Travel agents have a tricky time. Evolve. Create an online presence and specialize your offer.
During the past travel agents made huge sums of money because they played the intermediate part in the travel business chain. Today with the rise of Internet access, people no longer rely on agencies. Airlines, hostels and tour operators offer their services directly to their customers. As a consequence, airlines and hostels don't pay commissions anymore to travel agents for each room scheduled or each sold ticket.
As the size of the market for agencies have decreased, many have reduced their operations or closed due to insolvency. Only in United States earnings in this area dropped from 17 billion dollars during 2008 to 14.5 billion dollars in 2009, according to Pell Research Report on Travel Agencies.
This situation has encouraged many travel agency owners to evolve and reinvent their businesses. Many agents have put all of their efforts in building an online presence to struggle with airlines, hotel and cruises by offering better and cheaper holiday packages. They have made extraordinary web sites, with travel detailed info and extremely strong booking tools. Expedia, E-dreams, CheapAndGo, Travelocity and many others have adopted this promotional strategy to make the best out of these hard times.
But what have occurred with modest travel agencies? Many have disappeared due to their potential customers buying their own tickets and many struggle to survive surrounded by these online travel empires.
If you are the owner of a modest travel office having a site is crucial. You don't need to contend with big firms, but you have got to show the world and your customers that you're also online to make traveling simpler and more reasonable for your clients. (So , no more waiting for new clients to come. Create a new website)
After you are observable, offer your customers alternative trips or trips. Ensure you offer what no one is offering. A good idea is to get a traveling niche. You can suggest thematic or specialized packages. For example: groups, kids, connoisseur, literature, eco, rural, you mention it.
Eco tourism or green traveling could be a fascinating niche to explore. Developed states are promoting all kinds of environmental initiatives, so there is a rise of eco friendly resorts, sustainable outside activities and lots of other eco offers. But what actually matters is that people is curious to try green traveling.
So , develop, reinvent your traveling business. Start a new site to build an online presence and then specialize your offer. This is the key to success.
During the past travel agents made huge sums of money because they played the intermediate part in the travel business chain. Today with the rise of Internet access, people no longer rely on agencies. Airlines, hostels and tour operators offer their services directly to their customers. As a consequence, airlines and hostels don't pay commissions anymore to travel agents for each room scheduled or each sold ticket.
As the size of the market for agencies have decreased, many have reduced their operations or closed due to insolvency. Only in United States earnings in this area dropped from 17 billion dollars during 2008 to 14.5 billion dollars in 2009, according to Pell Research Report on Travel Agencies.
This situation has encouraged many travel agency owners to evolve and reinvent their businesses. Many agents have put all of their efforts in building an online presence to struggle with airlines, hotel and cruises by offering better and cheaper holiday packages. They have made extraordinary web sites, with travel detailed info and extremely strong booking tools. Expedia, E-dreams, CheapAndGo, Travelocity and many others have adopted this promotional strategy to make the best out of these hard times.
But what have occurred with modest travel agencies? Many have disappeared due to their potential customers buying their own tickets and many struggle to survive surrounded by these online travel empires.
If you are the owner of a modest travel office having a site is crucial. You don't need to contend with big firms, but you have got to show the world and your customers that you're also online to make traveling simpler and more reasonable for your clients. (So , no more waiting for new clients to come. Create a new website)
After you are observable, offer your customers alternative trips or trips. Ensure you offer what no one is offering. A good idea is to get a traveling niche. You can suggest thematic or specialized packages. For example: groups, kids, connoisseur, literature, eco, rural, you mention it.
Eco tourism or green traveling could be a fascinating niche to explore. Developed states are promoting all kinds of environmental initiatives, so there is a rise of eco friendly resorts, sustainable outside activities and lots of other eco offers. But what actually matters is that people is curious to try green traveling.
So , develop, reinvent your traveling business. Start a new site to build an online presence and then specialize your offer. This is the key to success.
About the Author:
Andreina Garcia works as consultant for an online marketing course of a popular free website creator.
