The New, New Thing— Travel Agents Are More
Influential Than Ever Before
F
ollowing more than a decade of intense change in the travel industry, a new breed of travel agent has
emerged, stronger and more influential than ever before. Meeting the demands of a booming travel
market and increasingly savvy travelers, travel agents have reinvented themselves as travel specialists. They
are earning the confidence and loyalty of today’s consumers with this expertise and the extra service, value,
CONFIDENCE IN INFORMATION SOURCES
security and peace of mind that only they can provide.
Close to half of consumers say they are Extremely/Very confident in travel agents
as a vacation destination information source
Recommendations of a friend or family member 83%
TRAVEL AGENTS’ INFLUENCE GROWING
2006
Percentage of consumers who rated their agent as extremely or very influential over
2001
Information in travel guidebooks 48%
their choice of vacation components
Recommendations of a travel agent 46%
60%
57%
55%
54%
Information in a company or destination website 42%
51%
53%
51%
49%
50%
48%
Information on the website of an online travel
45%
46%
agency such as Expedia, Travelocity, etc. 42%
44%
Articles in newspapers and magazines or
programs on TV and radio 37%
40%
Information Source
33% 33%
Information in travel brochures 32%
30%
26%
Personal comments or reviews appearing in
a web log or”Blog” 24%
P
ercentage 22%
Information in travel advertising 19%
20%
11% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
10%
NA NA
0%
Vacation Hotel Cruise Destination Travel Airline Car Rental Train
Overall
Package or Line Insurance Company
or Tour Resorts
NA- Not asked in 2001
Source: YPB&R May 2001 and 2007 Leisure Travel Monitor
PMG | 6
PMG-brochure_modem.indd 6 8/3/07 12:39:44 PM
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