Travel Agents Weigh in on Industry Trends

Travel Agent Survey Reveals Notable Trends In The Hotel Industry

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. November 01, 2011

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 29, 2011 - A Travel Agent Reception and Showcase held Tuesday, October 25 at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel as part of its annual Luxe Worldwide Hotels (LWH) Membership Conference, brought together 200 travel agents from throughout Southern California. A survey of the attendees at the event revealed significant industry trends:

85% of the travel agents surveyed predicted that the industry will continue to see higher demand for hotel rooms and increased prices in 2012. Many agents noted that this trend is dependant on the economy. One agent said, “Americans are increasingly eager to explore the outside world.”

When asked what the greatest difference is between a boutique hotel from the Luxe Worldwide Membership versus a larger corporate like a Hilton or Sheraton, respondents overwhelmingly noted that they seek out boutique hotels because they offer their clients a higher level of service, attentiveness, and a distinctive style.

Countries that made the agents' list of travel hot spots included classics like Italy, Australia, and France, but the list also spotlighted new destinations growing in popularity such as Turkey, Croatia, Dubai, and Brazil.

2012 Travel Hot Spots:

• Europe (Italy, France, Croatia) 46%
• Middle East (Turkey, Dubai, Egypt) 43%
• South America (Brazil, Costa Rica) 38%
• Australia/New Zealand 28%

The findings revealed that, by and large, the travel agents surveyed don't rely on deal sites that have been growing in popularity, such as Groupon, Travelzoo and LivingSocial.

Surprisingly, only 39% of respondents said that information they gather on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook influence their suggestions and decisions, while many said they rely on personal feedback from previous clients and/or sites like TripAdvisor when making recommendations.

With regard to the amenities their clients value most, the travel agents noted the following in order of importance:

• Wi-fi
• Airport shuttle
• Spa/fitness center
• Swimming pool
• Free parking
• Pet-friendly property
• Additionally, 72% of the travel agents surveyed said they observed that more of their clients are turning to 4-star properties rather than 5-star properties as a result of the economic downturn. According to one travel agent, “4-star properties are more acceptable in this market and they have spruced themselves up for this purpose.”

“The LWH Member Conference and Travel Agent Reception and Showcase are gamechangers in our industry,” said Efrem Harkham, Luxe Hotels Founder and Chairman. “We don't just talk about collaboration and personalized attention—we act on it. We truly care about the needs of our members and guests and these travel agents are their eyes and ears. It is critical that we collaborate with them, include them in the conversation, and listen closely to what they are telling us.”

About Luxe Worldwide Hotels

Luxe Worldwide Hotels (LWH) offers its member properties an extensive variety of exceptional reservations, sales and marketing resources. With 12 sales offices around the globe, LWH is renowned in the hospitality industry for its exceptional customer service and representation services. Nearly 200 independently owned properties compose the LWH collection, spanning 31 countries across four continents. Every member hotel offers originality in decor, reflecting local cultural sensibilities or compelling design and architectural elements. Of particular note, is the fact that LWH is not led by a large corporation, but rather by a visionary veteran hotelier, Efrem Harkham. The LWH mission, derived from Harkham's more than 25 years of experience, is to support each independent property's efforts to increase their visibility, volume and viability —ultimately increasing revenue.