The travel agent channel is disappearing. Not because travel agents will disappear, but because their business models will change to them providing their own packages.

So the distinction between tour operator and travel agent will disappear, and everyone will be travel providers - we will all be competing for the man in the street.

Whatever activity you undertake will simply drive the customer to look at your website, so foremost your website must be first class; and work for you to drive sales.

Traditional media no longer drives phone calls, it pushes customers into your site. You can argue it helps brand building, but there is no brand loyalty in travel. It is all about availability and price. Once you satisfy that, the customer will also want to ensure that you are a trustworthy company – back to your website!

New media has the overriding advantage of being measurable. Gone is the old adage ‘50% of my advertising works, I just don’t know which 50%’

Use research to build your site and also your SEO and PPC campaigns. Measure what activity is getting them in, measure what they do on your site, and measure what activity is resulting in bookings.

Then do two things

Figure out why the customers are leaving your site where they are – and fix it.

Spend your money on the activity that is working successfully so you have more success