Think about and compare online travel with traditional travel agencies. Rush rush rush!

The current situation of domestic free travel:

The share of free travel for domestic tours grew from 94.32% in 2010 to 96.06% in 2013; the proportion will probably continue to increase.

At the same time, it is a fact that although the total number of travelers is still growing, there is a negative growth in the number of domestic group tours since 2013: -10.5%;

The current situation of outbound free travel:

1. The share of free travel in the overall number of travelers has remained stable between 63% and 68%.

2. The main destinations of outbound free travel are Hong Kong and Macau. Other than Hong Kong and Macau, the total share of outbound travelers in the number of people traveling on DIY tours remains very low: less than 11%!

This is not the same as our sensory perception, huh? Why do we feel that there is a growing percentage of free-travelers around us?

Because the huge total number of outbound travelers is growing faster, making the growth of free-travelers seem insignificant.

Question 3: How big is the impact of the rise of free travel on traditional travel agencies?

For travel agents doing domestic business: if they don't transform, they may die.

Except for business (conference) group travel, in the future of domestic travel is basically a model of free travel. In fact, now less than 4% of the share has been the result. Traditional tour operators, wholesalers and ground receiving agents doing domestic travel business will be more and more difficult. If they don't transform, they're almost dead.

For travel agencies doing outbound business: there is really no impact. At least, not in the next 3-5 years.

But, undeniably, from a longer-term perspective (more than 5 years), a high proportion of outbound free travel will definitely become the norm, just like the domestic, now Hong Kong and Macao.

So how will traditional outbound travel agencies develop? It will evolve to a niche market.

Customers will also be more segmented.

There will still be conventional lines of low-priced bulk tours. The sheer number of "sunset red" bulk tours for seniors is unimaginable to many people.

Customers who have time, no language barriers, and prefer an experiential experience will choose free tours, or semi-free tours with airfare + hotels.

The middle and high-end customers who have limited time, sufficient budget, focus on service and experience will choose the boutique in-depth experience line products.

Time constraints, budget is very sufficient, and extremely important to the service of high-end (tycoon) customers will choose private customization.

There are far more categories than these.

Then the traditional travel agencies doing outbound business may develop in the following directions:

Boutique specialty routes:

Depth experience: for example, fishing with Eskimos.

Light adventure: for example, trekking in the African grasslands and staying in a makeshift tented hotel along the Mara River to watch the wildlife migration.

Professional photography: for example, traveling to the town of Churchill in November to photograph polar bears in a tundra vehicle.

Themed experiences: for example, a global golf experience tour

and so on ......

Private customization:

Tailor-made travel experience itineraries for a family, or a few friends. Only the best time to experience the purest travel.

We can even ship a customer's Bugatti to the United States for a one-of-a-kind self-drive trip.

Personalized service

The value of service will be increasingly valued in the future. Without value-added services and a better travel experience, who would choose a travel agent in the Internet era of increasingly transparent information?

Free travel allows customers to understand more and more what kind of travel we really need. The escalating demand for travel will also bring travel agencies back to the essence of their business: service.

There will come a time when traditional travel agencies will no longer be criticized. Just like in the restaurant industry, there are many different types of restaurants, each with its own specialties and target customers.

Just like our company does business: special line, private customization. Public number: xzy-trip

The travel agency industry peers do not have to worry, year-on-year 20% annual growth rate of outbound travel fully explains that this is a sunrise industry.

Only, travel agents can't put their minds on how to cut costs and kill prices, and how to make up for losses with self-pay shopping.

Rather, they need to really think about the needs of their customers, design quality products that meet the needs of their customers, and provide more attentive service.

Finally, to summarize:

The impact of free travel on traditional travel agencies engaged in the domestic business is: not to transform the dead end.

The impact of free travel on traditional travel agencies engaged in the outbound business is: the short-term impact is not significant, the long-term development of the market segments: more diverse and distinctive boutique lines, more excellent service, and private customization.