We’ve all seen the meme of English comedian, John Cleese, with his arms stretched out, fingers tensed and ready-to-strangle facial expression after having encountered halfwit travellers.
Don’t recall? Here’s a little refresher for travellers and Agents:
Accompanied with trade-related text, the meme brings humour to a frustrating situation that sees Travel Agents dealing with askholes – holidaymakers who waste hours of their time only to turn around and book online.
Although the frustration behind the meme suggests this encounter between Agent and Askhole is frequent, a new study found that almost all travellers who seek out professional advice will book through the same company.
The 2018 ABTA Holiday Habits report revealed that 93 percent of people who spoke to a Travel Agent in the last year, went on to book their holiday with them.
That’s HUGE news for consultants who can rest assured knowing that the advice they offer and itineraries they provide are almost always appreciated enough to secure a sale.
“Findings show that if businesses engage a customer in their expertise, they have more than a nine in ten chance of converting that conversation into a sale.”
ABTA
WOOHOO!
The study of British holiday habits in the last 12 months also found some 36 percent of travellers booked holidays through Travel Agents in the previous year, similar to the prior year’s 38 percent. Those who booked through a consultant said they did so because it was easy, a time-saver and gave them confidence. Click here for the benefits of booking through an Agent.
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