive advantages and explained how we use them to grow our business and leverage our services against our competitors–including the online websites.
By using our competitive advantages, such as our proprietary business travel technology, Christopherson is able to continually support our travel agents and service all of our customers globally.
If a travel agency is willing to do just that–support their agents, stay on top of the changing trends in travel, provide invaluable and incomparable service for those clients who book with their agents, and lead the way with technology advancements and online services–then that agency, in my opinion, will not only survive, but thrive.
