ALEXANDRIA, VA — The latest study from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) shows Millennials are leading the way in both travel agent usage and likelihood to recommend their agents to friends and family.

The study, titled ‘Best of Both Worlds: Quantifying How Travel Agents Save Consumers Time and Money’ and sponsored by Carnival Cruise Lines, also indicates that bookings are up for travel agents the past 12 months. Some 22% of consumers booked through a travel agent over the past year, the highest share reported in the past three years.

Consumers are also thankful for their agent, according to the report: “When looking back on their past travel experiences, almost two-thirds of agent users said using one makes the overall trip experience better, with multiple other benefits of using a travel agent captured in the report. Conversely, to persuade non-agent users to consider using one, travel agents can focus on specific value provided to the consumer, which might range from saving clients money to helping them avoid mistakes and more.”

The study was conducted with more than 14,000 U.S. households and included finding patterns related to overall travel agent usage; factors related to how a traveller chooses a travel consultant; and for what occasions travellers use an agent.

“At this point, consumers have tried it all – they’ve booked online, they’ve gone direct, and they’ve used a travel agent,” said ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby. “This study dispels once and for all the myth that booking direct with suppliers or spending hours online yourself gets you a better deal or gives you a happier travel experience. In short, if you want a better travel experience, use an agent.”

Are you seeing the same results in Canada?

The full report is available for purchase on the ASTA website.