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A campaign around ‘Trusted Travel’ is being instigated by Travel Counsellors for the peak January booking period.
The push will highlight the benefits of booking with a trusted member, giving consumers an insight into the added value the company provides including 100% financial protection and a 24/7 global duty office.
The activity follows the results of company research which found that trust ranks highest when it comes to booking a holiday.
A total of 93% reported that they plan to go on holiday in the next 12 months, highlighting that consumers are still making travel plans despite reports of uncertainty following recent global events.
However, such events and a growing concern over untrustworthy travel providers appears to have impacted the thought process of consumers when planning their travel.
The survey reveals that booking with someone they can trust is now the most important factor for 60% when making travel plans.
Only 4% ranked ‘getting the cheapest price’ as the most important factor for them.
A further 24% of the 335 people surveyed placed the most value on having a holiday tailor-made for them according to their specific wants and needs.
Having 24/7 assistance was considered most important by 7%, closely followed by being financially protected (6%).
Recent media coverage of fake reviews has also fuelled concerns over the reliability of online review sites in the travel industry.
Less than a quarter of people (23%) ranked online ratings and reviews of destinations and hotels as the most important type of feedback. Instead, 71% value first-hand knowledge from a real travel agent most highly when researching their holiday options.
Travel Counsellors managing director, Steve Byrne, said: “It’s clear that people are still planning to travel this year but with recent events in the industry, they are now placing ‘trust’ at the centre of the booking process over anything else.
“Customers need to know what is right for them; where is safe to travel; and be reassured that someone who genuinely cares will be there for them every step of the way.
“Travellers are also becoming more discerning and want a holiday that is catered to their specific needs and requirements – it’s no longer a case of ‘one size fits all’.
“Now it’s not just about price – people are placing much greater value on the service they receive and the peace of mind they have when booking with someone they can trust.”
Byrne added: “People want genuine, first-hand feedback when making their travel choices.
“To ensure we are offering our customers the very best advice we have our own in-house review system that gives feedback about thousands of properties from our customers and Travel Counsellors, which has proven an invaluable source of information for our Travel Counsellors when choosing the right holiday for the customer.
“The findings of the survey really highlight travellers’ needs for genuine care, trust, support and peace of mind when booking their holiday, which are all the things our Travel Counsellors do best.”