| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 15/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 36 |
| Copyright: Other |
On-line agencies ‘offer more variety’
ON-LINE travel agencies are more likely to attract Internet shoppers than tour operator sites, claims Paul Richer, senior partner at travel technology consultancy Genesys.“Web consumers demand choice – it’s what the Web is all about,” he said. “On-line operator brands with their more limited offerings simply have less appeal to Web shoppers. Agency brands, offering consumers real variety, are the way ahead. It is a browsing medium and consumers want maximum choice.”
Richer believes independent agencies will succeed on the Internet, despite growing competition from the major travel industry players.
“Large and small can co-exist side by side. The key to success will be specialisation,” he said.
Richer is chairing the IT Travel 2000 conference in Brussels this month. Speakers include Henry Lane-Fox, from lastminute.com, Howard Miller, Ryanair and Brian Pratt, from Starwood Hotels. The event runs from May 22-24 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Brussels.