| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 17/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 28 |
| Copyright: Other |
Kroeger: agents need to change
Internet ‘holds key to future’
SABRE believes traditional travel agencies will lose a huge amount of business to on-line players over the next four years.Senior vice-president for Europe Chris Kroeger estimates that agents took 74% of bookings last year but forecast that this would fall to 40% by 2004.
“People could say there is not much of a future for travel agents,” he said. “But as traditional travel agents transform themselves, there is no reason why they can’t play in the on-line area. Those who are not looking to change and adapt won’t be able to continue.”
Kroeger claimed that Sabre had reinvented itself in order to offer agents the tools to compete in the new era.
Innovations have included bringing the Internet to agents’ desktops, and offering products like Agent Explorer, which offers content designed to help them sell holidays.