Majority of Brits now looking to book with agents

"The travel agent is king" was the central message of Flight Centre UK’s 2022 trends report, which explored the effect the pandemic has had on British holidaymakers’ booking and travel habits.

More than half of respondents (54%) said they would prefer to use a travel agent to book their holidays rather doing it themselves to give them "peace of mind to travel knowing an expert has their back". 

The report claimed that although the benefits of booking through a travel agent have "long been recognised", the uncertainty of travel brought during the pandemic has "further cemented the value of an agent’s expertise".

"Pandemic-era travel requires more emphasis on pre-departure planning than ever before," the report said. "Add to that, unexpected changes and cancellations due to outbreaks, reduced airline capacity and scaled down airline staff, makes having a one-stop shop service with a travel agent invaluable."

Flight Centre UK predicted the 54% of Brits looking to book with an agent will grow in 2022 as the public further realise the "complexities of travel in the Covid-era" and the benefits of having an agent to guide them through the new protocols.

"An experienced travel agent can keep travellers across the ever-changing Covid-19 regulations, as well as assist with changes, cancellations and reimbursements that airlines themselves have admitted and demonstrated they are not able to deal with the sheer volume of alone," the report continued.