INTERVIEW BALES WORLDWIDE
CULTURE TRIP
MANDY NICKERSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR BALES WORLDWIDE
BY JO AUSTIN It is now over a year since Bales became part of the Virgin family. What has the buy-out brought to the party? Virgin Holidays wanted to capitalise on Bales Worldwide’s knowledge and expertise in both groups and escorted tours. Our two offerings are quite different but complement each other very well indeed. The combination of our long-standing
knowledge of classical travel and Virgin Holidays’ vast experience makes for a great team and we have already launched our joint Worldwide Journeys brochure.
This year marks 50 years since Bales Worldwide’s first escorted tour. What new itineraries have you introduced in this year’s Worldwide brochure? We have introduced a raft of new trips and experiences. These range from heritage tours of Jordan, Egypt, India and Peru, to adventures in Tibet plus mountain-biking and rafting in Peru’s Sacred Valley. Also new for 2011 is ‘glamping’ (that’s ‘glamorous camping’) in Bolivia and will be celebrating the centenary of the first discovery of Machu Picchu in 1911 with a very special itinerary.
promotions through the retail trade and see agents as essential to our growth. We are actively engaging with partners and conducting regular updates with our top performers. We have introduced some incentive schemes and want to further expand our trade activity.
What is your ‘green’ message? It’s vital for us to make sure we respect every country we visit, leaving only positive things behind. Our local staff and suppliers adhere to social and environmental codes and we actively support charities in many destinations.
"Often it is the people you meet and communicate with that really make a trip. It’s moments like that that I really enjoy – when you are able to exchange with a different culture”
How does it feel to now be part of a large conglomerate, ending 62 years as an independent operator? I welcome the change. The time was right and I think Virgin Holidays is a fantastic custodian for the Bales business. I am very impressed with how Virgin Holidays looks after its customers and staff and personally I am enjoying being a part of the framework. Virgin has presented us with some big
challenges and opportunities and we are looking to growing our passenger numbers to 50,000 over the coming five years. The gauntlet is down but I am sure the target is achievable.
What is your top seller right now? We operate in 50 countries so it’s difficult to choose but there are a few areas that are standing out. India, along with the whole of Indochina, is growing and we are seeing Sri Lanka making a comeback. Both Japan and Tanzania are showing growth and South America is starting to look stronger. Our dahabiyyas on the Nile are always one of our best sellers and we’re seeing more people booking them for private groups.
What plans do you have for working more closely with the travel trade? We are driving more and more of our
We prefer to use locally-owned ground agents and always employ local guides and drivers, contributing to the economy. We support The Travel Foundation, which works to protect the natural environment and help local families, and Climate Care, which funds projects that reduce CO2 emissions. We have moved a lot of our printed materials online, cutting down on waste and reducing our carbon footprint.
Do you support any special humanitarian projects? Personally I support several projects that help children around the world. Children
An elegant dahabiyyas on the Nile, Egypt
simply don’t have a choice. The Green Gecko project in Cambodia offers aid and support to street kids and orphans.
www.greengeckoproject.org
What would you say is your best travel experience to date? Often it’s the people you meet and communicate with that really make a trip. I once met a Peruvian lady on the steps of Cusco Cathedral and although we were unable to communicate verbally we made the most wonderful connection through gestures and body language and ended up laughing together for ages. It’s moments like that that I really enjoy.
You and your husband Steve recently returned from a very adventurous trip in Nepal. How was it? The trip was wonderful, the perfect combination of white-water rafting, trekking in the foothills of the Annapurna and wildlife encounters. There were certainly special moments. Seeing a tiger in Chitwan National Park
was incredible. Looking over the Annapurna ranges from our lodge during a full moon was also magical. It was a classic Bales holiday and another one to tick off in my quest to work through the brochure!
Do you have a message for anyone starting out in tour operating today? Look after the customer and the profits will follow.
www.balesworldwide.com
www.sellinglonghaul.com • February 2011 57
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68