Unless travel agents realise that holidaymakers are no longer dependant on them, many agencies will close down - this year has seen an increase in the number of travel agents going into liquidation. As someone who has worked within the travel industry for five years, I am surprised how arrogant agents have become in recent years.

Only last month I read an article about agents who want to charge holidaymakers for searching for a holiday! Yes, there will always be time wasters, but come on its 2005.. The general public now know how to use the internet to find a holiday quickly, without the need for an agent who to be fair will be looking for the best commission rate, and I don’t blame them for that, if I was in their shoes, I’d be doing the same.

Holidaymakers are starting to realise that they can book a cheaper holiday online through independent companies - the advantage travel agents have over independent companies is that of the ABTA assurance, that they won’t be stranded at the airport (but just ask the poor BA customers that this week!)

I used to run an online holiday accommodation business called Worldwide Holiday Homes, and I’ve seen over the last few years how well the holiday rental industry has grown, this in my opinion has caused for travel agents to feel threatened by online companies. Agents need to look outside of their window and on to the internet, to see how much revenue they are loosing by not designing a user friendly (and up to date) website, which is optimised for the search engines, so that holidaymakers can find it easily.

With the increase of low cost airlines holidaymakers are jumping aboard cheap flights to foreign lands, and are also searching for accommodation themselves, be it a hotel, villa or apartment via the internet, which is taking away a big chunk of income for travel agencies.

Whilst I feel that travel agents over the years have done a great job promoting holidays home and abroad, I feel that there arrogance is driving away customers, and instead of charging for airport transfers and in flight meals to raise its revenue maybe they should be thinking about the customer to see what there are wanting from a holiday, and not go with a blinkered ‘I’m not changing’ view.

• Google & MSN to replace travel agents
• Brochure Free Travel Agencies
• Where is my Holiday Brochure?!
• Travel consumer surveys cannot be taken seriously

Keep up-to-date by subscribing to our weekly newsletter or RSS feed