Flight Centre focuses on bricks and mortar over online
Speaking at TRAVELtech in Sydney today, Flight Centre chief Graham Turner said while there is space to move into the online space, the company still has a long way to go and its focus remains on bricks and mortar travel agents.
“People can do business with us anyway they want, via phone, web bookings, email, however as an industry, we need to be offering people true experiences, rather than just a service,” Turner said.
Turner added the advantage for bricks and mortar agents over websites and Online Travel Agents (OTA) is “person to person experience” that can offer the extended service, and where he sees the future of the industry.
While recognising there is space for growth online, Flight Centre is focused on the traditional bricks and mortar agents, moving from a service based operation into an experience based operation, delivering people the best experiences.
“The more successful we are at doing this, the better the service provided and the better it will be for the industry as a whole,” Turner explained.
Widely regarded in th industry as being a web sceptic, Turner spoke about the change in Flight Centre the past few years as moving from being a middle man, to being a true retailer. “We want to have our own product,” Turner said, describing Flight Centre as a retailer who is still selling other people’s product.
The company this year took over youth travel company Topdeck Travel in a joint venture partnership similar to the joint venture with Back-Roads Touring Co.
Turner headlined the annual TRAVELtech 2014 conference in Sydney, where this year's central theme is innovation – "finding a better way of doing something".
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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