E-commerce "zero" service fee spoiler agency visa market

Xia Bing from each reporter by Shanghai

Since June this year, online visa business has become the focus of competition for various travel sites. This week the price war on visa renewed again. Recently, Bai Cheng Travel Network announced the launch of visa services worldwide free service. On the same day, Ctrip announced that all mobile phone booking visa products free service charges. World Travel Network also announced the choice of super free exercise zero yuan visa agent.

The industry believes that this will to some extent promote the formation of the standardization of domestic visa fees, service fees reduced to a reasonable level, to further reduce the outbound travel spending.

It is understood that the price of visa agents generally by the "consular price" and "service fee" in two parts, including "service fee" is intermediary agencies to provide customers with translation, guidance, assessment and delivery services such as the cost of the charge, but also charge d'affaires Direct profit of visa service. E-commerce providers to provide free visa service, that is, consumers only pay "consular fees."

So, what exactly "visa war" for consumers how much benefits? In response, "Daily News" reporter yesterday log in a number of travel e-commerce website found that the United States personal travel visa prices have dropped to 1008 yuan, while many agents quote before 1500-2000 yuan. South Korea's personal tourist visa price dropped to 260 yuan, after the agent quoted at 500 yuan.

"Travel e-commerce Visa warfare is the exit of travel vacation product line in the entrance, e-commerce through free visa service, to attract more new users." IResearch tourism industry analyst Qi Xu told reporters.

After the e-commerce launched "zero service fee" visa activities, is the traditional travel agency visa business squeezed?

Yesterday, a travel agency in Shanghai said: "The online travel e-commerce providers to launch zero-service fee visa services, although the traditional travel agencies will have a certain impact, but travel agencies to provide one-on-one consulting services, agency procedures are more flexible, and credibility Good, these are online travel e-commerce can not be compared.In addition, travel agencies have great advantages in consumer services. "

With the involvement of tourism e-commerce customers rush, the industry generally agreed that the destination countries of our tourists outbound travel visa to Chinese tourists more and more relaxed, visa-free, simplified procedures, the adoption rate is very high, so the norms of visa service fees And the price down is the trend. It can be expected, just as mobile phone shopping stay the same, more convenient operation, lower prices, a professional service team APP visa handling will become the mainstream of the future.

Dai Yu, director of marketing at Ctrip's Tourism Business Unit, pointed out: "Internet access of visa agencies is the trend of the times. Booking visas through the Internet and mobile phones will become the mainstream. In the future, mobile handsets will account for more than 50% market share of online visas."