At Haslemere Travel, a renovation of the office and overhaul of the brand in 2005 meant losing the brochure racks and taking the decision to rely on the expertise of consultants to sell a holiday, rather than pretty pictures in a brochure or a price. All of a sudden the “crutch” was taken away and it gave our business the opportunity to see exactly how knowledgeable our team was. For some, it was a step too far, but for those that remained I can honestly say we are now among the most knowledgeable in the UK – because we have to be.

We invest heavily in both training and overseas visits. And not having hundreds of brochures displayed on every wall of the office means that when new clients come in to make enquiries about a holiday, they actually have to talk to us – there’s no quick grabbing of brochures and running out the door. Even if only for a minute, it gives the team the opportunity to find out as much as possible about the holiday enquiry. And in doing so, it starts to build a relationship. They begin to trust you – you are not just an order taker.

With the marketplace a constant challenge and new entrants coming in at every angle, having a reason for clients to buy from you is more important than ever. We all know that trying to compete on price is a slippery slope and there are only so many discounts you can offer before clients come to you based only on price and nothing else. Having loyal clients that trust your knowledge and buy from you based on the fact that you have visited a hotel and can recommend a room specific to their needs is far more powerful than any pretty brochure.

Surprisingly enough though, I do believe that brochures still have a use – just not in the same guise that they used to. We don’t need to fill our walls with them, but as a business tool, they are still exceptionally valuable. As agents, it is never going to be possible to know everything about every destination that we sell or get asked about – that’s what we rely on our specialist tour operator partners for, and their brochures are an eternal source of knowledge. Clients also sometimes like to take something home with them after a booking is made, usually to share with their travelling companions – a tour operator brochure can be that tangible element they need.

As travel agents we need to continually ensure that we are one step ahead – not only of our high street competition, but also of the DIY traveller. One thing they don’t have – and never will – is the depth of experience that some of the UK’s top travel designers have. It is these customers, after all, that can rely only on those brochure pages.

Gemma Antrobus is Aito Agents chair