Travel agencies sell products such as a flight on an airplane, a stay in a hotel room, a view of the mountains, or a cruise on a ship. Once customers buy these products, they have them for only a short time. If travel products prove unsatisfactory, they can’t be returned, although suppliers and agencies might compensate dissatisfied customers in some way. Travel agents sell dreams to vacation and leisure travelers. A travel advertisement might show a beautiful young couple dancing in a moonlit beach. The advertisement suggests that by purchasing certain travel products travelers will experience romance, relaxation, and pleasure. The vacation may continue to exist as a wonderful memory. To business and professional travelers, travel agents sell time and convenience.
