Anybody over 40 knows that the world has changed over the last few decades. When last did you write a letter or walk into the bank?
It seems almost every aspect of our lives has become electronic - and travel is certainly no exception.
One of the main reasons most people surf the web is for travel information. They look for places to go, things to do and good deals on accommodation, flights and car rentals. And they book online.
What happened to those days when you had a friendly chat with your local travel agent while planning your holiday?
The Internet has given us access to so much information that we sometimes just blather about in cyberspace not knowing how to make up our minds.
Well, at the Online Travel Summit, held in Cape Town last month, I learned that, while technology is dragging us into the 21st century, some things haven't changed at all.
But, no matter how much information there is on the web, it's no use if you can't find it and have no way of checking whether it's true.
Google still favours websites that give real information - if you pick your key words carefully, you should get sites that do actually relate to what you're looking for.
Travel products need to offer online booking and virtually 24/7 response to enquiries to remain on the top of search engine lists.
Web users expect information in sophisticated packages. But despite all the new technology, people haven't changed that much. We still like to deal with real people - preferably those with no vested interest in the outcome of the exchange. So most people tend to put their faith in travel sites that offer first-person accounts by independent travellers, such as on the website www.tripadvisor.com.
We still trust the word of a satisfied (or dissatisfied) customer far more than all the marketing blurb spewed out by tour providers.
About three weeks ago, a friend from Joburg took his family to Langebaan for a week's break.
He checked out the information on the web, loved the pictures and booked online. When he arrived, he discovered that the sea-view pic of the lagoon was taken from down the road somewhere and definitely not from his room.
Unfortunately, there was no comment or rating feature on the site, or he would have made it very clear to future visitors that the seaview was not part of the deal. Now he sticks to websites that offer independent reviews - good old word of mouth.
A series of follow-up seminars are planned for September.
