[Travelandtourism] Why Consumers Book Elsewhere – Why Not?

[cheryl echevarria]

Good morning all: 
Since this group is not only for the leisure traveler. It is also about working in the industry.  We have many in the group that are Travel Agents, either Home Based like myself and Vice President Maurice Shackelford or Anahit LaBarre.  Or Brick and Mortar type agencies.
So the story below is working with each other. People think that Travel Agents do work together, which is a myth.
There are many travel agent organizations, like CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organization) ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents, this one is similar to what we do with NFB, they are an advocacy group for travel agents), OSSN (Outside Sales Support Network) and other local state and city travel agent organizations.
We all work together, we are not a dying breed out there, and for those of us who are travel agents or work in the industry (we need to work on getting those that are not aware we are there)


Why Consumers Book Elsewhere – Why Not?March 15th, 2013 . by Richard Earls

This week we have engaged the reasons that clients might choose to book online through a portal like Travelocity, or direct with a supplier. In today’s final article, we deal with the most obvious reason: Why Not?  For the last 15 years the consumer has been schooled in using the internet to research everything, including travel. During roughly the same time, the general cultural myth has been that the travel agent is dead, dying or seriously bed-ridden. Very simply, the public at large does not recognize the value travel agents offer. The travel community has failed to consistently and clearly demonstrate its value proposition. And it’s your fault.

It is tempting to blame the consumer for this lack of knowledge, but the responsibility is 100% at the feet of the travel industry for failing to properly explain the value and role of the travel agent to the process of purchasing travel. Many travel consultants spend a great deal of time thinking about their competition, developing aggressive, competitive strategies. They view the agent down the street, the giant online web site or even the other agents in the office as their competitors.
The actual fact of the matter is, however, that the greatest competition most travel agents face is the lack of understanding of the thousands of potential clients who do not use a travel agent. The real battle in the travel industry is to create a market: to get potential clients to use a traditional travel agent rather than doing it themselves or, worse yet, doing nothing.
Your real competition is inertia and ignorance and your local efforts can make a difference.
Article continues belowThis 365 Marketing and Sales Tip is provided free to the travel agent community by:
By focusing on competition with other agencies, you ignore a large segment of the market. If you market aggressively and implicitly criticize the other agents, you in fact strengthen the subliminal message to some potential clients that perhaps no one can deliver adequate service. If you expressly criticize the “do-it- yourself” attitude, you implicitly criticize many potential clients and strengthen their resolve to book their own travel. Instead, let’s polish our own image and then work with other agents locally to educate the public.
Forget aggressive competitive techniques that negatively criticize other agencies or online possibilities. Instead go positive: focus on professionalism, word of mouth and public relations. Make sure that your agency’s literature and promotional material speak to professionalism, to being a traveler’s advocate and to the resources at your disposal. Look the part. Give your image a boost– a real logo and professional promotional collateral – quit treating the business like a hobby with a consumer email address (bettytravel at aol.com) and that web site designed by your nephew. Take destination specialists courses, participate with other agents in your local community and online and take fam trips to educate yourself.
Then, consider starting a grassroots campaign in your own community that begins with collaborating with other agencies in your area. A centralized nationwide campaign to educate the public is a very expensive proposition, but smaller, localized efforts make for easier lifting. The cost of a small, local ad campaign split between six or more agencies is affordable and smart business. The solution to educating the public needs to come from the ground up.
Naturally, anti-trust considerations indicate there are a few topics you and your fellow agents will not want to discuss. Don’t venture into discussion of fees, suppliers, GDS incentives or commissions or make agreements to consult each other on competitive matters.  Your aim is to educate the public.  You might consider inviting a local public relations firm to sit down with you to discuss the local possibilities.
The travel industry is woefully lacking in standards. If the common perception is that anyone with a mouse and a keyboard can be a travel agent, then your marketing challenges will grow proportionate to the success of Apple and Dell. The public needs an education in the value of your services and there is no better teacher than you and your fellow agents.
Do you know another travel agent in your community? If so, email them a copy of this article and then pick up the phone.
You don’t have to change the way the entire world views your profession. You only have to influence a few people just outside your door

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
Leading the Way in Independent Travel!SNG Certified - Accessible Travel Advocate!Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com2012 Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST - #1018299-10Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National Federation of the Blind will be holding a year round fundraiser for the http://www.NFBNY.org after Hurricane Sandy and other resources. Any vacation package booked between November 6 2012-November 6, 2013 and vacation must be traveled no later than 12/30/2014 a percentage of my earnings will go to the affiliate.  Also is you book a Sandals for couples or Beaches for families and friends resorts vacation, $100.00 per booking will go to the affiliate as well.  You do not need to be a member of the NFB.org, just book through us.