Flying the friendly skies? Many businesses rely on travel agencies to do their walking, despite do-it-yourself online offers.

• Author: Brown, Cathy

Thirty years ago, businesses had no choice about using a travel agency to book their travel, said Don Williams, co-owner of Quality Travel Service in Anchorage. Before credit cards were widely used, companies couldn't charge tickets to an airline; they had to set up an account with a travel agency.

Williams has seen dramatic changes in corporate travel since he entered the travel business three decades ago. Not only have credit cards become ubiquitous, now business and leisure customers alike may skip travel agents altogether and surf the Web looking for the best fares on their own. And airlines have largely ceased paying commissions to travel agencies.

INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION

The result has been a dramatic consolidation in the industry. Ten years ago there were probably 40 travel companies in Anchorage; now there are just 10, said Mark Eliason, president and CEO of USTravel.

"Those of us that have survived, have grown," he said. How do they stay in business, let alone grow, now that they have to charge fees to arrange travel that people can book themselves over the Internet?

By providing service people can't get from a Web site, several agency representatives said. Business travelers can quickly tire of searching the Web for fares when they have other projects that need attention, Williams said.

"In some ways the Internet's our friend because people do get frustrated," Williams said. They figure, "My time is worth something. I should be writing a proposal for a project instead of trying to get from here to Point Hope."

SAVING TIME

Bridgitte Watts, office manager at American Express-Azumano Travel in Anchorage, echoes that opinion. "You could take hours of time to find the best fare when you could make one phone call to us," Watts said. A travel agent can book through regular airline computers, but also can use Internet booking sites and take advantage of "Web specials."

"We've had to grow with the times, too," Watts said. "We use the Internet just as much as the client does. To us, it's just another resource for us to use."

Watts said her agency is increasing its share of leisure travel, but still 70 percent of its business is corporate travel. The agency's corporate clients range from three-person law offices to major corporations.

Another service travel agencies offer businesses is what Watts calls "managed travel." A company can let the agency know what its policies are, and the travel agency can help keep trips booked in line with those...