THE growth of Internet bookings has hit tour operators and travel agents hard. ‘Throughout the industry the use of the Internet is an increasing trend,’ said Guernsey Hotel and Tourism Association president Carl Symes.

‘It is an increasingly difficult time for tour operators and travel companies.

‘It is so quick and easy to go on the Internet and book your holiday. It is so simple to find what you want and possibly also more economical. We have already seen that the accommodation sector has seen an exponential growth in Internet bookings.’

The 2003 VisitGuernsey annual visitor report shows that the Internet is increasingly used to book travel and accommodation at the expense of travel agents and tour operators.

Channel Islands Travel Service manager John Watts said: ‘We are still selling some complete package holidays, but most clients are now booking their flights independently.’

‘In reality the airlines have become competitors rather than suppliers.’

The tour operator set up an Internet booking service six years ago but the airline’s own sites have since removed the need for this service.

‘They can afford to do it far more than we can,’ said Mr Watts.

‘In a snapshot it has not been easy to cope with the shift. All we can do is continue to sell packages wherever we can.’

Dave Nussbaumer, manager of Cobo Bay and Hougue Fouque hotels, said: ‘There has been a huge growth in direct Internet bookings and we have moved with that. If people do not move in that direction then they have no future. That is the way forward, people do their own things.

‘Companies over here still do all-inclusive packages and people can get good deals, but these companies are starting to come up against it.’

ABC Channel Islands Travel Service manager Merv Leonard said his company had been affected.

‘We have been greatly affected. The public has been avidly encouraged by the media to book via the Net,’ he said.

‘It is so simple and user-friendly and now all areas of society have easy access to it. The airlines are deliberately pitching low to hit the small operators, and we are having to diversify to exist.’

Vaughan Davies, managing director of Trafalgar Travel, still found business strong.

‘If you are travelling from point to point then the Internet may be the best option but it does vary, so it is always worth shopping around.

‘You have to remember that on the Internet there are extra costs to the initial price that you see; our figures always include all the costs straight off,’ he said.

‘We work very closely with the airlines who give us very good fares, we also own hotels in the UK so we can give good deals there.

‘If people are wanting to do a whole package with many different elements we can do it all in one which can make it much easier and cheaper than trying to do it individually on the Internet.’

He added that using travel agents to book through flights, as opposed to individual Internet bookings, could save money on airport tax.

‘The added bonus of using a travel agent is the personalised service that you receive. You cannot speak to the Internet but if anything goes wrong you can always call the travel agent and get help and advice,’ said Mr Davies.

Ambassador Hotel proprietor Rob Steen said that people did not have time to go to the travel agents.

‘People are rushing around all day and they do not get the chance to go to the travel agency because they are shut by the time they have got time to go. Instead they tend to go home relax, eat and then go on the Internet.

Mr Steen set up the hotel’s website five years ago and it has recently been updated to offer French and German versions.

‘The Internet is more popular these days and a lot of the time people look on the website, call you to ask questions and then book,’ said St George’s Hotel manager Davina Wallace.

* Eight per cent of visitors last year said the Internet influenced their decision to visit the island. The most influential factor was a previous visit (44%) while 6% said they were influenced by advertising in newspapers or magazines.