MMGY Travel Intelligence, a studies department of MMGY Global, this month released its annual Portrait of American Travelers survey. Senior editor Jamie Biesiada sat down with Chris Davidson, govt vice president of studies and insight and head of MMGY Travel Intelligence, to talk about the trends revealed inside the survey and how to tour advisors can use the records.
Q: Nineteen percent of survey respondents plan to apply the services of a traditional travel agent within the next years, and sixteen% stated the use of one within the beyond 12 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 charge trouble; it is more approximately vacationers asking, ‘How do I get the maximum out of my holiday, and how do I make sure that matters don’t pass incorrect — and in the event that 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 neighborhood, 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 in which 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 moving, with more emphasis being located on such things as neighborhood experiences, especially culinary ones. How ought to journey advisors apply that records to their agencies?
A: I assume traditionally, the view was that the food and beverage revel in was an OEM selection. What we’re seeing is it’s sincerely greater vital in phrases of affecting decision-making on the very the front end of that making plans technique.
From a tour marketing consultant angle, it is ensuring which you’re considering the fuller volume of that during-marketplace enjoy and the way that may affect the packaging of the [travel experience] for the possible tourist up to the front.
Q: Clayton Reid, the CEO of MMGY Global, has expected a journey recession inside the subsequent year, but the survey located 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 a whole lot further?
A: I would be mendacity to you if I advised you it wasn’t a pretty proper supply of internal debate.
There’s no manner of knowing, manifestly, however proper now there are macroeconomic forces and microeconomic forces at work. But what we see in terms of purchaser attraction of journey, money available for the journey, perceived affordability of tour, perceived safety of tour, all of these numbers are pretty wonderful proper now. I don’t see a tour recession based totally on these modern numbers within the subsequent 12 months. But matters can show up, and we are truly cognizant of that, too.
A: From what we realize from the records, people will continue to journey. They’ll just travel a touch bit in another way. So, apprehend how they may travel otherwise. They may determine to go to a one of a kind vacation spot. They may also take one less night time on their trip. They may additionally do a street journey in place of flying. They might also decide to stay in an Airbnb rather than staying in a traditional hotel or resort. I assume it’s really about information those changing priorities and behaviors of tourists.
