Agents seeing online potential, says Expedia
Travel agents are seizing opportunities offered by the Internet as they seek to cater to a more discerning and adventurous traveller, according to Expedia.
Stuart Udy, the retailer's Asia Pacific manager of travel agent distribution, told Travel Today that the response to its Travel Agent Affiliate Program has "exceeded expectations". The scheme, which launched in 2010, allows agents to earn a commission on sales put through the Expedia website.
"The obstacles have been far fewer than we imagined," Udy said. "There was a hunger for the product when we first launched and a quick and immediate uptake."
Although he had braced himself to face mistrust from traditional travel agents wary of the threat of their online counterparts, the scheme was instead embraced with 200 agents signing up within two days of its launch.
"The negative comments in the marketplace were generally from established wholesalers but the outcome is that we haven't affected their business at all," he said. "But I havem't heard any negative comments at all for the last two and a half years."
There are now more than 2,000 agents signed up to TAAP, he revealed.
According to Udy, part of its appeal lies in its "respected" brand name and its simplicity of use. The rest is down to the fact that it offer agents access to a range of off the beaten track and unusual destinations along with more niche, boutique properties thanks to the sheer volume of accommodation suppliers that Expedia has signed up.
'Agents quickly recognised we could take their customers to places where they traditionally weren't being supported," he said.
In addition, corporates have particularly taken to the scheme, Udy revealed, accessing destinations that haven't traditionally offered a corporate rate.
"They love us because it's all prepaid on card so they know exectly what they are going to be spending as far as accommodation is concerned," he said.
But he stressed that the whole pie is growing, with packages proving particularly popular.
Meanwhile, Expedia's Global Hotel Sale is still underway offering discounts of up to 50% on a range of local and global destinations with commissions available on the special rates for agents.
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