The trend towards big operators buying specialist travel companies is no threat to smaller independent players, delegates at the EyeforTravel Travel Distribution Summit were told.
Partner of the International Tourism Organisation Soren Langelund, who is about to launch aggregator site ewaterways.com for small ships and river cruises, said consolidation meant the big operators had more cash to spend on niche operators, such as Thomas Cook buying Elegant Resorts.
“The big operators are large and unwieldy. They won’t be able to innovate with new product and provide a personal service like we can,” he said.
The consolidation of the big four actually provides opportunity for niche companies, added Langelund, who has thirty years experience in the travel industry.
“Niche operators will leapfrog the big two. There will be a shift in the market to niche as people seek specialist experiences,”
The gay and lesbian travel market is seeing strong growth and could be lucrative for travel agents. “This is high end product with a high yield. Destinations are marketing themselves to the LGBT community more and more.”
In an era of information overload, recommendations are more valuable than ever and travel companies should use social networking to stregthen their product. “If there’s no community around your niche, create one,” said Langelund.
The new ewaterwaays.com – owned by www.worldwaterways.com – is set to launch in the next month and will be available to the trade. “People who go on large ships find themselves waiting in long queues to eat and get on and off. More and more are turning to small ships where they can be more flexible,” said Langelund.