A recent survey has revealed that travel agents are continuing to lose business with the increase of DIY holidays booked through the web.

The survey, commissioned by food and travel surveyor, Zagat, has shown only 8 per cent of flights today are booked using travel agents, falling from 17 per cent in 2007 and almost a quarter four years ago.

In comparison, 64 per cent of flight bookings are completed online, an increase from 60 and 55 percent in 2008 and 2008 respectively.  These figures show that holidaymakers and business travellers are increasingly opting to use airline’s websites to make their booking, with specialist travel websites such as Travelocity and Expedia not recording any growth, remaining steady at about 15 per cent for the last three years, with only four percent of travellers making the booking in person.

The research was the fourth annual study of this kind by Zagat, which polled 5,895 international travellers, with this year’s survey also revealing a decline in air travel, with 33 per cent of participants saying that they flew less.

Meanwhile, the EU is looking to tighten regulations on websites selling passengers, in order to offer travellers greater protection against the failure of travel operators.

The plan is responding to the huge increase in people booking holidays online, especially those which include car rental, flights, accommodation and other and would include a range of proposals to extend protection for consumers.