Visitors from Colombia, the No. 11 overseas source market for the U.S. inbound tourism industry, like to book their travel through travel agencies in increasing—not decreasing—numbers, according to the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (Asociación Colombiana de Agencias de Viajes y Turismo, or ANATO).
According to an ANATO survey, during the end-of-year season, agencies “ratified the importance of tourism packages.” Tour packages were the most purchased item by travelers through the agencies, representing 38 percent of the total share of their sales.
ANATO’s survey of the agency sector’s behavior among 132 of its partners showed that 77 percent of them said that sales were better than in the same period of 2016.
Other highlights from the ANATO survey results, as reported by the news portal, Reportur.co, included the following:
- International ticket sales by travel agencies grew 18.7 percent in 2016 over the previous year, representing 1 trillion 536 billion pesos ($535 million) (which, ANATO said, “confirms the importance of the agencies for the airlines.”
- More than three-quarters (77 percent) of agencies said that sales were better than during the same period the previous year.
- The travel agency segment accounted for 38 percent of the total sales made by travel companies during the end-of-year sales period.
- Domestic travel, within Colombia, accounted for 52 percent of agency sales.
- International travel accounted for 48 percent of agency sales.
- Aside from the USA, popular international destination packages for Colombian travelers included Mexico, with the archaeological adventure tour packages; the villages of Italy; Guatemala; Japan, boutique nautical tours; Greek islands, Bora Bora, Singapore and Thailand.
