We’ve been hearing about the onslaught of large Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) for a couple of decades now. Undoubtedly, they have disrupted the market (for the better, I might add) by removing unnecessary friction in travel bookings. However, “offline” travel agencies that continue reinventing themselves have prospered in parallel. As a travel agent, there are many things you can do to stay relevant in the industry. Here’a list of things for travel agents to stay relevant:
- Stay informed about the latest travel trends and destinations by reading industry publications, attending webinars and conferences, and participating in travel forums.
- Embrace technology and use it to your advantage. Stay up-to-date on the latest travel booking and management software and social media platforms. [Shameless plug: There’s probably no software globally that allows the kind of intelligence and personalization than Pathfndr]
- Offer personalized service and create customized travel itineraries for your clients based on their preferences, interests, and budgets. [This multicity city/ multi-continent trip was created within budget in 14 minutes: https://demous.pathfndr.io/detail/trips-from-bengaluru-india-to-casablanca-morocco-to-marrakech-morocco-to-grancanariaisland-spain-to-tenerifeisland-spain-to-bengaluru-india-v2-03381751]
- Develop a niche market or specialty, such as adventure travel, luxury travel, or sustainable travel, to differentiate yourself from other travel agents.
- Build relationships with suppliers, hotels, and airlines to gain access to exclusive deals and promotions for your clients.
- Stay connected with your clients by sending them newsletters, updates, and special offers via email and social media. [Use Pathfndr’s complimentary Email Notification engine in-built into your backend]
- Provide excellent customer service by being responsive, reliable, and available to your clients before, during, and after their travels.
- Offer travel insurance and other travel-related products to enhance your clients’ travel experiences and provide peace of mind.
- Be flexible and adaptable to changing travel restrictions, health and safety guidelines, and other travel-related challenges.
- Create a user-friendly website and social media presence to showcase your services and expertise.
- Collaborate with other travel agents and professionals to share knowledge, expertise, and resources.
- Continuously educate yourself on the latest travel industry developments, regulations, and best practices.
- Offer 24/7 customer support and emergency assistance to your clients.
- Use customer feedback and reviews to improve your services and address any issues or concerns.
- Provide value-added services, such as airport transfers, restaurant reservations, and sightseeing tours, to enhance your clients’ travel experiences.
- Develop a referral program to incentivize your clients to refer their friends and family to your services.
- Emphasize the human touch and the value of personal relationships in a world dominated by digital technology.
We endeavour to make your transition to the online world easy and ensure that travel agencies stay relevant and provide the human touch so necessary for a complete experience. However, to do that, you do need to up your digital game and your service game to stay relevant in this hyper-competitive and technologically advanced world. Connect with us to learn more on how ~1500 agencies in 45 countries are reinventing their businesses.