Dubai-based online travel firm Musafir.com will launch a new service aimed at small high street travel agents in the coming months, a senior executive has said.
The service allows non IATA registered travel agents to book holiday packages in one place online, instead of individually with each provider, Albert Dias, the company's co-founder and marketing and technology director, said.
He said the service will be of benefit to many people who prefer to use traditional methods when booking their holidays.
"There is a segment that no matter how much you coax them, some people won't be ready to use the internet to book travel, and we'd like to help them by offering this service," Dias said. "It makes it easier for non IATA travel agencies to get the package for clients."
Dias said the firm has seen a 20 percent increase in the number of people booking through their website, but online uptake in the region still lagged behind that of Europe and North America.
"A lot of our Arab clients do a lot of checking, but this is not converted into bookings as yet. As you would expect, the older generation feel more comfortable with face-to-face sales than online."
He said 40 percent of the website's leisure customers are from Western Europe and North America and another 40 percent from the sub-continent, while the majority of people were aged 35 and under.
Dias said people were still holding back on booking holidays this year, despite the effects of the economic downturn receding.
Last year, Bangkok was the site's most popular destination, but this year is "more of a mixed bag" and that recent troubles in the Thai capital have caused some people to delay or cancel their travel there.
The firm recently launched its Musafir Plus service for businesses, which now has about 200 clients planning about 3,000 trips a month, Dias said.
