Travel Leaders marketing chief outlines value of travel agents
Travel Leaders Group marketing chief Steve McGillivray outlined the importance of agents to Caribbean tourism at the State of the Industry Conference in the Bahamas this week.
Delivering the keynote address at the event, he said: "By far, the most powerful thing you can do to market your destinations effectively is this – rely on the retail travel distribution system.
"The tour operates who package your destination are most definitely dependent travel agents to deliver customers.
"Travel agents should always be part of your marketing toolbox, if not the primary tool."
He pointed to a recent Phocuswright survey which found travel agents are the largest travel distribution segment representing 30% of total travel sales.
Phocuswright also says travel agents sell two-thirds of all cruises and 68% of all package tours.
Meanwhile, CLIA reports 82% of luxury cruises are sold through advisors.
"As the cost and complexity of travel increases, so does the value and need for expert guidance from a travel advisor," he said.
"If you are looking for a $100 a night hotel in Miami, go online and book it. But for travelers who are booking luxury cruises, destination weddings, multi-gen family travel – they’re flocking to our travel advisors."
McGillivray said on average travelers who use an agent spend more overnights at the destination than those who do not.
"Their average daily spend is 60% higher than people who don’t use travel agents. That’s because travel agents up sell up better than anyone. Ask any cruise executive who sells the top of the ship and the answer will be: travel advisors!"
He said travel advisors have always been popular with Baby Boomers, but Millennials love agents too.
"In fact, 39% of Millennial travelers and 51% of Millennial families said they plan to use a travel agent. That shocked me too, but there’s are two reasons: trust and time."
Travel Leaders Group comprises 52,000 travel agents, 10,000 in its owned agencies and about 42,000 in its network.
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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