Many U.S. Adults Find Comfort In Traditional Travel Agents

68% of U.S. Adults Feel More Comfortable Booking Travel with Traditional Agent Cites Recent Study

Posted June 30, 2005
Source: PRNewswire

PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelers in the U.S. still find great value in travel agents for booking their leisure travel plans, according to a recent study commissioned by leading global distribution system (GDS) and subsidiary of Cendant Corp. , Galileo International. The findings from the June 2005 study show that nearly 7 out of 10 U.S. adults (68%) are more comfortable booking travel plans through a traditional travel agent.

According to the poll, an advantage to more than half of U.S. adults is when an agent asks questions to better understand a travelers needs (53%) and their willingness to help customize itineraries to best fit those needs (52%), which may clearly demonstrate a comfort in the human element when booking travel. Whether it is the desire to visit multiple destinations, arrive and depart from different locations, or requiring special amenities at a hotel, travelers in the U.S. often have complex itineraries during a vacation. 49% of U.S. adults found an agent's ability to book complex itineraries that are hard to book online as another driving factor in comfort level when working with a traditional agent to plan a vacation.

According to the research one of the perceived advantages for using a travel agent is that in a world where the traveler's needs are becoming more complex and diverse - 65% of adults stated the ability to sit down in person with someone to discuss plans is a "must have" in booking a vacation. Additional services considered "must haves" for a traditional agency include:

   * The ability to book all your travel plans, including air, lodging and
     car rental - 76%

   * Access to real-time flight and hotel information - 73%

   * Advanced knowledge about various destinations - 70%

"The study confirms that travel agents are still held in high regard by many travelers, due to their personal service, knowledge, flexibility and choice of vacation offers."