If you’re in the business of selling travel, one of the most important things to know is whom you are selling it to. What makes up the American traveler – who they are, where they want to go – is constantly shifting. While it’s impossible to know everything about travelers, we can look to MMGYs Portrait of American Travelers report and see a pretty clear picture emerge through all the data points.
The big takeaway for travel agents is that travelers are coming back to agents in a steadily growing pace. And it’s the younger generation of travelers who are leading the charge.
Although 43 percent of travelers said that the most convenient way to book their next trip is through an online travel agency (OTA), the number of travelers who are booking through traditional travel agents has grown slightly from 5 percent to 12 percent over the last few years. Almost all of those who used a travel agent said that it was because of their intimate knowledge of the destinations. Millennials will be tapping into that knowledge the most, as 39 percent said they would use a traditional travel agent for their next trip over the next two years.