Surviving the e-booking world
One of the most popular ongoing programs for the Canadian Institute of Travel Counselors is “how to survive in an e-booking world.” Said President and CEO Steve Gillick:
“That seems to be travel agents’ biggest concern. They either see it as a threat or they want savvy advice on how to use it.”
Mr Gillick said the internet is admittedly handy for short trips or point-to-point airline tickets.
But during a trip to Mongolia, he observed one of his favorite examples of what can go wrong for self-bookers. A hysterical woman could not leave the country because she was unaware a double entry visa was required.
“A travel agent would have advised her — as mine did — of the necessity of having a visa both to enter and to leave the country,” he said.
Complicated trips are made-to-order opportunities for agents.
He said:
“I see a strong future for agents in the baby boomers who are often looking for a little more complicated adventure. They have higher demands. They don’t want to know whether a hotel has a pool, but does it have a swim-in bar? Does it have a nature trail?”
Mr Gillick, a former tour operator, said there remains a demand for group travel, but many travelers want more personalized trips.
Another good example of how travel agent expertise helps is at the Toronto airport, where many travelers don’t know they need to retrieve their own baggage for connecting flights.
“Again, this is the type of expert advice from a travel counselor, as opposed to the standard one-hour US flight where you don’t need much knowledge,” he said.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025