Should I use a human Travel Advisor with years of experience & emotional intelligence to book my holiday OR should I use what seems to be a convenient online alternative?
It’s the great internal 21st-century debate among consumers worldwide, and although the answer boils down to personal preference, here’s some interesting information that might sway you towards a more soulful selection.
Like for example, currently, some 80 percent of tours and activities (T&A) worldwide are still booking through Travel Advisors and 90 percent in Asia Pacific because according to Phocuswright, there’s a lack of supply and real-time inventory through online travel sites.
Just in case you didn’t catch that, research shows that online booking sites don’t have access to all your tour options, and if they do, they can’t guarantee availability.
That’s the complete opposite of what’s available to Travel Advisors who have GDS platforms full of tour information, brochures upon brochures of product available, and nearly almost always, direct access to the operators through which they can confirm availability.
With such diverse and instantaneous access, the Chief Executive of the global network of tours and activities platform, Livn, said there are “enormous opportunities” for bricks-and-mortar agencies to shift their business booking process online and be the convenient digital provider with a human hard drive that travellers are craving.
“Not only to capitalise on substantial waiting demand, but to make efficiencies in running costs.”
Mark Rizzuto, Livn Chief Executive
Speaking at The Web in Travel (WiT) Conference in Singapore late last year, Rizzuto said the opportunity for Advisors moving online grows when you consider that more than half of travellers look up reviews for local activities on mobile devices whilst they’re in resort.
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