Traditional travel agencies vs. online bookings : examining the preference of internet users amongst the Maltese outbound sector for long-haul destinations

Abstract

When looking at the advancements that have been made in the tourism, aviation and technology industries, it is noticeable that all sectors have grown simultaneously. These advancements have led to rapid changes in the way people travel, not only from a transportation perspective, but also from the travel planning standpoint. This study looks into the perception of Maltese outbound travellers on long-haul destinations and their preferred choice of booking method for such destinations. Using a quantitative approach, through the questionnaire as a surveying tool, the research aims to reach a number of objectives. These objectives are linked to gathering information on booking methods, characteristics of different booking channels, and destination choice of Maltese long-haul travellers. The study methodology was utilised to gain an extensive opinion of Maltese travellers in order to gather a representative sample of the local long-haul outbound sector. The findings of this research study showed that, similarly to the general Maltese outbound market, long-haul travellers prefer to book their trips through online platforms. However, those who opted for a different booking method, decided to book their trip entirely through a traditional travel agent or used a mixture of both methods. Maltese travelling longhaul mainly visited Asia and the USA, however other continents were also explored. The factors leading to this choices were mainly convenience, good value for money and most regular booking method of choice for online bookings. On the other hand, travel agents were preferred for the security and information that they offer. Mixed booking methods were mainly deemed to be convenient and cost-effective.