Most package holidays still booked with agents
ABTA Convention Special: A recent MORI poll found that agents were booking fewer package holidays than ever in 2002, but customers still preferred agents to the internet.
MORI chairman, Professor Bob Worcester (right) told an audience at the ABTA Convention that 60 percent of those surveyed booked a recent holiday through an agent. This is the lowest level since the poll started in 1990, when agents made 78 percent of package holiday bookings. Bookings made directly with an operator were up from 19 percent in 1990 to 36 percent in 2002.
The survey confirmed that people were still wary of booking online. While 63 percent had used the internet to get travel information, only six percent had made a booking online.
Commenting on the results, P&O Cruises managing director, David Dingle (right) said that agents should focus on selling more unusual and expensive holidays, which were less likely to be booked online.
Agreeing, Thomas Cook Retail managing director, Andrew Windsor (left) said the key for agents was “to use the internet as a source of information and a tool for communicating better with customers.”
MORI’s Mr Worcester said that surprisingly, 70 percent of the holidaymakers had never flown with a no-frills carrier. Less surprising was that, of those who had flown no-frills, 61 percent booked their flight online, 30 percent over the telephone, and 14 percent with an agent.
Mr Windsor of Thomas Cook Retail said he welcomed no-frills competition. He said: “They have opened up a lot of new destinations, like Gerona in Spain, which is good for business”.
MORI surveyed 713 package holidaymakers in the UK.
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