Roland Bunge, general manager, commercial, Kanoo Travel warned that Middle East travel agents must drastically change their business model in order to survive in the modern world.
Speaking on a panel debate on technology in the travel industry entitled ‘What Generation are you?' at yesterday’s Arabian Travel Market, Bunge said that the growth of new technologies such as online booking channels would not signal the death of the travel agent - but he warned that travel agents must adapt or them or they would not survive.
“We will continue to survive but in a totally different business model. If we don’t move towards e-commerce, we won’t survive and we don’t have the right to survive," he said.
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Bunge predicted that as a growing number of consumers began to book travel online, the retail and leisure side of the travel industry would start to see a “consolidation and disappearance of bricks and mortar [travel agencies] we have known.”
Asim Arshad, CEO, Orient Travel who was also on the panel was more circumspect saying that the large labour force population in the region meant the traditional travel agency would still have a place in the region for a long time to come: “This market is unique and different. A lot of people here still want the face to face contact," he said.
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May 9, 2011 , United Arab Emirates
In recent times, I have observed so many brick and mortar travel agencies folding up in Dubai. As a hotelier, I realise the days of mark-up on mark-up are over with OTAs ruling the roost. TAs should keep mark-ups LOW. It is a new world order and TAs have to adapt or perish !
May 8, 2011 , United Arab Emirates
Educating customers on travel related services globally should help travel agents to improve turnaround time and bottomline. Product development has not reached full potential in any markets. The need of world class travel booking engine with hitech and human touch features can open new experienc...