ORLANDO -- Seven out of 10 leisure travelers said they will rely as
much or more on the advice of travel agents than they did before
Sept. 11, according to a recent survey.
The survey, which was done by AAA, said 76% of respondents said
that, given the current travel environment, they are just as likely
or more likely to seek the services of full-service agents. Among
those planning to take a trip by airplane in the next year, 84%
said they would be just as likely or more likely to consult an
agent.
Sandra Hughes, vice president of Travel for AAA, said she can't
recommend strongly enough that consumers seek advice from
professionals before they take a trip. "This is especially true of
air travel, since schedules can change on a moment's notice," she
said.
Hughes added that with the holiday season just around the
corner, it makes good sense for clients who don't regularly check
with an agent before traveling to do so this year.
The survey was conducted Oct. 5 and 8 and sampled opinions of
506 U.S. adults who had taken a leisure trip in the past 12 months.
Its margin of error was plus or minus 4.3%.