Online Travel Portal and Their Effect on Travel Agency : a Study on Outbound Visitors of Varanasi

The internet revolution has changed the scenario of the travel industry through the easily accessible of travel products to mass consumers through their virtual presence rather than physical. The online travel Portal (OTP) is also known as an Online Travel agent, E-travel agents and virtual travel agents (VTA’s). The concept of travel agents is immersed as a connecting link between supplier and consumer. In the last 5-10 years techno friendly visitors prefer more to buy their travel services online like the online shopping of physical goods. The OTP has served vast prospects for travellers to buy their travel directly online thereby evading the traditional travel systems i.e. travel agencies. While serving as an intermediary means between service providers and tourists, the internet has reduced the significance of the traditional intermediary (travel agents) or to a large extent, the traditional part became very uncommon in today's practice. Web services may eventually progress to disintermediation of the travel business since the travel facility and product suppliers can sell their products and services directly to the travellers. Yet, Traditional Travel agencies still have the benefit of serving personalized services, particularly in giving advice to travellers with an individual touch. This paper attempts to examine perceptions of tourists travelling from eastern Uttar Pradesh who had not only used traditional methods but also booked their itinerary through at least one travel website and Web Portals which can relate their experience in using them and their opinion upon disintermediation. The study will determine the preference of tourists in choosing their services in accordance to their length of stay, demographic and socio-economic characteristics upon their purchasing behaviour