THE
ROLE of travel agents is set to change dramatically over the next 20 years,
with consultants acting as lifestyle gurus to their ‘information-rich,
time-poor’ clients.
Holidaymakers
will need expert agents to sift through the overwhelming amount of destination
and product information available, most likely delivered to them via hand-held
computers and telephones.
The
prediction comes from the Future Holiday Forum – a think-tank of experts drawn
together by Thomson from a variety of fields to identify how the travel
industry is likely to look by 2024. Their report is revealed exclusively in
Travel Weekly.
TUI
marketing director Hugh Edwards admitted the number of traditional travel
agencies could decline as the industry followed the lead of banks.
“Customers
get expert advice from their banks, but very rarely do you need to go in and
see somebody face to face,” said Edwards. “This could well be how agencies
develop; they’ll still be around, but staff will have less contact with the
customer.”
He
said the huge amount of information about destinations would, ironically, make
people less likely to do their own research.
And
the fact that people will be better travelled and more knowledgeable will make
them more cynical and distrusting, so well-trained agents will be in demand.
“Retailers will do all the work,” said Edwards. “We’ll
be sending out virtual video tours of resorts to people’s phones and they’ll be
able to say ‘yes’ and pay for the holiday at the touch of a button.”