Millennials Are Bringing Back… The Travel Agent?
The 3 major reasons why travel agents are still relevant, and who their clientele is shaping up to be for 2018 (and beyond).
Search “travel agents” in Google, then click the news tab.
Are you surprised by what you see?
Countless article after article about the increasing relevance of travel agents.
News outlets are reporting that travel agents save customers an average of $452 when booking a vacation, and Millennials claim the benefits of outsourcing the research and planning phases of their trip prove more convenient than simply booking travel online.
The reasons for the resurgence are not glaringly obvious, but consumers are citing several reasons why they would choose an agency or travel consultants for their excursion.
Why? Here are 3 reasons travel agents are enjoying an increased demand:
1. Expertise
Thanks to online booking sites such as Expedia, Kayak or Priceline, travel agents no longer focus their approach on the low-anxiety tasks such as searching for flights or reserving cruise cabins.
Instead, many consumers are seeking out travel agents for their specific expertise — rather than dealing with major airline and hospitality companies directly.
Travel agents often help their customers manage last-minute flight changes, find safe, tourist-friendly hotel and B&Bs, or build itineraries for vacationers who are looking for a specific kind of experience.
2. Insider info
Thanks to social media, the travel and tourism industries have bounced back significantly since the Great Recession days of airline layoffs and hotel cutbacks.
If you’re looking to create the most Instagram or Pinterest worthy vacation, a travel agent can tell you exactly which hotspots and (in)famous haunts to check out.
For travelers who are headed to potentially dangerous or volatile areas, agents can provide region-specific tips for safety and act as resource anxiety ridden travel novices.
3. Deals, deals, deals
Since they spend a significant amount of their time traveling, most agents or travel consultants have built a rapport with hospitality vendors such as hostels, hotels or local B&Bs.
Often times, agents can combine their knowledge and expertise of the industry, along with their own personal connections to help their clients get great deals on vacation activities, flights and more.
Who are these all-knowing travel consultants booking vacations for?
Cruise ship passengers
According to the 2018 Wave Season Tips and Predictions survey, which canvassed top million dollar-producing independent agencies in the Avoya network, a majority (80 percent) of respondents said they “expect agency sales in 2018 Wave to be better than or the same as Avoya’s very strong 2017 Wave and sales year”.
The forecasted growth in 2018 is most likely due to:
- Pent-up demand from travelers who may have held off in 2017
- An improving economy and strong stock market
- Increased inventory with new innovative ships and exciting itineraries
Read about cruise ship booking trends here.
Luxury & niche vacationers
Fyre Festival fiasco aside — who doesn’t want to travel like a millionaire jet-setter?
According to Travel Market Reports first TMR Outlook on Luxury, “more than 650 U.S. and Canadian travel agents who sell luxury travel have seen their sales jump dramatically, and are optimistic the good times will continue”.
Additionally, more and more travelers are looking past tourist heavy spots like London and Paris and are choosing to explore the “less visited” areas of Europe, with cities like Edinburgh and Lisbon coming more and more in vogue.
Agents who can provide luxurious or even offer concierge service for niche travelers will likely see an uptick in sales for 2018.
Large or international event attendees
Music festivals and experiential industry conferences are all the rage these days, but many travel industry experts think that agents are overlooking big opportunities to profit from the trend.
For those that do, itinerary planning for festival goers or corporate teams attending a conferences can come with a big payoff.
A growing number of Millennials
Despite being the children of the digital area and having spent most of their adult life booking vacations online, Millennials are surprisingly leading the charge when it comes to the resurgence of travel agents.
These highly efficient, productivity loving travelers are more likely to use a travel agent than any other American age group, which is in line with the anecdote about how travel consultants save their clients time and money that should be used towards the vacation.
Millennials are also the most likely to look into niche travel experiences such as backpacking, glamping, and adventure excursions. So, they may feel a stronger need for one-on-one support a travel consultant to help them pack whimsy and excitement into every minute of their filter-perfect trip.
Would you consider using a travel consultant for your next adventure filled vacation trek through Iceland, or family-fun fueled trip to Denmark’s Lego House? Let us know what you think, follow willu on social media or tweet us @willu with your travel agent experience stories!
For travel agents looking to expand their reach to new clients, provide around the clock travel consulting or instantly share deals and promotions, add your personalized hashtag to the willu waitlist today.
