Travel and hospitality
October 20, 2016
Raffles Istanbul; image courtesy of Virtuoso
By Sarah Jones
NEW YORK – Instead of eliminating the role of the travel agent, technology has actually increased consumers’ desire for a human interaction, according to a marketing strategist from high-end hospitality network Virtuoso.
{"ct":"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","iv":"1f5bf063a8deb74aab79e3c1be5a33b9","s":"396fcdc8e7eb3a23"}
Share your thoughts. Click here