A new American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) study found that the reputation and quality of a product is often the strongest factor in deciding which suppliers are used by agents.
“The study shows that regardless of a company’s size, they all have the tools to engender travel agent loyalty,” said ASTA President and CEO Cheryl Hudak, CTC. “The key to survival and growth in the industry from the supplier viewpoint is travel agent brand loyalty and a strong, positive reputation.”
The study confirmed that travel agents have a tremendous desire to acquire useful information about products that will assist them in matching the product to their client and close the sale.
Another finding, while not surprising, is that Global Distribution Systems (GDS) remain the preferred booking vehicle for airline travel.
Among other key findings are:
- A majority of respondents use preferred suppliers for cruise, car rental and tour bookings.
- Most cruise bookings are made through the cruise line’s 800-number.
- Most respondents prefer to receive special offers from preferred suppliers by e-mail, while GDS sign-in messages rank at the very bottom of the communication preferences.
- Most agencies participate in FAM trips and more than half of respondents say that destination was the most important factor when selecting a FAM.
Report by David Wilkening
