Why you need to audit travel agents

Most travel brands think they know how they’re performing in-store, but the reality inside travel agencies is often very different. Your brochures may not be visible, agents may not fully understand your product, and competitors may be getting recommended more often without you knowing why. That’s why audits matter.

Many trade decisions are based on assumptions. Sales reports tell you what’s being booked, but they don’t tell you why agents are recommending certain brands, what competitors are doing better, whether your campaigns are actually visible, or how confident agents feel selling your product. An audit gives you that missing picture.

An Agent Access audit is designed to show what’s really happening at agency level. Our reps visit a set number of agreed stores across the UK and Ireland and gather direct feedback from agents in-store. That includes:

• How often agents sell your brand

• Which competitors they sell more frequently

• Why competitors are being recommended

• How well agents understand your product

• Whether they know your key selling points

• Brochure stock levels and availability

• POS visibility and in-store placement

• Awareness of campaigns, incentives and training

• Interest in future support or engagement

It’s not just a brochure check - it’s a full picture of your trade presence.

The value is often in the detail. Small issues like poor brochure placement, low stock levels or weak product knowledge can have a direct impact on bookings. An audit helps identify those gaps before they become larger commercial problems.

One of the biggest advantages of an audit is the ability to spot patterns across regions and store groups. You quickly start to see where your brand is performing well, where engagement is weaker, which competitors are strongest, and where additional support is needed. That allows trade teams to make better decisions about campaigns, training and field activity.

The strongest travel brands aren’t always the ones spending the most - they’re the ones with the clearest understanding of the trade. An audit gives you direct insight from the people selling your product every day, helping future campaigns become more targeted, more efficient and more effective.

After the audit, all findings are collated into a detailed report covering:

• Brand awareness and perception

• Sales behaviour and competitor comparison

• In-store brochure and POS visibility

• Regional performance trends

• Engagement and training opportunities

• Photo evidence from stores

• Clear recommendations and actions

The result is a clear understanding of where your trade presence stands today - and what needs to happen next.

Travel agencies remain one of the most important sales channels in the industry. If you don’t understand what’s happening inside those stores, you’re making decisions with incomplete information.