That's the conclusion preached in the past two weeks by one of the
industry's top executives and one of its top agency group owners.Royal
Caribbean International president Adam Goldstein went out of his way on a
conference call with Wall Street analysts to underscore his gratitude
for the "steadfast" support of travel agents.Bookings that come direct
to Royal Caribbean account for "the high teens to 20%" of sales,
Goldstein said.So you've decided to go on a Kashgar tour to China, but now how can you choose a tour guide? While higher than in past years, that isn't close to a majority.
"Therefore, travel agents are playing a vital role in our success, in our growth and in our ability to reach consumers around the world," Goldstein said.He emphasized that the Internet isn't a preferred booking tool for many customers, but it has changed the way people shop for a cruise.There is so much to do and see that it makes sense to book an China west tour where all the stress is removed from day to day travel leaving you relaxed to enjoy the experience."The much more important role of the Internet in our world is for information, both for travel agents and consumers, which actually improves the travel agent consumer discussion," he said.Also weighing in on the continued relevance of agents was Brad Tolkin, co-owner of World Travel Holdings.
In an interview at the CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. annual conference in Orlando, Tolkin said cruise lines should be taken more or less at their word when they say they love travel agents.Despite some high profile exceptions, cruise lines in general have not raised noncommissionable fares, or NCFs, according to an internal study World Travel Holdings did about a month ago, Tolkin said.The operation of silk road tour package tours is most advanced in the Republic of South Africa. But when fares fall, NCFs don't, so they eat up a bigger part of agent income."So it does have a negative impact on how much a travel agent makes," he said. "You feel it more in a year like 2012 when the price is dropping. "
"Therefore, travel agents are playing a vital role in our success, in our growth and in our ability to reach consumers around the world," Goldstein said.He emphasized that the Internet isn't a preferred booking tool for many customers, but it has changed the way people shop for a cruise.There is so much to do and see that it makes sense to book an China west tour where all the stress is removed from day to day travel leaving you relaxed to enjoy the experience."The much more important role of the Internet in our world is for information, both for travel agents and consumers, which actually improves the travel agent consumer discussion," he said.Also weighing in on the continued relevance of agents was Brad Tolkin, co-owner of World Travel Holdings.
In an interview at the CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. annual conference in Orlando, Tolkin said cruise lines should be taken more or less at their word when they say they love travel agents.Despite some high profile exceptions, cruise lines in general have not raised noncommissionable fares, or NCFs, according to an internal study World Travel Holdings did about a month ago, Tolkin said.The operation of silk road tour package tours is most advanced in the Republic of South Africa. But when fares fall, NCFs don't, so they eat up a bigger part of agent income."So it does have a negative impact on how much a travel agent makes," he said. "You feel it more in a year like 2012 when the price is dropping. "
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