The New Face of the Travel Agent
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Transcript of The New Face of the Travel Agent
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The New Face of the Travel Agent The New Face of the Travel Agent
Bill Maloney, CTC, ASTA CEO
Feb. 11, 2009
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Here we go again …
Another crisis.
Another downturn
Another chance to defy gravity
We’re pulling many rabbits out of many hats
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Post-Everything Time Forget “Duck and Cover!”
• Many players will do that, and they will not succeed.
Be realistic about current conditions.
Be honest about yourself.
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Making Comparisons
Consumers will compare your offerings with: others on this island those found on other islands destinations thousands of miles from here
Why? Because they can.
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Selling Sense
Remember: It is not about price. It’s about selling what consumers want to buy.
What does this mean for you? Add new products Partner with new suppliers Tweak your packages and marketing
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Trend: Package Tours
Increases in: Culinary tours (31%) Historic and heritage tours (23%) Garden tours (20%) Sporting events (34%) Agricultural tours ( 72%)
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Trend: Escorted Package Tours
USTOA found: Escorted tours were greatest growth areas for 38% of membership. Mexico ranked third in terms of perceived value.
Caribbean compared to Mexico on: value for the dollar distance offerings
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Trend: FIT/ExperientialUSTOA survey also found: Big growth in FIT 80% reported increased bookings in this area. Travelers are increasingly asking for experiential vacations.
PGAV survey found: 58% of travel consumers will splurge on the right experience
Travel is always a life enhancing experience. Now, it is an extraordinary value.
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Trend: Solo Travelers Increased numbers of solo travelers Tour operators are tailoring products to single travelers. Solo traveler stats:
• Many are not “single.” • Traveling on their own for independence /
wish to see something that holds little interest for partner. • Men and women travel alone in equal numbers • Ages vary greatly.
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Trend: Family/Multigenerational
USTOA found: Family / intergenerational travel continues to be popular. Family / intergenerational travel has increased in popularity. 60% of members offer family-friendly tours/packages. Many tour operators offer family-friendly escorted tours.
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Now what?
You need to take advantage of technology and educate yourself
on the competition and the possibilities.
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The End of a Monopoly 20 years ago: travel agents had a information monopoly. 15 years ago: e-tickets didn’t exist. 10 years ago: Internet used only by scientists/educators.
Then … travel agents lost their monopoly.
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Forging Ahead
Travel agents: Left the commodity game and began to charge
service fees 90+% of ASTA members charge fees for at
least some services.
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Survey Says …
Younger and less affluent travelers (< $75,000) valued and used the services of a travel agent as much, if not more, than did affluent travelers (> $150,000).
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Survey Says …Consumers are more willing to pay for a travel agent’s services if they see themselves as getting new suggestions.
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79%
85%
81%
78%
86%
77%
88%
83%
87%
45%
39%
22%
34%
33%
27%
30%
44%
34%
40%
37%
27%
33%
35%
34%
29%
32%
42%
18-34 Years
35-54 Years
55+ Years
Male
Female
$0 - $75K
$75K - $100K
$100K - $150K
$150K+
Easier to Research/Book Myself Don't Want to Pay Travel Agent FeesMore Options When I Plan/Book Trips Myself
Graph shows data related to Reasons for Not Using a Travel Agent for Purchasing Airline Tickets. Results proved similar for every travel segment and every demographic.
The main reason consumers opt not
to use a travel agent is the perceived lack of control.
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The largest percentage of consumers said, even if a fee was involved, they would still use a travel agent to: purchase a tour book a cruise plan another type of trip
Graph shows data related Continued Use of a Travel Agent if Fee is Charged Purchasing a Vacation Package.
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Agents Online
ASTA members: 94% have booked directly on a supplier’s Web site 77% have their own Web site Using LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo and other social sites
ASTA offers: Semi-monthly Webinars RSS feeds E-commerce tools (WebExchange, online Buyer’s Guide) Podcasts / video tutorials
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Reaching Consumers
TravelS
ense
TravelSense.org, ASTA’s consumer Web site, allows visitors to:
• read about destinations across the globe• share travel tips and advice • find and contact an ASTA travel agent
We learned new ways to reach consumersWe learned about new consumers
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Out of sight is out of mindTravel agents give you access to: church groups
bands
youth travel
ethnic groups
sports fans
adventure enthusiasts
senior groups
family reunions
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Travel agents Your friends Great supporters of Jamaica Waiting to do their part Plenty of experience
Travel agents mean business!
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Without an ASTA travel agent, you’re on your own.
Thank You!