Will Guide Books And Travel Agents Become Extinct?
On a recent holiday, I was sitting at a beach side taverna on the Greek island of
Hydra and noticed the couple across from us were both engrossed in looking at two small screens whilst having a glass of wine.Curiosity got the better of me and I learned that they were both reading books on an Apple Ipad. They were kind enough to show me how this worked and said they had downloaded about 8 books.
This got me pondering on a number of issues; firstly I would have a far better chance of avoiding the fearsome baggage excess charges employed by the airlines by having an Ipad weighing about 2 kilos rather than carrying 8 books that would not only weigh more but also take up far less space.
My thoughts next turned to the travel guide and whether travel agents would be around in 2020, because everywhere you look on the internet there is a travel blog or a site telling you about the pros and cons on anything from the standard of any given hotel, self accommodation apartments to the local bars and restaurants.
I know because my wife spends hours researching every aspect of our holidays on the internet, whereupon I am presented with the choice of our final destination and where to stay supported by comments from other travellers on these various sites.
Prior to this, she would have gone to several travel agents to collect brochures and would troll through these with pages marked for discussion after getting suggestions from the travel agent based on other customers experiences. It has only just dawned on me that it must be nearly 10 years since we have used the services of a travel agent preferring to book our own flights and accommodation.
Over this 10 year period, I know of two travel agents who are no longer in business in our small market town and with more and more people becoming au fait with the internet this trend would look set to continue. Travel agents would appear to be an endangered species, much like a chimney sweep who service a declining minority.
As for the travel guide, despite this barrage of information, my wife still always buys one, wherever, we are going and I noticed many other people at the airport, on the plane and ferry carrying the same type of literature.
Walking around carrying a small travel guide for the moment will remain more convenient, than loading up the Ipad and whilst I can well see the travel agent becoming a niche player, my gut feeling is the travel guide will have a few more years, until of course the next invention comes along.
My granddaughter has Ipod shuffle holding hundreds of songs about the size of a postage stamp and weighs virtually nothing.
by: David Cook Chicago as a World Class Escort Destination Vegan Travel - How To Travel And Be Vegan - 3 Tips You Have Not Heard Before Retirees Enjoy Assisted Living Facilities Paris The City That Has It All Finding Cheap Hotel Rooms In London Where To Find The Best Deal On A T3 Tourmaline Blow Dryer How To Get The Optimum Deals For Custom Travel Mugs Skills Recognition in the Australian Context Wadi El Hitan ( Valley of Whales) Tour from Cairo Tour to Wadi El Hitan and Fayoum Oasis from Cairo Valley of Whales and Fayoum Oasis tour from Cairo What To See In Ireland Holiday Invitations For Christmas Party, Halloween Parties And Mardi Gras Party Invites