The demise of the bricks-and-mortar travel agency has been predicted ever since airline and hotel bookings first became available online.
But these shopfronts have been quite resilient, and there are still many to be found in shopping malls and high streets.
However, the numbers are slowly declining, with reports that the venerable Thomas Cook is to close 39 stores in the United Kingdom. That will still, however, leave 719 open for business under that brand alone.
And rightly so, because personal contact will always be important to many travellers, including — but not only — those who are uncomfortable using the internet (or, indeed, have no access to it).
A lot of people who could book online couldn’t be bothered fiddling about it and would gladly pay extra — or, because of the way commissions are structured. not pay any extra — to have somebody else to do it for them.
You can’t beat personal advice. Of course, you don’t have to go to a store for that. You can consult — ahem — travel blogs and other online sources. And most agents’ websites have the facility for you to chat with a consultant in real time, or at least message them.
So the death of the travel agent has been greatly exaggerated. More power to them.
