Understanding the international travel trade

Building strong relationships with the travel trade can facilitate many valuable opportunities – such as gaining increased visibility, accessing new markets, maximising your marketing budget and broadening your customer base. 

While many consumers organise and book their trips directly, the travel trade remains highly effective in reaching larger numbers of potential clients in multiple markets via alternative channels and opportunities. Around one-in-three inbound travellers book their trip to Britain as a package, with long-haul travellers particularly likely to book this way, using intermediaries. Packages are in fact mostly booked through travel agents and tour operators; travel agents are most commonly valued by travellers as they provide expert advice and customer service if problems arise.

For more information, see our Motivations, influences, decisions and sustainability (MIDAS) research (PDF, 7.26 MB).

• Online travel agencies (OTA) arrange and sell transportation, accommodation, attractions, tours and trips on online platforms, offering a self-service approach for fully independent travellers (FIT) to search, compare and book. They are third parties who sell services on behalf of other companies, reaching vast audiences who visit these sites daily.

• Travel agents organise personal travel and accommodation for travellers. They provide travel and tourism services on behalf of suppliers including airlines, hotels, cruise lines, railways, and package tour operators.

• General Sales Agents (GSA) or Representation Agencies represent clients (such as attractions or destinations) within the travel trade landscape, using their expertise to build business-to-business, press or consumer sales strategies and capacity. They vary in size and speciality, and can work on both domestic and international levels.

• Tour operators build a package for the elements that make up a holiday or a tour, often dealing with travel, accommodation, transfers and activities. They may specialise in planning for large groups or events, such as conferences.

• Wholesalers develop and market inclusive tours. They generally sell to other elements of the travel trade rather than directly to the public.

• Tour guides travel with tourists, to ensure that their trip runs smoothly. They often book hotels, activities and excursions. Many work for tour operators on a freelance basis.

• Short break operators offer accommodation packages – usually between one and four nights.

• Incoming tour operators and ground handlers manage overseas visitors’ experiences. Their work begins when their clients enter Britain, and ends when they leave. Many belong to the trade body UKinbound.

• Destination Management Companies (DMCs) are UK-based organisations that offer crucial expertise and experience to overseas business-to-business partners. They purchase hotels and services from local operators and distribute overseas, as well as offering all aspects of operational support to their partners.

• Coach operators range from small driver-owned companies to large operators. They may publish their own brochures of coach holidays.

• Conference and incentive organisers manage all aspects of conference organisation on behalf of their clients, and often offer tourism-based incentives for companies looking to encourage and reward high performance.

• Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB) is a digital platform that drives sales and boosts productivity. It connects tourism businesses, booking systems and distribution channels in one central marketplace. 

• Local Visitors Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) work in collaboration locally, regionally and nationally on shared priorities and targets. Their mission is to support and grow the visitor economy through robust destination management, strong stakeholder relationships and clear planning.

• Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) are responsible for coordinating tourism in their area. They take various sizes and forms, and work with a wide range of local stakeholders including the tourism business community, local authorities, transport operators and retail associations.

• Trade associations offer sector-specific advice, guidance and support to businesses throughout the industry.