Comment: Trust is an agent’s USP

It’s no coincidence that a probe by Which? into how holiday firms promote sales went public this week – just as the travel peaks campaigns got under way.

On Saturday, The Times had “Travel firms dupe buyers with bogus cheap deals” emblazoned across its front page.

“Ouch… not the best headline moving into 2018,” one travel boss commented on Twitter.

It would certainly be damaging if the travel industry acquired a reputation for pulling the wool over consumers’ eyes, but as Abta points out, this isn’t the major issue it was made to appear.

Any travel firm that sets out to mislead customers can’t expect to get away with it for long, certainly not in the age of the internet, as prices are so transparent online.

Ultimately, this comes down to trust – fortunately a commodity that agents and operators trade on every day as their USP.

Sadly this point is always missing when these stories hit the national press. The message to consumers seems to be to go online and check prices, as if this is some sort of panacea.

Surely better advice would be to ask a trusted travel expert.

Record breaking Globes will be out of this world

In a week’s time, 1,300 of you will join us to honour the very best suppliers in the industry at the annual Globe Travel

What better way to kick off the year? And what’s making it even more exciting this year is that we had a record number of votes cast by you, our readers.

Good luck to everyone nominated – and here’s to a great night!