CASE 2. Travellers are returning to travel agents When the Internet took over travel intermediation, travellers’ preference was for online booking. After some years of making bookings over the Internet and the simultaneous information boom, some Internet-savvy people began to return to travel agents to make their travel arrangements. Certainly, some people have grown weary of online searches and the excessive consumption of their time for this searching, and indeed purchasing. Some are confused about what is available and find it difficult to decide and make a purchase, as there is such a large volume of information and options available to them online. Certainly, the number of travel agencies has reduced drastically: Internet travel and booking sites began to take their business nearly 20 years ago. In the US, according to an estimate of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently about 70,000 full-time travel agents operating there. In 2000, that number was 124,000. Different survival strategies were adopted by the surviving travel agencies. Many trained to become specialists in various travel products, like adventure, multigenerational/group, cruise and luxury. By adopting different operational practices, they reduced the cost of operation and began charging for rendering services. They are active as and when they are needed, disregarding the time, and have become saviours during all sorts of travellers’ crises. Moreover, they can suggest the right choice without travellers having to mine the large volume of information online. QUESTION: 1. Identify the reasons why travellers are returning to travel agents for bookings.

Principles Of Marketing

17th Edition

ISBN:9780134492513

Author:Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)

Publisher:Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)

Chapter1: Marketing: Creating Customer Value And Engagement

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1.1DQ

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CASE 2. Travellers are returning to travel agents When the Internet took over travel intermediation, travellers’ preference was for online booking. After some years of making bookings over the Internet and the simultaneous information boom, some Internet-savvy people began to return to travel agents to make their travel arrangements. Certainly, some people have grown weary of online searches and the excessive consumption of their time for this searching, and indeed purchasing. Some are confused about what is available and find it difficult to decide and make a purchase, as there is such a large volume of information and options available to them online. Certainly, the number of travel agencies has reduced drastically: Internet travel and booking sites began to take their business nearly 20 years ago. In the US, according to an estimate of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently about 70,000 full-time travel agents operating there. In 2000, that number was 124,000. Different survival strategies were adopted by the surviving travel agencies. Many trained to become specialists in various travel products, like adventure, multigenerational/group, cruise and luxury. By adopting different operational practices, they reduced the cost of operation and began charging for rendering services. They are active as and when they are needed, disregarding the time, and have become saviours during all sorts of travellers’ crises. Moreover, they can suggest the right choice without travellers having to mine the large volume of information online. QUESTION: 1. Identify the reasons why travellers are returning to travel agents for bookings.

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