Booking on-line makes travel cheaper

According to Chris Tolhurst’s recent article in the Australian Financial Review, there are apparently two kinds of on-line travel booking Website which are providing increasingly tough competition to existing popular on-line travel booking sites.

 

Traditional corporate travel agencies are launching new booking sites, and airlines and other providers are providing on-line booking mechanisms first hand. Mr. Tolhurst’s article indicates that the latter option can be very cheap for consumers because there are no middle-man agent’s fees, and travelers can more directly advantage the cheap late booking rates often made available by airlines.

 

The article goes on to quote one industry specialist as predicting that these factors, coupled with increased diversification of services on-line, will deliver the main market share to the travel providers (airlines etc.)  Another analyst backs the independently established on-line booking services, citing the strength of offering a greater variety of services from different competing suppliers.

 

Also a factor in the competitive world of on-line travel booking is the ease of use and power of the on-line utilities offered by the various Websites.

 

Apparently, self-booking is becoming an increasing attractive option for both corporate and leisure booking clients, by virtue of overall cheaper rates thus achievable.

 

 

References and Further Reading

1. Tolhurst, Chris. "Travel in Cyberspace Can Be a Turbulent Business." The Australian Financial Review Tuesday 17 April 2007.