Our lunchtime discussions with industry leaders (see pages 22 and 23) have prompted much debate in the industry. One of the most interesting topics was about who owns the customer and I believe that despite alternative forms of distribution, the agent is becoming more powerful.
Airtours Holidays managing director Chris Mottershead believes he owns the customer and has failed if people think they have been on a Going Places holiday. But that’s what happens in the majority of cases, although I’m not sure if the Airtours group would see this a failure.
Meanwhile, First Choice Holidays managing director Dermot Blastland said:”Holiday buying is the same as for any other high-spend consumer goods. You decide you want a Sony or a Volkswagen because it’s the product, the brand you want. Then you shop around for the best price.”
I disagree. Most people go looking for a cheap holiday and are then sold a particular operator. Historically Thomson has been the only mass-market brand with any value and both Thomas Cook and Going Places have demonstrated recently how easy it is to convince customers that other holidays are just as good.
In a mature market, when more bookings are going to go direct, via the Internet and digital TV, good agents will still be in demand and can be very influential.
Jeremy Skidmore – editor