‘Improving Internet knowledge holds key to Web success’

‘Improving Internet knowledge holds key to Web success’

TRAVEL agents must become expert Internet users if they want to keep their customers, ABTA delegates were warned.

Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Malcolm Preston said agents do not need to invest thousands of pounds in new technology to survive but they do need to know what travel product is available on the Internet so they can keep one step ahead of their clients and provide advice on useful sites.

“While consumers are more likely to buy travel on-line than any other product, research also shows that most people would still rather deal with an agent directly,” he said.

But he added that agents shouldn’t take that as a reason to do nothing.

As well as becoming experts on the Web, they should get on-line themselves with a dedicated site and start using agent specific sites such as Travel Select, said Preston.

“Setting up a Internet site doesn’t have to cost much,” he added.