Bewildered travel buyers looking to agents for help
Surviving travel agents, though a diminishing breed, say they get by because they focus on business, group and niche travelers. And they say demand for their services is rising.
"What you might hear is that travel agencies are dead, and oftentimes people think that," said Jay Ellenby, president and chief executive officer of Safe Harbors Travel Group, a Baltimore agency. "We're far from it, though the industry has decreased significantly. But we often find ourselves reinventing ourselves."
“Agents and industry analysts say a growing number of consumers are relying on professionals to wade through information, sort out conflicting price offers, plan customized travel, keep abreast of changing conditions and even step in as intermediaries when trips go wrong,” says The Baltimore Sun.
"The trend has been people are going back to travel professionals because you can't always believe the pictures you see online," said Denver agency owner Chris Russo, president of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). "It's gone hand-in-hand with the economy. People are a little more cautious. In a bad economy, people want to make sure their money is in a good place."
One reason for more business: pent-up demand.
About half of the leisure-based travel agencies surveyed by the American Society of Travel Agents earlier this year said sales and transactions increased last year compared with 2009. Ninety-four percent of the agencies said they expect to make a profit this year.
The value of airline tickets sold by US travel agencies rose more than eight percent in the first four months of this year compared with last year, reported the Airlines Reporting Corp., which handles transactions between airlines and travel agencies.
Change has forced many travel agents out of business. But after a decade of decline, says Kristina Rundquist, a spokeswoman for ASTA, the number of dwindling firms is leveling off.
Agencies that formerly existed on sales of airline tickets have altered course. Some added new consulting fees or began specializing in a particular travel niche. By 2009, ASTA reports, roughly 41 percent of agencies were charging consultation fees for custom travel.
The proportion of agencies that charge service fees for bookings had grown to 91 percent by 2009, the society reported.
The fee for a domestic or international air booking averaged in the upper $30 range.
By David Wilkening
David
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