Are We Entering A Golden Age For Travel Consultants?
According to a recent Travel Market Report a new Golden Age for travel advisors may be just around the corner as Baby Boomers begin to retire at the rate of 10,000 people a day.
As the report goes on to discuss that these affluent and energetic retirees are placing a premium on personalized travel services and they’re relying on social media and personal recommendations to get it. But they’re doing it in a very symbiotic way that leads right back to the knowledgeable travel agent:
THE NEW INFLUENTIALS
Marketing has lost its power; consumers are the “new influentials,” according to the report. “Brands selling direct to the consumer are now being substituted by consumers recommending to consumers. In some ways they’re hijacking brand marketing for all products” says James Canton, CEO of the Institute for Global Futures, a San Francisco firm that advises global Fortune 100 companies.
Implications: Travelers may be getting recommendations from other consumers via the Internet, “but the final arbiter is that intimate relationship with a knowledgeable agent,” Canton said. Travel sellers should be able to capitalize on their role as trusted advisor. “Travel agents can provide a reality check. Consumers want integrity of information,” Canton added.
Read the complete article HERE.
