In many cases, the lowest price isn't the key issue for tourists—travelers are increasingly willing to pay for quality services. However, despite the active development of the online segment, the expert opinion of travel agents continues to be This was announced by experts at the TITW conference and exhibition, which took place this week in Moscow.
Photo: Dmitry Plisov
So, according to the words Head of the B2B.Ostrovok.ru service Daria Kochetkova, it's now becoming clear that tourists who have already switched to online travel are unlikely to return to traditional travel agencies. "But no matter how the generation changes, travel agents with their expertise are needed and important, so it's crucial for them to maintain a customer-focused approach," she said.
At the same time, as the general emphasized Director of the company "My Agent" Victoria KizimovaThe widespread belief that clients should be offered the lowest possible prices is fundamentally flawed. "That's a dead end. Lowering costs leads to lower margins. And margins close to zero are very difficult to promote. Our tourism industry already relies on small commissions. In my opinion, it's wrong to think that price is what clients want. Yes, tourists are attracted by low prices, but they're also willing to pay more," she said.
Victoria Kizimova also agreed with her colleague, once again reminding retail representatives that they perform important work for which they should receive fair compensation.
"I insist that travel agents charge for consultations. Protecting tourists from weak tour operators, airlines, and other problems is a serious undertaking," she said.
As a reminder, the 11th Travel IT WorkShop, an exhibition and conference dedicated to modern tourism technologies, took place on May 22 at the Palmira Business Club in Moscow. Around 800 representatives of travel agencies from Moscow and other Russian regions attended the event.
Source: trn-news.ru