Local travel agencies told to realize Net value<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): KLM Royal Dutch airlines called on Indonesian
\ntravel agencies on Monday to adopt e-commerce or risk loosing
\nbusiness to competitors with online ticket reservation services.<\/p>\n
KLM warned that global airlines would eventually expand their
\nIndonesian distribution channels to include online ticketing, as
\nthe development of this technology was inevitable.<\/p>\n
\"Travel agencies should not view e-commerce as a threat, but
\nmust adopt its positive sides,\" KLM marketing manager Juanita
\nWiyadharma said on the sidelines of a two-day seminar on
\nmotivation skills, organized by KLM and its partners Alitalia and
\nNorthwest.<\/p>\n
Juanita said travel agencies would start competing against
\nonline ticket reservation providers within the next three to five
\nyears, when e-commerce would have become more popular in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
She cited the United States and Europe as two markets where
\nconsumers had become accustomed to reserving flights tickets
\nonline.<\/p>\n
\"Consumers can bypass airlines and traditional travel agencies
\nto get the best bargains for tickets,\" Juanita said.<\/p>\n
According to KLM, the cost of ticket sales had dropped due to
\nonline ticketing, and was expected to drop further as more
\nconsumers bypass traditional distribution channels.<\/p>\n
The report said that travel agents remained the most expensive
\ndistribution channel, costing $23 per booking, compared with the
\nairline's online ticketing service, which costs $6 per booking.<\/p>\n
Juanita said KLM had already implemented online ticketing in
\nseveral European countries, where the reaction from the local
\ntravel industry had gone from resentment to a realization that
\nadapting the technology was necessary.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta branch chairman of the Association of Indonesian
\nTour and Travel Agencies (Asita), Meity Robot, agreed that a
\nchange for Indonesian travel agencies was bound to come with the
\nadvent of e-commerce.<\/p>\n
\"There is no other way but to take advantage of e-commerce
\ntechnology,\" she said during the seminar.<\/p>\n
Websites like Yahoo.com, Expedia.com, Biztravel.com or
\nBananaTravel.com offer consumers almost the same range of
\nservices as traditional travel agencies, including reservations
\nfor hotels, car rentals and tours.<\/p>\n
Several sites feature reservations with real-time access to
\nscheduling, pricing and availability of tickets.<\/p>\n
These virtual travel agencies also bring the ability to track
\ndown the lowest price of flight tickets available, based on
\nconsumers' own preferences.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's seminar was aimed at gearing up travel agents to
\nanticipate changes in the industry, such as e-commerce
\ncompetition, Juanita, who managed the event said.<\/p>\n
She said it was the first time this type of seminar had been
\nconducted in Indonesia, which mixed training with entertainment.<\/p>\n
\"This seminar doesn't provide participants with KLM product
\nknowledge, but with training to improve their self-motivation
\nskills,\" she said.(03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/local-travel-agencies-told-to-realize-net-value-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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