What you need to know
The number of holidaymakers opting to book their holidays via a bricks and mortar travel agent continues to decline. Mintel’s consumer research shows that only 17% of people have booked a holiday in-store over the last two years, with people instead opting for the efficiency and ease of booking online.
Despite the shift in booking methods towards digital platforms, the major travel agent brands are continuing to invest in their retail estates, with Thomas Cook announcing plans to open new stores for the first time in years. Much of the retail investment centres on the introduction of ‘concept stores’, which look to couple a relaxing atmosphere with technological advances, from digital screens to VR (virtual reality) headsets. Mintel’s consumer research shows an interest in high-tech travel agent stores, particularly among younger people.
The continued investment in travel agent stores highlights not only a recognition of the importance of maintaining a significant high-street presence in terms of brand strength, but also how the store experience can be part of a wider multi-channel booking process.
Covered in this report
Travel agencies are defined as outlets at which holidays or other leisure travel products are purchased, including high street retailers and direct selling companies, many of which now operate online. Although the latter are considered in the report, the focus remains on offline operations.
Independent travel agents are those that have no links, in terms of ownership, with any tour operators and thus have the ability to sell any holiday from any operator. This compares to the vertically integrated travel agents owned by large travel groups that are heavily biased towards selling their own products, although they do sell holidays from other operators.
