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Travel agent optimism reaches five-year high
Travel agents are more upbeat about their business than at any time since 2009, according to a new Travel Leaders Group survey of 946 U.S.-based travel agency owners, managers and frontline travel agents.
Almost eight out of 10 respondents (79%) said they are optimistic about business for the remainder of 2013–not surprising, given that in this first week after summer vacation season, 80% said they already are working on winter holiday travel planning with their clients.
Twenty-one percent said Thanksgiving bookings are higher than last year, and twice that number (46%) said Christmas bookings are up.
The top international destination for clients using a travel agent, based on actual booking data, is a Caribbean cruise (38% of customers), followed by Cancun, London, Rome, and a European cruise.
Top U.S. destinations for the winter holidays are Las Vegas, Orlando, New York, Maui, and Honolulu.
When asked for their personal outlook on their business for the remainder of 2013, an overwhelming majority (94.3%) are either positive or neutral.
|
|
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
2010 |
2009 |
|
Optimistic |
79.0% |
74.3% |
71.1% |
73.5% |
59.5% |
|
Neither optimistic nor pessimistic |
15.3% |
18.3% |
20.5% |
19.3% |
22.3% |
|
Pessimistic |
5.7% |
7.4% |
8.4% |
7.2% |
18.2% |
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