Agents not to blame for slump in domestic sales: Comment by Jeremy Skidmore

The sale of domestic holidays through travel agents is on the slide with an increasing number of people booking direct.

Shearings Holidays managing director John Slatcher says retailers are largely to blame, because they know little about their own country. It’s hard to defend a travel agent who, as Slatcher says, would struggle to locate Bournemouth on a map.

But is the agent really to blame for the falling sales?

I would suggest that it’s a far more complex issue and, however knowledgeable the retailer is, he or she will often be flogging a dead horse trying to convince holidaymakers of the delights of the English riviera.

Much of the blame has to do with the historically bad image of our seaside towns. For decades they simply haven’t offered value-for-money and although many have cleaned up their acts, the perception is still of a country with overcrowded beaches and overpriced accommodation.

Whether or not it’s true, perception can become as important as reality and marketing campaigns have simply not done enough to convince us to holiday in the UK.

And don’t forget the weather – there’s nowhere more beautiful than England on a hot summer’s day, but who wants to take the chance of a rainy fortnight when guaranteed sunshine is a short flight away?

So people have preconceptions before they go into a shop and let’s not over-estimate the ability of travel agents to switch-sell.

It may be possible to play off the Maldives against the Seychelles – or vice-versa – but can you imagine the reaction of someone who asks for a dream holiday and receives the suggestion “Bournemouth”. Apologies to our friends on the south coast, but it just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Even when pitted against mass market Mediterranean destinations, our beaches are struggling to compete. Benidorm or Blackpool? I think I’ll head for the sun, thank you.

Of course there are many who are converted to UK holidays and the fine coach trips offered by Shearings, but I would suggest that most of those people would have booked anyway, regardless of the knowledge of the agent.

And more people are booking direct because it is so easy to do. Travel is no longer the great unknown and many feel they don’t need a travel agent’s help to secure a holiday. If fears over booking overseas trips on the internet have evaporated – and statistics suggest that is the case – then surely people feel even more confident about signing up for holidays and guest houses in this country.

I would encourage everyone to study their atlases, be aware of some of the excellent commission that can be earned from selling UK holidays and, when appropriate, to suggest companies like Shearings and Butlin’s.

But don’t expect a flood of domestic bookings from the trade over the next few years.

Comment by Jeremy Skidmore