US accredited agencies decline 12%

WHILE online companies appear to be holding their own (see TNN’s story today on Travelocity), travel agents are not. The year-end statistics of ARC (the US equivalent of Iata BSP here) show that September 11 took their toll on American travel agents. According to information received by TNN, 2 358 agencies dropped their ARC accreditation in 2001 compared 2 161 agencies the year previous. At the end of the year, ARC apparently listed a total of 34 071 agencies down 12% from 2000. The drop was partly due to a 28% decrease in satellite ticket printer (STP) locations as more travellers opt for ticketless flights. TNN has no updated statistics for SA because Iata SA has recently completed a major restructuring. The news will be carried in TNW. Mark Gray