MMGY’s Chris Davidson at the ‘Portrait of American Travelers’ survey

MMGY Travel Intelligence, a studies department of MMGY Global, released its annual Portrait of American Travelers survey this month. Senior editor Jamie Biesiada sat down with Chris Davidson, government vice president of studies and insight and head of MMGY Travel Intelligence, to discuss the trends revealed in the survey and how tour advisors can use the records.

Q: Nineteen percent of survey respondents plan to apply for a traditional travel agent’s services within the next few years, and sixteen stated they would use one within months. You stated agent usage has been pretty constant in recent years. Do you notice any indicators that will exchange going ahead?

It’s no longer about charge trouble; it is more about vacationers asking, ‘How do I get the maximum out of my holiday, and how do I make sure that matters don’t pass incorrectly—and if they do, I’ve got a source of assist for that?’

At the top of the listing of why clients use marketers is ‘making sure I make the proper selections and get the most out of my travel experience.’ And with the growing importance of those studies — in terms of the enchantment of more neighborhoods, true reports, the upward thrust inside the sharing financial system — those are all things that might be a touch bit much less traditional and a bit bit more complex in phrases of how your e-book.

So historically, you would possibly have been more likely to use a travel consultant for a global tour or probably for a cruise, the more complex forms of the tour;… It is much more likely you’ll [now] use a marketing consultant to get the maximum out of your experience and these exclusive kinds of travel.

Q: This year’s Portrait observed that visitor perspectives are changing, with more emphasis on neighborhood experiences, especially culinary ones. How ought journey advisors apply those records to their agencies?

A: I assume traditionally, the view was that the food and beverage industry was an OEM selection. We’re seeing it’s sincerely more vital in terms of affecting decision-making on the front end of that planning technique.
From a tour marketing consultant’s angle, it ensures that you’re considering the fuller volume of that during-marketplace enjoyment and how that may affect the packaging of the [travel experience] for the possible tourist up front.

Q: Clayton Reid, the MMGY Global CEO, has expected a travel recession in the subsequent year, but the survey found that vacationers intend to spend approximately the identical on travel in 2019 ($five 1/2) as they stated spending in 2018 ($5,038). That possibly signals a recession is further off. How much further?

A: I would be misleading if I advised you that it wasn’t a pretty proper supply of internal debate.
There’s no way of knowing, manifestly; however, there are macroeconomic and microeconomic forces at work. But what we see in terms of purchaser attraction to travel, money available for the journey, perceived affordability of travel, and perceived safety of travel—all of these numbers are pretty wonderful right now. I don’t see a travel recession based totally on these modern numbers within the subsequent 12 months. But matters can show up, and we are truly aware of that, too.

A: From what we realize from the records, people will continue to journey. They’ll travel a touch bit in another way. So, apprehend how they may travel otherwise. They may decide to go to a one-of-a-kind vacation spot. They may also take one less night time on their trip. They may additionally make a street journey instead of flying. They might also decide to stay in an Airbnb rather than a traditional hotel or resort. I assume it’s really about information about tourists’ changing priorities and behaviors.