Iowa universities stick up for travel agents
When the Des Moines Register reported that two state universities paid more than $1.4 million in travel agency fees over the past five years, it asked if that was "a wise use of public dollars in an era when travel can easily be booked on the Internet."
It sure was, officials at the universities said.
The travel agencies help them find the best rates and most efficient travel schedules, resolve issues like cancellations, shift credit from unused tickets to future purchases (something you cannot easily do with tickets purchased online) and provide after-hours emergency assistance, the schools said.
The study found that the University of Iowa paid Meacham Travel Services an average of $164,128 in each of the last five fiscal years, largely to book air travel, "which generally costs an extra $35 a seat when done through an agency," the newspaper said.
Iowa State paid an average of $116,472 a year to Omaha-based Travel and Transport, which generally charges the school $30.50 per transaction.
The use of travel agencies remains common among large organizations. Sixty percent of respondents in a 2012 Travelport survey of 100 major organizations said they used a travel agency.
Still, Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, (D-Des Moines) said the amount of money spent with travel agencies warrants further review. "I guess the question is: Can we be more prudent?" she told the Register.
By Cheryl Rosen
Cheryl
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025