My Honors Thesis presentation for the Management Honors Program at UT Dallas. This first half looks at the economics of the travel agent, how it has evolved over the last 40 years, and why they are still relevant today. Unfortunately, the second half (and meat) of the presentation had to be removed due to confidentiality.

1. The Next Generation Travel Agent

3. @PhoCusWright:
“Travel Agents as source of
info for any age group is less
than 20%. For Gen Y it’s 11%”
http://twitter.com/PhoCusWright/status/2812233493

4. However,
Forrester Research found:
“23% of US online leisure
travelers would use a good
offline travel agent...”
Retaining Online Leisure Travelers Who Want To Use Offline Travel Agents (Forrester)

5. The Travel Agent today...

6. 111,000
US travel agents

7. travel distribution
2006 2009
(projected)
Travel Agents
Travel Agents 33%
41%
Other
59% Other
67%
PhoCusWright’s Travel Agency Distribution Landscape: 2006-2009

8. aging quickly
26-45
22%
at least
Over 55 49,000 agents retiring
44%
in the next 10 years
46-55
34%
PhoCusWright’s Travel Agency Distribution Landscape: 2006-2009

9. Economics of the Travel Agent

11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/idreaminir/2103662898/sizes/o/

12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/idreaminir/2103662898/sizes/o/

13. http://www.themotorreport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/writer/ILikeMyDieselBlackPleaseAndKeepItComing_AB3D/freelunch_thumb.jpg

15. The Future of Travel Agents

16. Strategy without tactics is the
“ slowest route to victory.
Tactics without strategy is the
noise before defeat.”