Travel and computers have long been linked. Among the earliest international networks were systems developed for airlines, which in turn made them available to travel agents, their principal source of business. Because of its dependency on technology, the travel industry has also been at the forefront of developing technology.
At first, the retail travel industry was apprehensive about the rise of the Internet and five years ago, there was much speculation about how quickly travel agents would become extinct. It hasn't happened and instead travel agents have warmed to the Net as a tool which can help them to do more business. Travel agencies now encourage clients to use the Internet because that can free their own staff to do what they do best, deal with complicated itineraries. If clients can get basic information such as schedules and destination information for themselves, then the agent can concentrate on the added value side of the business, the expertise the corporate client wants.
Not only are travel agents encouraging the use of the Internet, but they are assisting clients to develop intranet travel applications such as eTravel. Find out more at sites such as:
www.amadeus.net - Global distribution system for airline availability
www.travelweb.com - Hotels all around the world
www.travelocity.com - Destination information
www.aerlingus.ie - Aer Lingus site
www.britishairways.com - British Airways, with itinerary pricing
www.iflybritishmidland.com - British Midlands site, with online booking
www.Btonline.com - Business Traveller Magazine, with feature articles and special offers for travellers
www.travigator.com - Links to thousands of travel sites
www.epicurious.com - Travel and food online