Agents failing to understand their customers
Many travel agents and operators are still failing to understand their customers and to find them better holidays, according to a survey by ABTA.
In its latest Consumer Holiday Trends Report, ABTA said that although consumers said booking with a travel professional can save them time, money and effort, fewer people believe they will have a better holiday as a result.
Likewise, fewer people believe a travel agent or operator understands what they like.
Unveiling the report at The Travel Convention in Dubrovnik today, ABTA head of communications Victoria Bacon said the findings show there is still more to be done when it comes to customer insights and relationship management.
"Some are doing it well, but others aren’t. This is still an area of learning for the industry," she said.
Of the 2008 people questioned by the survey, 52% agreed travel staff can save them time, 44% said they can save them money and 55% said they make booking easier.
But only 23% said travel professionals know what they like and only 25% said they have a better holiday when they book through an agent.
They survey found that attitudes to agents was particularly positive among those aged 16-24, with 62% saying they can save them time, 52% saying they can save money and 64% saying they make the booking process easy.
The survey was carried out by tourism and leisure specialists Arkenford relating to booking habits in the year to August 2013.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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