Booking Travel Online - Is The Thrill Gone?

Making your travel arrangements online was all the rage just a few short years ago. Discussions about travel became contests to determine who had "outsmarted" the system and found the cheapest cruise, all-inclusive Caribbean resort, or airfare online. But the thrill that many do-it-yourselfers had experienced when making travel arrangements online has turned into frustration as many of the web sites used to book travel online have become less user-friendly and more complex.

Last year the e-travel business grew by eight percent according to PhoCusWright Research. But we are seeing a bizarre development; while more people are making their travel arrangements online, they are less satisfied when they do.

Henry H. Harteveldt, a Forrester Reach travel analyst said, "What we've seen is growing frustration." He explains that "travel companies expect the consumer to behave like a travel agent. The question I always ask these guys is 'Could your mother-in-law use your web site without havng to call you for help?' The answer is always no." (See the entire article in the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/business/04frustrate.html?_r=2&ref=global).

So if you are one of those online travel bookers for whom the "thrill is gone", remember that a full service travel agency like Fox World Travel is a phone call away. For those who still enjoy researching online and comparing prices side-by-side in front of you, but would still like reassurance from a travel agent, Fox World Travel does offer the ability to book travel online, but you can chat live with a travel agent or call while doing it for added support and reassurance.