Tour Operators And Travel Agents: “We Need Each Other”

Travel to Europe remains strong, particularly in Italy. 

Despite sometime rifts as wholesalers pursue direct-from-consumer business and agents bypass tour operators via DMCs, the relationship remains strong and important, said a panel during the opening session of Travel Market 2016 at the JW Marriott in Desert Springs, CA.

The agents and suppliers also seemed to dispute that Europe will be soft this year from North America. Scott Nisbet, president & CEO of Globus family of brands, told attendees Italy remains its number- one destination with the U.K. second. Additionally he said, Spain, Portugal, Northern Europe, and Iceland are seeing strong demand. 

Phil Papa, president of Papa’s Travel Store, said client interest is being driven by the strong dollar. The New Jersey-based agent believes clients “want us to calm their fears.”

Ambassador Travel president Connie Corbett said the level of requests for Europe has remained constant, but customers are “asking for more guidance…they just want to talk about it.”

Wolf Paunic, Trafalgar Tours’ Canada president, said Spain, Portugal, Central Europe, Croatia, and Scandinavia are seeing gains. John Caldwell, president of Delta Vacations, also said, “Europe remains strong…particularly the U.K., Italy and Spain.”

Scott Stone, COO of Universal Travel, said smart agents look to suppliers for help sorting things out. “Vendors don’t want risk (and) will pull out if there is risk (that’s too high),” he told attendees. Nisbet noted that Globus has more than 50 offices, giving it the ability to “constantly monitor (and) if there’s a need, the ability to change as needed.”

Paunic told agents, “Listen, inspire, and validate…have (clients) validate their own decision.” Stone said his agents “follow” clients from the time they get to the airport along their trip, so they can jump in if there are any problems and get the sorted out.

Fun and sun is hot too
Travel Impressions president & CEO Jeff Clarke said the operator is having a strong year for fun-and-sun destinations as well. He said new hotel product is spurring the former. Asked about the impact of the Zika virus, he noted “It’s definitely a mixed bag,” saying destination weddings and honeymoons have “definitely been impacted,” but advising agents, “the best way to sell against it is insurance.”

Lois Bradfield, owner of LB Tours, LLC, said her clients are traveling to South America and Asia, eschewing Europe.  Nesbit said the national parks, Canada, Cuba, Australia, and Asia business is surging.

Agents said the best way for tour operators to support them is to “have our back.” During the opening session, American Marketing Group CMO Nicole Mazza relayed a story posted on an Internet travel board by a gold-level frequent flier of British Airways who complained it took him 82 minutes to make a simple flight change, including multiple calls to the airline’s VIP desk and tapping on its app.

“There’s a perception consumers don’t need travel agents for simple trips. It’s not true,” she said, gaining a loud round of applause.

She also quoted the ASTA theme, “Without a travel agent, you’re on your own,” pointing out numerous instances, including strikes, terrorism, and weather, when agents saved client vacations by rerouting customers and finding alternative destinations.