New ABTA research shows high conversion rate for agents

The vast majority of British consumers who speak to a travel agent when planning their holiday will go on to book with that agent.

ABTA’s latest Holiday Habits report, released at the Travel Convention in Seville today, found 30% of Brits said they had spoken to a travel professional about their last holiday.

Of these, 93% said they then went on to book with that company – 40% booked with the agent in-store, 30% booked with the agent online and 23% booked over the phone.

“This year, for the first time, we asked people about their booking behaviour after they had spoken to a travel professional. This is in recognition that customers may start a conversation through one channel, but end up booking via another,” said an ABTA spokeswoman.

“The findings show that if businesses can engage a customer in a conversation, they have more than a nine in ten chance of converting that conversation into a sale.

“It also reinforces the importance of thinking about a customer journey through all of the channels they may be researching and booking, from the initial engagement through to the final booking.

“It also busts the myth that lots of people speak to a travel professional and then go on to book their travel independently or with someone else. Only 7% of people who spoke to a travel professional went on to book with another travel company or organised the holiday themselves.”

source: Travel Mole