That word is still around?

Top Stories & Trends – OSSN Fears CTO/Travelocity Website May Bypass Agents

I’m amazed that this boo word "bypass" is still around. What year are we in now? It’s 2006, the internet has been around for more than a decade and a travel organization still seems to live in denial of the reality in the marketplace. We live in the age of customer control. Any organization – including non-profits such as the CTO – can no longer afford not to be present in all channels the customer chooses to use. If the majority of today’s travelers are starting their research online that’s where these customers have to be satisfied with information and, yes, with a booking capability. The age when DMO dutifully handed off their visitors to a distribution channel of intermediaries are fast coming to an end. Customers want instant satisfaction and if that includes a trip reservation on any website, including that of the DMO, you better be ready to take that business. The key accountability for DMO is to their constituency and financial supporters who expect an ROI on their marketing spend and not to any particular distribution intermediary. Hierarchies are gone, welcome to the 21st Century….