| In the past, before the advent of the Internet, it | | | | suppliers. It is an ideal method for people to |
| has largely been too time consuming or too | | | | source information on travel. It is therefore |
| expensive for the average consumer to deal | | | | essential for travel-related Websites to offer |
| directly with the travel operator and personally | | | | useful, pertinent and easy-to-find information |
| arrange every aspect of their holiday. Travel | | | | alongside a booking facility if appropriate. The |
| agents became a trusted and speedy medium via | | | | Internet can be used to fully research a |
| which the holiday consumer could book a | | | | destination, book all aspects of the holiday including |
| 'package' that would otherwise be impossible for | | | | travel and communicate others who have the |
| the independent consumer to find. | | | | same ideas or have been through similar |
| The role of the travel agent includes three key | | | | experiences. It gives travellers an excellent |
| tasks: | | | | opportunity to compare and contrast everything |
| 1) Perform the function of the information broker, | | | | on offer before they make a purchase. |
| passing information between buyers and suppliers | | | | The information available online is continually being |
| 2) Process transactions including printing tickets | | | | reformatted and presented in a more logical, |
| and forwarding money to suppliers | | | | easy-to-use and read format. The volume of |
| 3) Advise travellers on places to go, things to do | | | | consumers that rely on this information to make |
| and other important information | | | | travel-related decisions will therefore continue to |
| These three tasks have been lampooned by the | | | | rise. In addition, features and benefits of using the |
| information and facilities provided on the Internet. | | | | Internet to research and book holidays are |
| Consumers have recently realised that it is | | | | improving and being added to all the time. For |
| possible to research their planned holiday fully | | | | example, consumers no longer have to receive |
| online. Users can find out about specific regional | | | | printed tickets from the travel operator. They |
| information at the click of a mouse. Small local | | | | simply print out any information that they require |
| hotels, specific local attractions and regional tours | | | | themselves after they receive it automatically via |
| can be researched with ease before a booking is | | | | email. |
| considered. | | | | The Internet has meant that people can now |
| In the early years of the Internet, consumers | | | | easily plan trips for themselves. This has not only |
| tended not to trust booking online. It was | | | | opened up a greater amount of discounts available |
| perceived that parting with credit card details | | | | to the general public, but also given people the fun |
| over the Internet was not a secure method of | | | | and enjoyment of planning and booking their own |
| payment. Users instead tended to research | | | | trips. |
| everything they wanted to know before hand - | | | | Are travel agents a thing of the past? The future |
| and then contact their travel agent either | | | | isn't looking too rosy for them. They might |
| face-to-face or over the phone to book their | | | | perhaps retain their presence in certain specialist |
| holiday package. | | | | markets, where they can offer a unique service |
| The Internet offers an effective means for | | | | to individual market segments - but if you're a |
| developing a single and sustainable electronic | | | | 'love all, serve all' travel agent you've probably |
| infrastructure for information gathering and | | | | seen your income levels drop significantly over |
| business transactions for both travellers and | | | | the last few years. |