Are Travel Agents in danger of becoming like Dinosaurs, extinct ?
‘‘It’s a question I hear more often than you might think — usually said with a well-meaning smile and a slight look of pity. “Surely people just book everything online now?”
Evolved to Endure
Possibly yes. But that doesn’t mean we should or definitely will.
If anything, and certainly in my case, we’ve evolved and like some species transformed and shown a flair for survival.
The tools are different, the pace is faster, and the expectations are higher. But the role of the agent today is more relevant than ever.
When travel gets disrupted (and it will), algorithms don’t fix it. Bots don’t rebook your flight or find you a room when the hotel’s oversold. And no booking site sends you a WhatsApp at 11pm to say, “Don’t worry — I’ve sorted it.”
A Snowy Start & a Baptism of Fire
I started in travel in January 1981 as a YTS trainee. It snowed heavily that week — I was the only one who managed to get into the office, so I spent my first three days completely alone. A proper baptism of fire.
Back then, there was no Viewdata, no fax machine, and certainly no internet. Just a desk, a landline, and a stack of brochures. Tour operators used wipe-clean boards to log bookings — which worked fine until someone accidentally wiped a name or two.
Early on, I sat my IATA ticketing exams — a serious piece of training that taught you how to manually calculate airfares, routes, and rules. It was intense, complicated, and essential if you wanted to book flights properly. There were no shortcuts. You learned fast, or you didn’t last.
Your personal Travel Designer
‘‘Making precious memories’’
Evolved to Endure
Looking back, it was a steep learning curve — but one that built the foundations I still rely on today. Over the years, the tools have changed beyond recognition. We’ve gone from handwritten airline tickets to instant global booking platforms, from calling suppliers on landlines to chatting with them on WhatsApp across time zones. But the essence of the job? That’s stayed the same. It’s about people. About knowing when to push for an upgrade, when to hold a client’s hand through a crisis, and when to quietly fix something before they even know there was a problem.
If anything, it’s the job that’s evolved — and those of us still doing it have had to evolve with it. I’ve worked through airline strikes, ash clouds, bankrupt tour operators, Brexit, and a global pandemic that grounded the entire industry. I’ve rebooked honeymoons mid-crisis, rerouted clients during political unrest, and sat on hold to airlines for hours so my clients didn’t have to. Extinction? Hardly. We’ve just swapped the carbon paper for cloud-based systems — and carried on, as we always do.
Why Clients Choose me
These days, clients don’t come to me because they can’t book a flight themselves. They come because they don’t want to second-guess every decision, or fall down a rabbit hole of reviews, or spend hours piecing together connections that may or may not work. They come because they want honest advice, trusted contacts, real support, and someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Someone who remembers what happened the last time a certain airline cancelled half its schedule, or which hotel truly delivers five-star service (and which ones just have nice photography).
‘‘Not Extinct - Just Evolved.’’
Over the years, I went on to manage teams and lead companies — overseeing the bigger picture, mentoring staff, shaping strategy. It gave me a new perspective on the industry and taught me how to see the whole journey, not just the itinerary. But eventually, I returned to what I love most: working one-to-one with clients, creating bespoke experiences, and being that trusted person they know they can turn to. It’s where I started, and it’s where I’ve found the most fulfilment.
So no, I’m not a dinosaur — though I’ve seen a few come and go. I’m still here because I’ve adapted, learned, unlearned, and kept going. Because good travel advice never goes out of style. And because after forty years, I still get a buzz from crafting something special for someone — whether it’s a honeymoon in Sri Lanka, a wellness escape in Italy, or a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan. The tools have changed. The passion hasn’t.
