Once upon time, when you needed to book anything travel related, whether it was an all inclusive holiday package, or a quick one way domestic flight, you would pick up the phone and call a local travel agent. Travel Agencies were everywhere; and the services they provided were very necessary.
The introduction of online travel websites changed the travel industry in a huge way for travel consumers, but even more so for those making a living from arranging travel plans for clients. Before online travel giants such as Expedia, Priceline, Trip Advisor and few others started dominating the market, being a travel expert was seen as a very attractive and lucrative mid level career option. Commissions were great, and the perks are amazing. That all changed when a handful of Online Booking Engines came in and literally devoured half of the business once available to travel agents. Even though the customized service a travel specialist provided could not be matched by these booking engines, the luxury of having hotel and airline rates right at their finger tips, gave consumers the type of convenience and control many could not resist.
Out of Business
Local travel agents and agencies were either two slow to adopt to this new development, or some simply did not have the resources to setup the type of online platforms that could even remotely compare or compete with the major OTAs (Online Travel Agencies). Tens of thousands of local travel agencies were shut down, and many had to seek a new career path or changed the way the do business.
A New Opportunity
Today the online travel industry continues to grow rapidly. However, Independent travel agents and small local travel agencies may finally get a chance to regain some of the lost business with this new amazing ecommerce solution for travel agents that is about to be launched on August 1st 2016. The TravelNet, will be a subscription service that will provide website building and customization tools agents need to create a unique online brand.A solution founded by Sajenour Rhoden and Darlene Rhoden, whom have been selling travel events and groups online for the last 7 years. The Co-founders of The TravelNet realized that the key to online success for smaller agencies, is to build an online brand focused around niche offerings, and speciality products. The generic booking links that some host agencies provide to their agents, are mostly ineffective as they provide nothing different than the more well known and credible sites.
The TravelNet will be fully integrated with the same GDS platforms, Amadeus, Sabre, as well as the large online travel agencies, (Apple, Sandals, etc.) giving agents the access to the same package pricing that is found on the major online booking platforms. However, the main advantage comes in the tools The TravelNet will provide for agents to create the type of website and sell the type of products they really want to sell.
Become The Next Expedia Or Create Your Own Niche Brand...
The TravelNet provides a full eCommerce solution that will allow agents to list and sell their own products such as organized tours, retreats,cruises and pre-nogotiated hotel rooms online. Special setup filters allow travel agents using The TravelNet to customize the product type, or even the specific region or destination they want to focus on. Users of The TravelNet will have access to marketing tools such as a newsletter mailer, blog, a live chat application that agents can add to their website, plus the ability to share products with other agents using the platform that may wish to sell their custom products.
The TravelNet does not sell travel directly, so when we get leads for any travel bookings, all those leads are distributed to the agents using the platform. All the products you list on The TravelNet will get listed on all our websites, as we are not just committed to agents having a beautiful website, but also building a successful online travel business.
When the online travel agencies started to dominate in the mid 2000's many host agencies emerged that built businesses around providing solutions for travel agents who were moving away from the brick and mortar stores and looking for more flexible solutions to work from home and have some sort of presence online. Though these generic booking links provided by these host agencies were insufficient relative to the market standard, it was the best available until now. With The TravelNet, agents can now become their own Expedia, Hotels.com, AirBnB, or any niche brand they want to become online.
The TravelNet Beta Launch
The first public Beta launch of The TravelNet will be August 1st 2016. The details of the launch and travel agent sign ups will be made available at the following site: The TravelNet.com. The TravelNet will be the platform that once again makes local travel agents very necessary. ?Please subscribe and be part of the new travel agent generation. The TravelNet is looking forward to working with you.