Austin,
TX � February 2003 � Bucking the trend for 2002, Online
Agency (OLA) added more than 1,200 new Travel Agencies during the year.
This 60% growth brings the total number of OLA subscribers to more than
3,200 � clearly outpacing the 11% drop in ARC accredited retail agencies
to 24,797.
This
growth in subscribers has helped OLA (OnlineAgency.com)
maintain its leadership position as the largest Travel Agency distribution
network on the Internet. According to Alexa, a division of Amazon.com that
computes Internet traffic rankings, Online Agency�s traffic far exceeds
that of other distribution networks.
*The
Alexa figures reported are from February 4, 2003, and represent a running
1 week average for the number of visitors per million users. To learn
more about Alexa�s traffic reporting, visit: pages.alexa.com/prod_serv/traffic_learn_more.html.
�We
are extremely happy with the growth of OLA and excited about continuing
to expand it through 2003,� says Scott Owens, director of Marketing for
Online Agency. �The power of the Online Agency Network comes from providing
an open platform that provides benefit to every step of the sales channel
(suppliers, consortia/franchises, Travel Agencies, and consumers) and from
listening very closely to our customers over the last 4 years.�
Online
Agency is already showing signs of continued growth in 2003 with the 5
new suppliers announced in January: Brendan Tours, Globus & Cosmos,
Royal Olympic Cruises, Insight Vacations, and South Pacific Holidays. Additionally,
OLA has announced plans for a Destination product aimed at helping Tourism
Boards, Suppliers, and Agencies work together more closely.
About
Online Agency
Online
Agency is a leading travel network and provider of tools that enable Travel
Agents to easily create content rich websites and automatically update
those sites with the latest travel sales and promotions from a network
of over 65 major Cruise Line, Tour Operator, Resort and Travel Services
suppliers. Over 3,000+ Travel Agencies are already saving time and selling
more travel by using Online Agency. For more information on Online Agency
visit www.onlineagency.com or
call (512) 401-9200.
Contact:
Scott
Owens
Online
Agency
sowens@onlineagency.com
(512)
401-9412
Look
At What Others Have Said
�I
just had to write to tell you that we are delighted with the new platform.
Our weekend email requests were up 100% from what we are used to at this
time of year. That�s not just an expression; our requests doubled...in
these troubled times I really get excited when something takes place to
actually increase our business.� Randall Burckhardt, Starward First Travel,
www.starwardcruises.com
�OLA
has cunningly stumbled onto a success formula for travel agents. Keep it
simple, interesting, inexpensive and easy to use. My first web site (non
OLA) languished for almost two years without a single update or change
to the original version... Thanks to OLA�s simple push button, fill in
the blanks technology, I created several new links and web pages. My paper
newsletter articles are now available on line 24/7. The multitude of email,
fax and direct mail promotions now have a home...� Molly Padilla, Four
Corners Travel, www.honeymoonheaven.com
�Three
years ago when we decided to build our web site we considered a number
of content providers before we chose Online Agency. We were impressed with
the depth and breadth of the content and the suppliers who supported the
program. Over the years our web site has grown up along side of Online
Agency, and today we have built our product offerings around their platform.
Their support is top notch and their staff is always willing to listen
and implement good ideas.
We
are especially impressed with their new platform. As a result of the changes
the Online Agency team has made, we�ve seen a significant increase in activity.
Changes that have resulted in greater profits.� Marty Trencher, Cruise
Direct Online, Travel Direct Corporation, www.cruisedirectonline.com
�We
have been using Online Agency for nearly three years, and it is nothing
short of great. For a few hundered dollars per year, we have thousands
of pages of excellent content. Not having to be a slave to the constant
job of finding new content for our sites allows me to make better use of
my limited time.� Ed King Webmaster www.cruisediscountsonline.com and www.traveluniversal.com
�Being
responsible for 9 websites, there is no way that I could manage the content
for each of them without the help of Online Agency. OLA provides just what
our customers are looking for, with little or no effort on my part. What
a deal!� Rick Weller, Tramex Travel www.cruiseseasy.com, www.tramexvacations.com,
www.galveston-cruises.com
Online
Agency
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