Viking Voices

01-22-2016 01-22-2016 Top Five Reasons for Choosing a Travel Agent - #5 Saving Time

How is value measured today? It used to be price X quality equals value. However, now, it is price X quality X personalization divided by time and energy. ! ! Consumers have no time. We live in a time deprived society. Six in ten leisure travelers do not feel they have enough vacation time. The value of a travel agent is the ability to provide a personalized travel experience at the right quality and price and most importantly, saving time and energy for their client. ! Sure, one can save money going online and spending hours to find the best deal. But a travel agent does the work and has the insight to match the right travel product at the right price with the appropriate needs. In fact, the value of a travel agent will become more enhanced in the future as the world continues to remain complicated, time deprived and stressful. Consumers will turn to travel experts who will act as travel concierges and consultants.! Price is important, however, leisure travelers are looking to travel agents for more. Being knowledgeable, saving time and energy, offering the best options, staying current with safety/security issues, and delivering the best value are attributes leisure travelers desire in travel agents. In fact, as a group, they are much more important than price.! ! Travel agents who have the right strategies in place to address these top Five reasons will achieve greater success in retaining clients and attracting new ones. ! ! Here at Viking Cruise & Travel we feel we have the right strategies in place. And so do our clients. Our client list continues to grow, almost exclusively through referrals, and in our 18th year sales grew by over 60%.! ! !