Travel Agency Threats and Opportunities: The Perspective of Successful Owners
Abstract
In-depth interviews with 19 owners of exceptionally successful US-based conventional travel agencies revealed negative public perceptions of travel agencies to be the main external threat facing the sector. Misplaced faith in Internet-based cybermediaries, unqualified travel agents, negative mass media coverage and failure to attract young entrants were constituent sub-themes. Public outreach was identified as the main opportunity to counter these perceptions, with inherent interest in travel and the need for geographical awareness revealed as sub-themes. Other threats were unfavorable relations with some vendors, and ...
View more >In-depth interviews with 19 owners of exceptionally successful US-based conventional travel agencies revealed negative public perceptions of travel agencies to be the main external threat facing the sector. Misplaced faith in Internet-based cybermediaries, unqualified travel agents, negative mass media coverage and failure to attract young entrants were constituent sub-themes. Public outreach was identified as the main opportunity to counter these perceptions, with inherent interest in travel and the need for geographical awareness revealed as sub-themes. Other threats were unfavorable relations with some vendors, and geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Other opportunities were niche products and markets, Internet technologies, and consolidation and reduced competition.
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View more >In-depth interviews with 19 owners of exceptionally successful US-based conventional travel agencies revealed negative public perceptions of travel agencies to be the main external threat facing the sector. Misplaced faith in Internet-based cybermediaries, unqualified travel agents, negative mass media coverage and failure to attract young entrants were constituent sub-themes. Public outreach was identified as the main opportunity to counter these perceptions, with inherent interest in travel and the need for geographical awareness revealed as sub-themes. Other threats were unfavorable relations with some vendors, and geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Other opportunities were niche products and markets, Internet technologies, and consolidation and reduced competition.
View less >
Journal Title
International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration
Volume
10
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2009 Routledge. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Commercial Services
Tourism