Online booking companies and hoteliers are trying to sell travelers on more than just room, airline ticket or car rental, The Wall Street Journal reports. These web-based firms also want customers to purchase experiences such as parasailing excursions, food tours and aquarium adventures.
The amount spent by travelers on tours, attractions, events and activities while traveling has swelled 21% since 2014 to $159 billion, and companies like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Booking Holdings are trying to get customers to buy more of them online.
Currently, about 80% of experiences are booked offline through walk-ups, phone, traditional travel agencies, and hotel concierges, according to travel-research company Phocuswright.
Travel agencies currently handle the largest share of global travel bookings, representing 30% of 2017 totals, according to Phocuswright. However, bookings made directly through websites are expected to slightly overtake travel agencies by 2021.
Travel agents aren’t concerned about digital competition though, because they offer customized itineraries and concierge-style services for clients, said Erika A. Richter, a spokeswoman for the trade group American Society of Travel Advisors.
