Analysis of the travel agencies from the leisure travellers' perception: the Spanish case

Abstract

Today's travel agency is the most important tourist intermediary but is going through a difficult situation, in both its structure and its core business. In this wide descriptive study, the Spanish outgoing travel agency industry as a whole has been analysed. The empirical work, using data gathered from leisure travellers' perceptions, provides information such as reasons for using, or not, travel agency services, the factors influencing the client's final choice of agency, the attributes most important to the client in the relationship, and the tendency to use IT in contracting leisure travel services. Some of the principle results of this paper indicate the main attributes for the customer when choosing a travel agency (eg.: Professional service). However, price, brand, the specialisation and even the range of services offered by the travel agency have no special importance for the customer.