The Value of Trust for Travel Agencies in Achieving Customers' Attitudinal Loyalty

Abstract

The emergence of e-commerce in the tourism sector has triggered profound changes in the sector's structure. Travel agencies, as the final link in the distribution chain, have been most affected. The globalization of tourism service distributors via the internet has caused competition to intensify and has had strong repercussions. Nevertheless, many travel agencies that also offer online services remain competitive and maintain a loyal customer base. Drawing on data from customers used to purchasing tourism services over the internet, this study analyzed changes in these customers' perceptions of the value offered by traditional travel agencies. Considering the loyalty of clients as a key element in the survival of travel agencies, we studied different factors that contribute to customer loyalty. We used a sample of 280 habitual users of travel agencies in Spain to investigate the differences between traditional customers and those who use the internet regularly when purchasing tourism services. Among the explanatory factors of loyalty (i.e., service quality, credibility-based trust, and benevolence-based trust), benevolence-based trust emerged as a fundamental element in tourists' loyalty in the information age.