Robert Bailey, President and CEO of Abacus International shares his views on why travel agents are here to stay at the TAFI Convention held in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 23 October 2009.

1. Travel Agents – Here to Stay
Robert Bailey, President & CEO, Abacus
23 October
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg TM
Experience. Insight. Advantage. www.abacus.com.sg
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2. "The reports of my death are greatly
exaggerated"
Mark Twain
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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3. Where is your role?
You own the experience from end to end
Processing &
Pre-Trip Reservations Post-Trip
fulfillment
You own the experience from end to end
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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4. Execute your role and do it well
=
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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5. Internet = death of TA?
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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6. It is an opportunity
• Online booking rose strongly in the first
half of 2009
– 13 per cent growth in1Q09
– 30 per cent growth in 2Q09
• Online booking will grow at
11% CAGR over 4 years
• Volume of online sales
increased 20% year on year
• Currently 1 in 5 of all bookings made
each year through the Abacus system
comes through online sources
TM
11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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7. Where are the opportunities?
Continued
growth
of online travel
Opportunities New
for technology
specialisation – mobile
Opportunities
Non traditional
Corporate
travel agency
Travel
services
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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8. What can travel agents do?
From ticket Invest in Manage
broker to productivity customer
consultant tools relationships
Going beyond just Increase productivity Increase customer
ticket issuing; provide with a good reporting service and build
advice to travellers system that can customer loyalty
on destination help to track past through effective
information, expenditure and solutions - Abacus
accommodation smoothen future travel ClientBase, Abacus
options, travel budget arrangements PowerSuite and
planning etc Abacus VirtuallyThere
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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9. If we stay as we are…
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg
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10. Thank You
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11/11/2009 www.abacus.com.sg TM
Experience. Insight. Advantage. www.abacus.com.sg
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