Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Effects Of The Internet On Travel Agencies Tourism Essay
Effects Of The cyberspace On affect Agencies touristry EssayThe cyberspace has go awayd opportunities for pop offers to book their hold extinct in a flash online thereby circumventing the traditional expire channels i.e. run short agencies. Nowadays even up airlines begin started encouraging motivityers to book tickets in a flash on their websites thus avoiding having to fee 10% commission to the turn on agents. Thus it has made it an urgent deprivation for traditional last agents to find new methods and strategies to stay in crease (Yamanouchi, 2004).While serving as an intercessor channel between set offers and extend service suppliers, what the meshwork has d cardinal is to eliminate the relevance of the traditional intermediary (travel agents) or at the very least even off that traditional grapheme very divergent in todays practice (Taylor, 2003). Today, would-be travelers can clothe for their own travel by booking straight from the providers themselv es via the internet (Law, Leung Wong, 2004). Online travel websites more or little eliminates the need for traditional middlemen, who as Law, Leung Wong (2004) notes be debatably on the verge of extinction.Internet mediation may ultimately carry to disintermediation of travel agencies since the travel service and product providers can sell their serve and products right away to the travel clientele. Yet, the internet and its travel websites does not portend solely doom for the travel agents. snuff it agents still energise the advantage of providing personalise go especi anyy in offering advice to travelers with a personal touch. This capacity to make services personal leave behind guarantee that the role of travel agents remains secure. (Law, Leung, Wong, 2004).The internet has become a distribution channel in the travel industry such that the role of traditional intermediaries like travel agents has in addition switchd. Yet earlier than be patients of the internet, travel agents welcome seized the chance to employ the internet in their daily operations. Travel agents ar employ the internet to market themselves and to advertise their services. They argon also offering nearly of their services online (Vrana, Zafiropoulos, 2004).The travel agents themselves have found it easy to make arrangements and bookings oer the internet for their clients thus reducing their operational costs. The internet adoption among travel agents has made their services more efficient and meterly and gaining a authoritative agent of communication with their contacts and clients (Vrana, Zafiropoulos, 2004).Literature ReviewHow Travel Agencies Take Advantages of the Internet and Avoid Its Negative Effects on Their BusinessTravel agents argon nowadays habit the strategy of If you cant beat them, join them. They have started using the internet to their own advantage by using the internet to market their own services online and by contacting travelers via the ir own websites. They also provide services that travel sites cannot provide like personalized services and convoluted travel arrangements and iteneries (Vrana, Zafiropoulos, 2004).Travel agencies also nowadays focus more on building lasting relationships rather than assay to maximize their profits. They do this by providing quality personalized services. This is a strategy adopted by well-nigh travel agencies in Japan (Zhang, 2004).By so doing, travel agencies are today exploiting the internet opportunities such as virtue communities, to build what travel websites cannot, personalized relationships with clients (Maurer, 2002). This way, they can exploit the benefits that come with the internet, and avoid losing their role in mediating travel, by making their services uniquely personalized. Travel agents form networks, occasion newly branded travel services, exploit the internet to market themselves, get a foresighted specialist packages and products unveiled by online agencie s and seek to provide consumers with competitive deals if they have to survive (Downes, Legg, 2006).Why People Book Over the InternetCustomers chiefly book over the internet since it is convenient, cost saving, and resourceful. It is more accessible and less expensive. Travelers also can compare the various rates offered by different service providers and thus make a a good deal more sensible choice. Online service providers offer more competitive rates and better discounts imput equal to(p) to the low operational costs. Customers can also access extensive bar of reading on the internet. It is also very engagementful for working professionals who do not have time to go and meet travel agents to make their travel plans when they can just do their booking when they are at work or at home (Heung, 2003).Customers also have the opportunities of skill more about the places they are visiting from the internet and thus able to book hotels online. The bottom line that iodin is able to make altogether arrangements needed before traveling without involving any intermediary as long as he or she has access to internet. The advent of internet has also been coupled with people acquiring personal computers and internet providers thus convey the technology closer to the people (Lewis, Ira, Semeijn, Janjaap, Talalayevsky, Alexander, 1998).Why People Book with Travel AgentsThe main reasons why customers book via travel agents are the security concerns (credit pecker scams), interpersonal communication i.e. face to face transactions, kind-hearted contact in transactions, and ability to make custom made travel packages as impertinent to by travel websites (Vrana, Zafiropoulos, 2004).Travel agents are able to make any arrangements for their clients unlike in travel websites for example hotel bookings, sightseeing bookings, airport discombobulate and pickup, and flight tickets, something they faculty not be able to or might lack the time to do (Buhalis, Licata, 2002). Most clients who go to travel agents are also those who want to build relationships with their travel facilitators and those who need the guarantee of human element in transactions (Cheyne, Downes, Legg, 2006).There are some band where by customers are left with no choices other than using the agents. This happens mostly in situations whereby one has to pass through different destinations. It is very difficult to do several online bookings when one is traveling as it means traffic with many different entities. When one has to pass through different destinations, it is easier to use the international agents who have offices in different places around the world. By doing this one is able to deal with one company because he just have to state his or her demands to the agent and all his needs will be taken care of. (The Travel Insider, 2010).Repeat Clients in Online betrothalCustomers will go to the same website and online portals or directly to particular service providers using the internet if such providers have created brand name of products, reinforced globose marketing, have lower cost due to discounts, facilitates labor saving means and if they have standardized processes, products and service delivery (Vrana, Zafiropoulos, 2004). Improved service delivery and competitive website features are the main ongoing likeences for online service providers in Hong Kong (Chu, 2001).another(prenominal) reason why customers absorbedly use one online service provider is that they were initially satisfied with the service that was provided and do not want to look another serviced provider (Cheyne, Downes, Legg, 2006).Repeat Clients for a Travel AgentCustomers mainly repeatedly book via travel agents due to the relationship that they have built with that travel agent (Vrana, Zafiropoulos, 2004).Therefore travel agents in Japan are using this strategy of building lasting relationships with customers to improve business rather than just focusing on maxi mizing profits by trying to attract more customers (Zhang, 2003).If a customer is satisfied with a travel plan that a particular travel agent has made for them they elect using the same travel agent to make all their time to come travel plans. Therefore providing good quality service also generates repeat clientele for travel agents (Wyne et al., 2001).Demographics Characteristics that Predetermine Online Booking and that of Travel Agency BookingThe choice of internet and travel agent booking is influenced by sex, age, culture, income, and occupational characteristics of customers (Furr, Bon, 1998). Studies indicate that internet bookings are mainly made by females cured between 21 and 30, educated and earning high incomes and working in education related professions who prefer commercial lodgings during travel and who predominantly prefer to travel by air (Heung, 2003).On the other hand the demographics of non- internet travel agent users is mainly married men traveling with fa milies on a long vacation from medium earning brackets aged between 36 to 45 years. This is mainly because when traveling with families travel agents can provide much more extensive information on the types of hotels and which types of hotels offer certain types of services and also they provide information on the different types of sightseeing options and which one would suit the familys requirements best (Heung, 2003).Effects of Airlines on Internet BookingsThe industry of travel agency involves communication and processing information of its clients. Initially, the agencies had access to details of flights so the customers had no alternative. The fact the airlines are able to do their advertising online and directly to the customers and the customers are able to apply for their travel tickets online has affected the travel agencies a lot. It is also of paramount importance to note that airlines have realized this skid and have thus reduced fares, as they no longer allowance the commissions they used to pay the agents (Bennett, Marion, Lai, Chi-Wen, Kevin, 2005).The customers needs have also changed significantly in their demands due to the development in IT since one is able to learn all the exotic places there are to visit at the touch of a button. It is more convenient for a customer to do his or her investigate at the convenience of his or her sitting other than going to an agent. It is meritorious noting that it is cheaper to book online since one will be dealing with the airline directly without involving an intermediary. The airlines are also happy to serve their customers directly for they will be able to understand their needs more. The advent of the internet technology gave the airlines an opportunity to be close to their clients and they realized that the need for an intermediary is not that grand. (Frias, Rodrgueza, Castanedaa, 2008).It is important to note that a minute means a lot in the amount one may pay for an air ticket since the far es change from time to time. When one is passing through many points, it is less demanding to use the agent for they will be able to fix his or her time according to the lowest fares possible. By doing this you end up saving bullion and time since you will be having someone who will be winning care of your travel plans. When one is doing booking, it is important to do research so as not end up paying more than what he would have paid through an agent (Farooqui, 2010).ReferncesBennett, Marion Lai, Chi-Wen Kevin (November 2005)The squeeze of the internet on travel agencies in Taiwan http//www.ingentaconnect.com/content/pal/thr/2005/00000006/00000001/art00002Buhalis, D., Licata, C. (2002). The future of eTourism intermediaries. TourismCheyne, J., Downes, M., Legg, S. (2006). Travel Agent vs Internet What influences travel consumer choices? daybook of Vacation Marketing. 12(1), 41Chu, R. (2001). What online Hong Kong travelers look for on airline/travel websites? foreign Journal of cordial reception Management. 20(1), 95-100.Farooqui, S. (2010, April 20). Travel Agent and Internet Marketing Impact, Benefits, and Planning. Retrieved June 9, 2010, from http//ezinearticles.com/?Travel-Agent-and-Internet-Marketing---Impact,-Benefits,-and-Planningid=4141656.Fields, J. (2007). Great weather, deserted beach, grand holiday. The Sunday Herald. March 25.Fras D. M, Rodrgueza M. A., Castaedaa J. A,(Feb 2008) Internet vs. travel agencies on pre-visit destination image formation An information processing view , Retrieved June 09,2010, from http//www. acquaintancedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6V9R-4NKJ174-1_user=10_coverDate=02%2F29%2F2008_rdoc=1_fmt=high_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1364306231_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=192643fd560ef019b68e8e8f888325e2Heung, V. (2003). Internet usage by international travellers reasons and barriers. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 15( 7), 370-378Law, R., Leung K., Wong, J. (2004).The Impact of the Internet on Travel agencies. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality management. 16(2), 100 107.Lewis, Ira, Semeijn, Janjaap, Talalayevsky, Alexander(June 22 1998) The impact of information technology on travel agents. Retrieved June 09, 2010 from http//www.allbusiness.com/technology/695794-1.htmlMachon, N. (2008). High-street travel agents are losing out to their online rivals (Survey). New Media Age. Available at http//www.nma.co.uk/opinion/analyst-speak-high-street-travel-agents-are-losing-out-to-their-online-rivals/39912.articleManagement. 23(3), 207-220.Maurer, E. (2002). Internet for the Retail Travel Industry. London Delmar Cengage learning.Monaghan, K. (2006). The Travel Agents Complete Desk Reference. New York The Intrepid Traveler.Murray, M. (1999). Tripped-up travel agents. internal Journal. 31(49), 34-79.The Travel Insider (15 May 2010) Airfare Wars Internet vs. Travel Agencies Retrieved June 0 9,2010, from http//thetravelinsider.info/2002/0614.htmVogel, H. (2001). Travel industry political economy a guide for financial analysis. Cambridge University of Cambridge Press.Vrana, V., Zafiropoulos, C. (2004). Tourism agents attitudes on internet adoption an analysis from Greece. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 18 (7), 601-608Wyne, C. Et al. (2001). The impact of the Internet on the Distribution Value Chain The Case of the southeastern African Tourism Industry. International Marketing Review. Vol. 18 (4). pp. 420 431.Zhang, Z. (2004). Organizing customers Japanese travel agencies marketing on the Internet. European Journal of Marketing. 38(9/10), 1294-1303
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