It didn’t take long for mainstream media to start firing shots. Just a week after the NAR settlement hit the news, Fortune ran this headline:
“Real-estate agents are going extinct just like travel agents did, award-winning professor says. ‘You just don’t need’ them anymore because of the internet”
No surprise there. Mainstream media never misses a chance to take a swipe at our industry.
And we all know it goes deeper than the media. Michael Ketchmark, head attorney for plaintiffs in the Sitzer/Burnett lawsuit, said this after the verdict was announced:
“It’s time that the free market and the internet is allowed to do its work and to bring the savings to homeowners that they’re so entitled to when they sell their homes.”
But here’s the thing—Zillow (aka “the internet” in real estate) hasn’t deterred consumers from working with real estate agents. The most recent Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends report found that 89% of buyers choose to work with a real estate agent.
Many of the same people writing off real estate agents as unnecessary have been saying the same about travel agents for years. And guess what? Travel agents are still very much in business. Sure, there are fewer of them now, but those who adapted, those who focused on the right things, are thriving.
There’s a lesson in there for real estate agents—especially those who see themselves as agents of change.
The evolution of the travel industry
Before the internet revolutionized travel, it was the regulations that really shook things up for travel agents, particularly in how they earned their commissions. This change forced a massive shift in the industry—one that led to a reduction in numbers. We saw travel agents drop from around 132,000 (in 1990) to roughly 74,000. Most likely, those who changed careers probably weren’t doing much business. And now? The travel agents who are still around are doing better than ever.
That’s because they didn’t just adapt—they took control. They’ve solved complex problems that free internet resources just can’t handle. They’ve embraced higher price points, offered high-touch, personalized service, and built deep connections with a broad network of trusted vendors.
The old-school brick-and-mortar travel agencies that offered nothing more than what consumers could suddenly get for themselves online didn’t stand a chance. But those who saw the chaos as an opportunity are doing better than ever.
For real estate agents, the message is clear: success isn’t just about embracing change—it’s about capitalizing on it.
Statistical Data
Let’s look back to 1990—before the internet flipped the travel industry on its head. At that time, about 132,000 agents worked in the United States. By 2014, that number had dropped to about 74,000. And experts projected another 12% drop by 2024.
Then 2020 hit, and COVID delivered another blow, pushing even more agents out of the business. But here’s the twist: since the end of lockdowns, we’ve actually seen a gradual increase in the number of travel agents. The growth is expected to keep trending upward over the next 5-7 years.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of travel agents was projected to grow 3% from 2022 to 2023, which is about as fast as the average growth rate for all occupations. That equates to about 8,600 travel agent openings a year over the next decade.
And despite online travel portals grabbing 70% of revenue in the global travel and tourism market in 2023, the growth potential for travel agents who focus on the right things remains strong.
What does that tell you? It’s not about avoiding change—it’s about owning it.
Service vs. Sales: The Real Difference-Maker
Back in December 2008, The American Genius ran an article with a title that says it all: “Realtors Should Be More Like Travel Agents.”
The piece spotlighted a luxury travel agent, Sara Ryan Duffy, who has thrived despite the rise of online travel booking sites. Her secret? Putting service above everything else.
Duffy is a luxury travel agent whose company, SRD International, is built on outstanding customer service. She’s mastered the art of leveraging the limitations of online resources, turning those gaps into opportunities to win her clients’ lifetime loyalty. She digs deep, conducting thorough interviews to understand every detail of her clients’ travel needs, and then she goes above and beyond to make sure those needs are met.
Duffy’s approach perfectly illustrates the key difference between successful travel agents and the tech they use to serve their clients and grow their businesses:
- Automated travel sites? They’re all about the transaction. Successful travel agents? They’re all about the client experience.
- One emphasizes price; the other emphasizes value.
- One is focused on the trip; the other is invested in the journey.
It’s all about providing exceptional service. The sales are the happy by-product of doing that right. And that’s a business model every agent of change should be all in on.
Human Expertise and Value: What Sets Us Apart
The truth is, successful agents—whether in travel or real estate—bring something to the table that artificial intelligence just can’t replicate: real expertise and personalized service. While AI might be a threat to the average agent, for those who are skilled, service-oriented, and focused on building genuine relationships, AI is just another tool in the toolkit.
Take complex real estate transactions, for instance. Buyers and sellers still benefit from the expertise and attention of a skilled human professional who knows the ins and outs of the process and the differences in each local market. And the only ones who can do that are those who are on the streets, in the neighborhoods and in the local shops where the customer wants to live.
Sure, anyone can hop online and find an endless supply of information about buying and selling homes. But let’s be real—the sheer volume of info out there can be overwhelming. How’s someone outside the industry supposed to know what’s legit and what’s just noise?
Expert guidance is something buyers and sellers still want, even when the prospect of paying for it keeps some of them on the sidelines (or drives them to navigate the process alone).
The best agents lead with curiosity. They dig deep, figure out what their clients really need, and then demonstrate their value in ways that matter. And often, that means helping buyers and sellers cut through the digital clutter so they can make smart, informed decisions.
Industry Comparisons and the Future of Real Estate Agents
Just like travel agents had to navigate massive shifts in their industry—and either adapt or find a new path—real estate agents are facing changes that could seriously cut down the number of us still standing.
What’s happening right now is a wake-up call. For some, it’s a sign to explore other career options. But for others, it’s the push they need to step up, adapt, and do what it takes to thrive as a real estate agent.
Exceptional agents don’t whine about unavoidable changes, industry settlements or technology replacing them. They double down on their strengths, leveraging technology to free them up for what their clients really need—personalized, expert service. And they always put service before sales.
If the number of real estate agents does take a hit, the ones who remain will redefine this industry. The kind of agent that consumers (and consumer watchdogs) complain about or dismiss as “unnecessary” won’t have a place here anymore.
Here’s what I want every real estate agent to take away from the travel industry’s evolution:
- Contrary to popular (or just biased) belief, travel agents do still exist. And the ones who saw the opportunity in industry changes and adapted to them are even better off professionally than they were before.
- What has worked for today’s thriving travel agents also works for real estate professionals.
- Just as for travel agents, technology can help you do your job even better than before, so you can focus on the things technology cannot do for your clients.
The question is, are you ready to be an agent of change, or are you going to let the industry leave you behind?
