Search Travel Market Report

Silversea Bookend Ad
Silversea Bookend Ad
mainlogo
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • People & Events
  • Training
  • Who We Are
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • David Cogswell
    • Marilee Crocker
    • Richard D'Ambrosio
    • Steve Gillick
    • Mary Gostelow
    • Maria Lisella
    • Jessica Montevago
    • Paul M. Ruden
    • Daine Taylor
    • Barbara Peterson
amawaterways
silversea

New Evidence Brick And Mortar Travel Agencies Aren’t Dead

by Lynn Elmhirst / November 15, 2019
New Evidence Brick And Mortar Travel Agencies Aren’t Dead

Dianne Jackson, Red Label Vacations vice president, at itravel2000’s first bricks and mortar location, in downtown Toronto.


Almost any Canadian can sing its catchy jingle promoting its website, but after 25 years of establishing itself at the top of Canada’s online travel retail scene, itravel2000 has surprised the industry by opening its first physical location in downtown Toronto this week.

The OTA is a division of H.I.S.-Red Label Vacations Inc, and Dianne Jackson, vice president of Red Label Vacations, attributes the milestone move to “untapped markets." 

“We already have customers visiting the store looking to book travel,” she said of the high-traffic, central downtown Sheraton Centre location.

The decision to open the store was triggered by an opportunity to take over a retail location from H.I.S.

“The acquisition of H.I.S was completed in March. We’ve been looking at the how and what makes sense for all brands within the H.I.S family to work together while at the same time remaining independent as different brands,” explained Jackson.

itravel200store retail location toronto travel agent
Red Label Vacations’ vice president Dianne Jackson, CEO Frank DeMarinis, Takako Ito from the Consulate-General of Japan cut the ribbon on itravel2000’s first storefront location.

In addition to being, “A great time to test,” the new itravel2000 storefront sells products that can’t be booked online.

“We are always up to a challenge and interested in testing future trends of the experience of purchasing  travel, so we decided we would test the waters and give our customers a choice of click, call or visit.”

The new itravel2000 storefront is uniquely positioned; it retained its role as the General Sales Agent for Japan Rail Passes, which must be purchased prior to travel to the country. Takako Ito from the Consulate-General of Japan attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, using her remarks to welcome Canadian travelers to use the storefront as their gateway to explore Japan.

In addition, itravel2000 maintained the corporate travel business of the retail location, and plans to build on leisure outbound travel. Consumers can book vacation packages, hotels, flights, cruises, car rentals, other rail passes and tours at the itravel2000 store - with the added touch of face-to-face interaction with expert agents.

“We recognize the trends of travel and see that products that are not available online are becoming more popular. Our goal in opening this retail office space is to set itravel2000 up for success, and ensure we can meet the needs of the what the current Canadian travelers and future travelers want,” says Jackson.

Until now, “itravel2000’s customers could purchase products like safari and guided coach tours only through our call centers. These products are not bookable online,” Jackson clarifies.  And between, “our call centre location OR the new downtown store, travelers now have the ability to build more comprehensive travel packages and tours with the added touch of person-to-person interaction.”

In that sense, the new storefront location puts itravel2000 at the leading edge of customized travel purchasing. Recognizing travel consumers want and need different booking experiences for different kinds of transactions, and putting themselves in the position to provide a range of experiences, future-proofs the company’s business.

But there’s a bigger picture about travel retail as a whole. itravel2000’s new storefront opening, after focusing on online business since its start in the ‘90’s, affirms the continued relevance of bricks and mortar travel agencies in an evolving travel retail landscape.

The primacy of neighborhood travel retail storefronts may have passed, but person-to-person interaction with an expert travel advisor, including face-to-face, is just as important as ever, as itravel2000’s Jackson confirms.

“We believe in the value of the travel agent and the services we provide.  We also believe the Canadian consumer recognizes and understands that value too, whether it is to help save money or time, or just have a trustworthy person do the research and make the right recommendations.”

  0
  0
amawaterways
silversea

MOST VIEWED

Brought To You By
  1. The 15 Most Anticipated Hotel Openings in 2020
  2. U.S. and U.K. Issue Advisory for Women Traveling to India
  3. Abercrombie & Kent Acquires Cox & Kings UK
  4. What is the Process Like for Getting a REAL ID?
  5. 5 Things Travel Advisors Should Know About Norwegian Encore
  6. Black Friday and Cyber Monday Hotel Deals

MOST EMAILED

Brought To You By
  1. State Department Issues Travel Advisory to Hong Kong as Unrest Continues
Tip of the Day
Brought To You By

“It’s our responsibility to become resources and be known with our congresspeople so they know who we are. As travel companies, we are continuing to grow and all that helps both our local constituents and local economy. We don’t just want to go to them when there’s a problem, we want them to go now.”

Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg

Valerie Wilson Travel 

 Share...
Daily Top List
Brought To You By

Best Budget travel destinations

1. San Antonio, Texas

2. Puebla, Mexico 

3. Hawaii

4. St. Helena

5. Province of Laguna, the Philippines 

6. The Balkan Peninsula 

Source: Forbes.com

 Share...
Previous Daily Top List
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Windstar Cruises
http://services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=7030aed8-941a-ea11-9b23-782bcb667b27)

7 Reasons Why Small Ship Sailings Lead to Unforgettable Experiences

For those who like their travel experiences up-close-and-personal, small ships fit the bill. Here are the key selling points of this type of travel adventure, to help advisors determine which of their clients will be their next satisfied small ship sailors.

Read More...
amawaterways
Silversea
TMR Recommendations
Silversea
With 900 destinations across 7 continents, Silversea will take you wherever you dream to go.
hbar
MSC
With discounted group rates and protected consumer amenities, you'll love MSC Cruises NEW EZ Groups
hbar
Events 365
The NBA season tips off on Tuesday 10/22! Earn big on game tickets from Events365!
hbar
Riviera
Explore Europe's iconic waterways with the UK's leading river cruise line, earn lifetime commissions
hbar
Top Stories
ASTA Gearing Up for 2020 After Finishing 2019 With Big Legislative Wins
ASTA Gearing Up for 2020 After Finishing 2019 With Big Legislative Wins

Celebrating its successes, ASTA is now asking advisors to gear up to participate in its annual Legislative Day on Feb. 3 and 4 in Washington, D.C.

 Read...
10 Food and Beverage Trends to Know for 2020
10 Food and Beverage Trends to Know for 2020

Healthy ingredients, local cuisine influences, and new choices for drinks and coffee are among the trends taking hold for the new year.

 Read...
Travel Agents Took Advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales
Travel Agents Took Advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

While some agents think Black Friday and Cyber Monday only bring tire kickers, price shoppers and low commissions, other agents found the annual sale season to be very profitable.

 Read...
Canada’s Travel Agency Community Responds to Ontario Government’s Proposed Regulatory Changes
Canada’s Travel Agency Community Responds to Ontario Government’s Proposed Regulatory Changes

A mixed bag of proposed changes has the agency association concerned about the future of travel agencies in the province.

 Read...
Headquarter Happenings: Signature Marks Another Year of Collaboration with ‘Travel Elevates’
Headquarter Happenings: Signature Marks Another Year of Collaboration with ‘Travel Elevates’

This year, the member-owned travel cooperative headquartered in El Segundo, California, marked a collaborative and cooperative effort among all its members to push the network further.

 Read...
When Must a Travel Advisor Disclose Supplier Identity in Advertising?
When Must a Travel Advisor Disclose Supplier Identity in Advertising?

Once a trip’s supplier is identified in an ad or social media post, an interested traveler may end up booking directly with the supplier.

 Read...
News Briefs
  • Hahn Air to Issue Airline Tickets Using Blockchain Technology
  • Vision Travel Announces Direct Travel Rebrand in Canada
  • Travel Advisor Community Makes Final Push for California Labor Bill
  • California Senate Approves Gig Economy Bill
  • U.S. Senators Introduce Bill of Rights for Airline Passengers
  • Southwest Airlines Partners with Nintendo for ‘Summer of Surprises’
TMR Outlooks
River Cruise Outlook 2019
Niche Outlook
Mexico Outlook
View All
About Travel Market Report Mission Editorial Staff Advisory Board Advertise Travel Trade Readership Report
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
243 South Street, OysterBay, NY, 11771
News|Leisure Travel|Land Vacations|Cruise|Canada Retail Strategies|People|Luxury|Training
© 2005 - 2019 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy