Building Trust: Why Customer Loyalty in Travel Depends on More Than Just Service

In today’s competitive African travel landscape, agencies often find themselves facing challenges that go beyond simply booking flights or securing hotel rooms. Recently, an agency leader confided concerns about declining customer satisfaction. Ongoing supply chain disruptions had led to missed booking deadlines and delayed confirmations, resulting in frustrated clients. Some travellers, disappointed by these repeated issues, began turning to alternative agencies for their travel needs.

To understand the root cause, the agency initially began surveying clients using the well-known Net Promoter Score (NPS)—a tool designed to measure how likely customers are to recommend the agency to others. Unsurprisingly, with itinerary delays and unmet expectations, the scores reflected growing dissatisfaction. But as deeper conversations unfolded, it became clear that the issue ran deeper than customer service metrics. At stake was something far more fundamental: trust.

In the travel sector, a single incident of a late ticket or a missed transfer might be excused as a one-off. But when such lapses become a pattern, clients start to question an agency’s reliability. Trust, once shaken, is difficult to rebuild—and its absence is often the biggest hidden cost in the business. As trust expert David Horsager aptly notes, “A lack of trust is your biggest expense in business.”

For agencies operating in the dynamic sub-Saharan market, where word-of-mouth and long-term relationships are pivotal, restoring and measuring trust becomes essential. This is where a targeted trust survey can make a difference. Unlike standard satisfaction questionnaires, a trust survey helps agencies pinpoint whether clients believe in their promises, consistency, and willingness to make things right when hiccups occur.

Here are some practical trust-focused questions travel agencies can incorporate into their client feedback processes, using a simple numerical scale (1 to 10):

• On a scale of 1–10, how much do you trust that we will always act in your best interests as a travel provider?
• On a scale of 1–10, how confident are you that we will deliver on our commitments (timely bookings, quality accommodation, reliable transport, etc.)?
• On a scale of 1–10, how much do you trust us to provide consistently high-quality service for every trip?
• On a scale of 1–10, how confident are you that if something goes wrong, we will resolve the issue promptly and fairly?

To gain richer insights, agencies should also include an open-ended question, such as:

• What led you to give us that score?
• What’s one action we could take to increase your trust in our agency?
• What is the biggest reason you trust (or don’t trust) us with your travel plans?

Trust is the bedrock of every successful client relationship in travel. When agency teams show they will do what they promise, own up to mistakes, make amends, and always put the client first, they gain more than repeat business—they earn lasting confidence. Gathering direct feedback through trust surveys not only reveals how clients feel today, but also guides the improvements needed to secure loyalty tomorrow.

For agencies across Africa, especially as the industry evolves and client expectations rise, making trust a central focus will be a key differentiator. It’s not just about delivering a great itinerary; it’s about being a partner clients can count on, trip after trip. By asking the right questions and acting on the answers, agencies can build relationships that are resilient, profitable, and built to last in a changing travel marketplace.