Web-based travel agencies in Estonia are aiming to take the market from more established agencies, taking advantage of the growth in Internet users. Bookinghouse.net, which was founded this spring, plans to be among the five biggest travel agencies in Estonia next year. The owners, Andres Liinat and Kaido Saarma, say that they are planning to change customer habits. Another online travel agency, Kliktop.ee, started offering low-cost travel packages last year. Its owner is TopTours. Sabry Ibrahim, the company’s CEO, says that they do not have competitors in Estonia. “As far as I know, Bookinghouse.net books plane tickets, while KlikTop sells travel packages,” he says. Estravel CEO Anne Samlik thinks that established agencies’ advantage is direct contact between customers and travel consultants. However, she agrees that developing Internet sales is very important. Travel is a branch of the economy experiencing fast growth. In the US in 2005, 97% of low-cost airline tickets were bought through the Internet.
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