Travel Agents Still Outperforming Internet Travel Sites According to Studies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Travel Agents Still Outperforming Internet Travel Sites According to Studies


Austin, Texas – May 22, 2002 – TACA (Travel Agent’s Council of Austin) is promoting recent studies to increase public awareness of the value provided by travel agent professionals. According to a study conducted by TOPAZ International Ltd, corporate travel professionals were able to match or beat airline fares found on the internet 93% of the time for the same itinerary, resulting in an overall savings in excess of 27% for the corporations participating in the study.

“If you read the general press you would think that all travel agencies are going out of business,” states Leigh Ann Cloutier, the president of TACA and owner of Rico Tours and Spur Incentives. “Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes there are a number of travel agencies that have not been able to adapt to the new environment and have gone out of business, but the true professionals are here to stay. In this new environment, travel agency professionals have the opportunity to thrive and be appropriately compensated for their expertise and experience. It is true that not everyone will use a professional travel consultant to make travel arrangements just like not everyone uses a professional CPA to prepare their tax returns, but the people who want expert assistance will continue to use professionals.”


About TOPAZ International, Ltd.

TOPAZ International, Ltd., based in Portland, OR is an airfare auditing, benchmarking, and statistical information firm specializing in the use of knowledge and technology to reduce travel costs for business. For more information regarding TOPAZ call 503-254-4242 or visit http://www.etopaz.com.


About TACA

TACA (Travel Agent’s Council of Austin) is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 with the goal of promoting professionalism within the travel agency community and increasing public awareness of the services provided by travel agents. The organization presents a collective position on travel agency issues through the exchange of ideas, seeking mutual solutions and joint promotions. TACA currently consists of twenty-three active travel companies in the Austin area and meets on the second Wednesday of each month.