The Perspective of Successful Owners by Laura Jane Lawton David Bruce Weaver

TRAVEL AGENCY THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES: THE PERSPECTIVE OF SUCCESSFUL OWNERS

Laura Jane Lawton David Bruce Weaver

ABSTRACT. In-dep th interviews with 19 owne rs of exceptionally successful US-based conventional travel agencies revealed negative public perceptions of travel agencies to be the m ain extern al th reat facing the se ctor. Mispla ced f aith in Inte rnet-based

cybermediaries, unqualif ied travel agents, nega tive m ass media coverage and failure to attract young entrants were constituent sub-th emes. Public outreach was identified as the main opportunity to counter these perceptions, with inherent interest in travel and the

need for geographical awareness revealed as sub-themes. Other threats were unfavorable relations with som e vendor s, and geopolitical and ec onomic uncertainty. Other

opportunities were niche products and m arkets, Internet t echnologies, and consolidation and reduced competition.

KEYWORDS. SWOT analysis, environm ental scanning, threats, opportunities, travel agencies

Laura J. Lawton, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management, Griffith Business S chool, Gri ffith University – Gold Coast Campus ,

Queensland, 4222 Australia. E-Mail: [e-mail]

David Bruce W eaver, PhD, Profe ssor Tour ism Research, Departm ent of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Mana gement, Griffith Business S chool, Griffith University – Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, 4222 Australia. The authors are grateful for project f unding provided by ASTA, the ASTA Foundation and the Corporate Advisory Council, the Marriott Corporation and the Marriott

Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sl oan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center at the University of South Carolina. Address correspondence to: Laura Jane Lawton, Department of Touris m, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Managem ent, Griff ith Business School, Griffith University – Gold Coast

Campus, Queensland, 4222 Australia (E-mail:

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