Field representatives in the travel industry remain indispensable, even in a time that is increasingly digital. A survey among travel agencies shows that personal contacts are valued as trusted persons and quick problem solvers. The results confirm the importance of the direct link between organizers and travel intermediaries. This connection serves as a critical bridge that bridges the gap between automated systems and the specific requirements of individual travel agencies.
The Value of Personal Visits
The significance of personal contact is perceived differently by travel agencies. For Matti Pröhl of Noricus Tours Nürnberg, visits from field representatives are valuable. He gets to know the people with whom he otherwise only speaks on the phone. Pröhl emphasizes that experts often give tips on how products can be sold more easily or better. These interactions allow for the exchange of tacit knowledge that is rarely captured in written manuals.
He reports a concrete example. Sandra Erber from Sunny Cars showed him an online tool. The customer sees the daily current price with this tool, without the travel intermediary having to explain anything. Pröhl had known nothing about this tool beforehand. Such tips, according to Pröhl, are gold for him. This specific illustration demonstrates how a representative can provide immediate, tangible improvements to the workflow of a travel agent.
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Digitalization and the Human Factor
Yvonne Gundelach of Pader Reisestudio Paderborn emphasizes that the field service is not a counterproposal to digitalization. Instead, it is a sensible supplement. Digital solutions create efficiency, while personal contact persons create trust, understanding, and commitment. As more communication becomes automated, personal contact will not become less important in the long term, but more valuable. The reliability offered by a real person helps mitigate the frustrations that can arise from rigid automated systems.
The tourism sector needs field representatives as a decisive factor for successful, partnership-oriented, and long-term business relationships. A good representative brings experience, industry knowledge, and the ability to understand connections and develop a suitable solution together. He knows his partners, understands their needs, and is not just an anonymous voice or a chat window. This human element supports a loyalty that software cannot replicate, ensuring that partners feel supported rather than just managed.
The Cost of Personalization
Irfan Güner from the Reiseshop Lorch in Lorch emphasizes the need for direct contact persons at organizers and airlines. Discrepancies can be clarified on the short service path, and information about new products is easier to obtain. Güner observes that many providers are relocating their call centers abroad for cost reasons. He has already spoken with colleagues in Turkey, in Bulgaria, in Cairo, in Macedonia, in Albania, in Kosovo, in Teneriffa, and in Tunisia. The shift to international support often results in language barriers and a lack of local context.
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The personal relationship becomes particularly clear when it comes to the loss of an employee. Güner was recently very affected when Selcuk Ergin, field representative at Anex and winner of the “OTA Field Representative of the Year 2025,” died unexpectedly. Güner had known Ergin for a long time and valued the personal support that one receives from a fixed contact person. Losing a dedicated representative like Ergin creates a void that highlights the irreplaceable nature of human relationships in business.
The Cost of Personalization
Christopher Schanz-Surié of Die Reiseboutique Mörfelden-Walldorf sees a good field service as the A and O. He warns against cutting the field service during financial difficulties. The representative is the face of the organizer. People want to deal with people, which belongs to basic needs. Even in difficult economic times, maintaining this face is essential for preserving the brand’s reputation and the morale of the agency staff.
Schanz-Surié is happy about visits from colleagues such as Marc Hammermüller from the Ergo. Even if information can be sent by email, personal contact is decisive for him. He concludes with a clear judgment: Thumbs up for the field service. His advice to organizers is: Make it personal! Ensuring that agents feel personally attended to can often be the difference between retaining a client or losing them to a competitor.