Travellers More Satisfied When Using A Travel Agent
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has released the results of its new study, Value of Travel Agents, with more than half of Millennial, Xer and Boomer travellers saying trips planned by agents are better.
The primary objective of the study was to measure the value of the travel agency channel and to show whether working with travel agents enhances the travel experience. And the results confirmed just that, and more.
Findings from the study, conducted by MMGY Global, discovered that Millennial (59%), Xer (53%) and Boomer (58%) leisure travellers who used travel agents believe that vacations planned with agents were better than those organized without their assistance. Not surprisingly, consumers that use an agent travel more (average 4.7 trips) than consumers that don’t use a travel agent (average 3.6 trips).
“The Value of the Travel Agent study shows that people who use a travel agent are more likely to be satisfied with their trip. The research also provides insight into how and where travel agents can expand their businesses,” said ASTA CEO Zane Kerby (pictured).
The study also found other interesting and positive results. Use of traditional travel agents appears to be growing. The study found that 13% of US travellers used a traditional travel agent in the past year, which is up from 11% a few years ago. Of the leisure travellers who did not use travel agents in the past 12 months, 41% indicated they were open to using one in the future.
Survey results were based on responses from 8,338 travellers who have been on at least one leisure trip requiring overnight accommodations during the past 12 months.
ASTA members will be given access to a summary of the findings, access to a member-only webinar on April 9 and as a list of actionable items to help them market their businesses to consumers. The final report, which is 270 pages long, contains additional detail and insights that suppliers and travel professionals may find relevant when developing their marketing plans. It can be purchased at http://www.ASTA.org as of March 13.
