IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE BUSINESS OF TRAVEL AGENCIES

Pandemija bolesti COVID-19 u samom začetku smatrala se izoliranim slučajem, nikako prijetnjom cijelom svijetu. Ubrzanim širenjem virusa i rastom broja umrlih slijedio je globalni lockdown koji je najviše pogodio turizam, a time i subjekte koji posluju u turizmu. Turističke agencije našle su se u nezahvalnom položaju kojeg su donijele globalne mjere protiv širenja pandemije, a koje su time turistička kretanja bilo kakvog oblika svele na minimum. Razmjer negativnog utjecaja bolesti COVID-19 na poslovanje turističkih posrednika globalno u 2020. godini pokazuje pad prodaje za 46%, kao i bruto prihoda od svih vrsta agencijskih poslova. Pad ukupne prodaje od 58%, ujedno i najveći pad, među svjetskim turističkim regijama osjetila je Zapadna Europa. Porast udjela online posrednih poslova treba smatrati rijetkim pozitivnim utjecajem pandemije na poslovanje turističkih agencija, odnosno prilikom za poboljšanjem kvalitete komunikacije sa subjektima na strani turističke potražnje. Turistički posrednici su na globalnoj razini najveći prihod u 2020. godini ostvarili od prodaje turističkih aranžmana, a od svjetskih turističkih regija najbolje rezultate ostvarile je regija Azija Pacifik. U godini pandemije među globalnim brendovima u području turističkog posredovanja prvo mjesto po vrijednosti kompanije zauzela je grupacija Trip.com, koju slijede dugoročni rivali Expedia na drugom te Booking na trećem mjestu. Pandemija je svoj trag ostavila na svim subjektima koji su dio turizma na direktan ili posredan način. Promjene u potražnji, poteškoće u financiranju te rast troškova natjerali su turističke agencije na radikalne poslovne poteze kao što su zatvaranje poslovnica privremeno ili zauvijek, rezanje troškova te čak otpuštanje osoblja. Neke je teška poslovna situacija natjerala na razmišljanje o prelasku u druge sektore, a tu ideju je pogurala neadekvatna potpora od strane institucija od kojih se ista očekivala.In the very beginning, the COVID-19 pandemic was considered an isolated case, certainly not a threat to the entire world. With a rapid spread of the virus and an increased number of deaths came a global lockdown, which had the most effect on tourism, and with it all the subjects that do business within it. Tourist agencies found themselves in a tricky position that was brought by the global measures against the pandemic, which, therefore, decreased tourist activity to a minimum. A 46% decrease in total sales shows the scope of the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel agencies business globally in 2020., as well as a decrease of the retail sales price of all business activities. Among all tourism regions of the world, Western Europe experienced the biggest decrease of total sales of 58%. An increase in the share of online business activities of travel agencies should be considered a rare positive impact of the pandemic on their business, that is an opportunity to improve the quality of communication with and representation to the subjects on the tourism demand side. On a global level, in the year of 2020. tourism intermediaries generated the largest revenue from the sale of travel packages, and, from the world's tourist regions, the Asia-Pacific region achieved the best results. In the year of the pandemic, among the global brands in the field of tourism mediation, the first place in terms of company value was taken by the Trip.com group, followed by long-term rivals Expedia in the second place and Booking in the third place. The pandemic has left its mark on all subjects that are part of tourism in a direct or indirect way. Changes in demand, funding difficulties and rising costs have forced travel agencies to make radical business moves such as closing offices temporarily or permanently, cutting costs and even laying off staff. Some were forced by the difficult business situation to consider moving to other sectors, and this idea was pushed by inadequate support from the institutions from which it was expected