Question

Why are Online Travel Agents Important?

Use at least 400 words to answer this question, preferably with POINT and REFERENCE

Answer 1

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A TOTAL OF 492 WORDS

Why are Online Travel Agents Important?

The position of an online travel agent, or OTA in short, has become increasingly relevant within the hotel industry as it provides travelers with a simple way to compare hotels and book them online, from the convenience of their own home or on the go. They are important because:

• OTAs make your travel company more clear. The OTAs provide the small tour operators with a forum to become accessible to a wider audience and locations. Via the sensitive and configured website, travel agents can promote their goods internationally, and enter the wider audience.
• OTA provides tremendous flexibility and choices, allowing consumers to compare related goods and select the easiest one. For examples, if tourists are looking for accommodation then they first look for price, room types available, amenities and room interior and reviews etc.
• OTAs deliver transparency in real time, something that only reached the streets due to amazing technical advancements. Travelers may choose when to book a tour and come up with a destination or experience that suits their itinerary. This could mean booking a last minute a night before, or an hour before. Travelers can even request a reservation during the normal operating hours of 9 to 5, which ensures that tour operators tend to produce revenue even while they are sleeping.
• Not all passengers are carrying a laptop or have access to a device when driving, but they have a mobile or tablet. Most OTAs are designed for mobile apps, allowing travelers to book and even pay from their small screens for a tour. What's more, the bulk of tours offered on OTAs don't need a paper ticket, making it convenient for travelers to just turn up and enjoy it.
• OTAs do, unlike traditional tour and activity companies who do not always have huge budgets or resources to sell their goods. In reality, selling their site and merchandise is in their favor, as they only make money when you sell a tour.
• Big OTAs also have other travelers 'comments and feedback included, an significant consideration in the decision-making process. Much like how you create TripAdvisor on positive and honest feedback, so are your tours. It is through these reviews that your buyers get a fair view of the company and can make an educated decision on the purchase.
• In the end, OTAs provide you with direct access to a wide number of future buyers. Possible advantages of using an online travel agent to market your business include: Listing your property and its rooms is a low cost way. Reductions of spending spent on the internet ads. To attract new foreign buyers OTAs should invest in marketing and advertising. Costs in can a domain. OTAs are keen to provide the consumers with a positive online experience by good website design and accessibility. Online travel sites are popular with travelers who want to compare the cost of lodging with the facilities that individual providers provide.

References: (APA)

Bogdanovych, A., Berger, H., Simoff, S., & Sierra, C. (2006). Travel agents vs. online booking: Tackling the shortcomings of nowadays online tourism portals. ENTER 2006: 13th International Conference on Information Technologies in Tourism.

Mayr, T., & Zins, A. H. (2009). Acceptance of online vs. traditional travel agencies. Anatolia, 20(1), 164-177.

Lewis, I., & Talalayevsky, A. (1997). Travel agents: Threatened intermediaries?. Transportation Journal, 26-30.

Bogdanovych, A., Esteva, M., Gu, N., Simoff, S., Maher, M. L., & Smith, G. (2007, January). The role of online travel agents in the experience economy. In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Technology and Travel & Tourism (ENTER 2007). UK: Axon Imprint (pp. 81-91).

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