Forbes.com today named ten travel trends you can't ignore and one is particulary good news for travel agents. It seems, despite the growth of travel websites like Expedia, customers still want good old-fashioned personal service.
"The Internet is obviously a major tool that travelers are using to book their vacations, but surprisingly, affluent travelers want human interaction and are returning to using travel agents," says Bjorn Hanson, a principal in the Hospitality and Leisure Practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers. "As a result, the growth of booking travel on the Internet is slowing."
Upscale travelers often rely on luxury travel consultants who charge fees to plan every aspect of a trip, from securing hotel rooms to scoring concert tickets and dinner reservations. The agents at Altour International charge anywhere between $250 to $1,000 to plan a vacation. Last year, the company had $490 million in revenues, up from $250 million in 2003.