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Senior figures torn over importance of high street presence
Industry heavyweights debating the future of high-street agents were torn over the necessity of a high street presence.
Speaking at the Travelmole Travel Industry Question Time, senior figures disagreed on the importance of shops in town centres.
Advantage managing director John McEwan said a high-street presence was necessary.
“It gives you brand presence and people come in to the shop to validate the information they have picked up elsewhere.”
McEwan added that the multiples would all continue to have a healthy high street presence despite the number of shop closures there have been in the past few years.
“The vertically integrated companies will always want to have significant visibility and brand presence.”
But Hotels4u sales and marketing director John Harding disagreed shops were important.
“The biggest brands recently have been lastminute, travelocity, opodo and expedia and that says a high-street presence is not necessary,” he said.
Harding added that there was a future for agents, however, because customers using those brands are using them as a travel organiser and not going direct to the supplier.
“hotels4u has grown to a £50 million business in three years and that’s totally through travel agents. Agents will move with the times and adapt to the market. They need a website not the high street.”
Norwegain Cruise Line UK general manager Francis Riley stressed shops were a vital part of cruise sales.
“It’s important for cruise companies that there are agents in the high-street because 90% of sales are made through agents. The market is growing at a pace and $15 billion is being invested by cruise companies in 25 new ships between now and 2010 so we are absolutely for high-street travel agents.”
Report by Linda Fox
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