The growing complexity of travel web sites in the past two years was cited as a major reason why more travelers would use a travel agent if they could find one, according to a new Forrester Research study.
Time-stressed consumers are other reason for the shift.
“Using a travel agent may be a type of convenience for these travelers, not unlike picking up dinner in the prepared food section of a supermarket,” said Henry H. Harteveldt, vice president and principal analyst of airline and travel research for Forrester.
In 2008, 23 percent of leisure travelers in Forrester’s Technographics Travel Online Study agreed with the statement, “If I could find a good offline travel agent to work with, I would.”
That number increased to 28 percent this year.
Perceived value was another reason for the change.
“Most leisure travelers are telling us that websites are not helping them find the value they are looking for,” Harteveldt said.
By David Wilkening
