Two decades after online travel agents and travel supplier websites decimated the storefront travel agent industry, 2015 could mark a turning point signalling a shift in consumer behaviour. According to the American Society of Travel Agents and Liberty Travel, agent bookings are on the rise as more travellers are seeking high-touch service in their stressful lives. Additionally, the abundance of information online may be contributing to the shift, with consumers seeking a professional guide to make sense of it all. Many consumers desire insider information about a destination from a person who knows the destination well. The biggest problem for ASTA and the agency model in general, continues to be the consumer belief that there's a significant mark-up in price when booking travel with an agent. Click here to learn more about the value of travel agents to the consumer.

Via Tourism Australia