Youngsters most likely to rely on agents, according to HostelBookers

A survey by budget accommodation provider HostelBookers.com has found the under 20s to be the age bracket most likely to organise travel through agents.

Older travellers proved to be the second most popular users of agents, with 14.8 per cent of over 40s citing agents as one of their favoured ways to arrange travel, closely followed by young twenty-somethings (14.3 per cent of 21 to 25-year-olds).

Just 11.9 per cent of respondents in the two middle age brackets (26 to 30 and 31 to 35) expressed a preference for organising their travel through agents; the lowest percentage of all those surveyed.

David Smith, chief operating officer of HostelBookers, said: ?Our survey showed that the under 20s and over 40s prefer the expertise of a travel agent booking accommodation on their behalf.

With the younger age group, it is often because it is their first time travelling independently, whilst older travellers like the ease of having their travel needs taken care of. Those surveyed in their twenties however, are more confident travellers and like to take control of their bookings.

At HostelBookers we are offering agents the opportunity to book and earn commission on what was previously a very fragmented and largely inaccessible product to all of these age groups.?

The survey also showed Britons to be amongst the biggest supporters of bookings through agents, with 13 per cent quoting agents as an option they used to book travel. Other big proponents of agencies included Antipodeans, Scandinavians (Swedes and Danes) and Canadians.

HostelBookers features more than 17,000 hostels and budget properties in over 3,500 destinations across more than 150 countries, and offers agents the opportunity to book and earn commission in the budget accommodation sector.

For more information go to: HostelBookers.com