Agents find their place

Whether it’s scoping out a niche, adding a personal touch or merging with competitors, travel agents are finding their place in post Sept. 11 travel, says a story in the Arizona Daily Star newspaper. “Faced with increased competition from the internet and revenue lost to discontinued airline commissions, travel agencies are carving out new market niches to survive,” reported the newspaper in a story carried by the Knight Ridder/Tribune Business news wire. The newspaper story said the number of travel agents in the US have been cut by about a third since 9-11. “But for those who survived, there is still business to be found,” the report said. The story pointed out that agents sell 70% of airline tickets, 95% of cruises and 90% of package tours. And while the internet has cut agent business at times, it’s also helped. The newspaper story said nearly 56% of agents in the US say they have booked directly on supplier’s web sites. –Report by David Wilkening–