talking shop THE SECTION JUST FOR AGENTS INSIDE SECTION
69 ON LOCATION Saint Lucia uncovered and one agent waxes lyrical about the Caribbean
70 WISE COUNSEL Barbara is a TV star, prepares for battle at WTM and organises a family member's honeymoon to the States
NEWS
68 IN THE NEWS 72 AGENT TRAINING
Younger clients like travel agents
BY LAURA GELDER TRAVEL agents are still very much
WISE UP ON THE WEB! Be in the know with Travel Uni.
We're refreshing and reviving loads of travel programmes. Look out for a new romance-themed module from the Cayman Islands, visit
www.traveluni.com
traveluni.com
TALKING SHOP appears in every issue of Selling Long Haul. It is your opportunity to tell us and your fellow retailers what you have been up to. Have you been on any fams, attended a conference, hosted a theme evening at your agency or sold an unusual holiday? Or maybe your shop is selling travel a little differently to your competitors? Or do you have a strong view on one of the industry’s burning issues? We want to know!! Please send your news, views and photos to Talking Shop, Selling Long Haul, Suffolk House, George Street, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 1SR Tel: 020 8649 7233 Fax: 020 8649 7234. Or email
steve.hartridge@bmipublishing.co.uk
in demand, especially among younger travellers, according to an ABTA Consumer Trends Survey released at the Travel Convention in Majorca. The survey, which questioned a 'nationally representative sample' of 2018 consumers, showed that travel agents continue to be valued, with over half the respondents who had taken a foreign holiday over the last 12 months having booked through a high street agent (25 per cent) or tour operator (28 per cent). High street agencies, surprisingly, were shown to be more popular with
IN BRIEF
Travel 2 rewards Etihad bookers Long haul trade-only tour operator
Travel 2 is offering agents the chance to earn £25 of Capital Bonds vouchers per passenger on all Etihad Airways bookings made for travel up until December 31 2011. Destinations including Brisbane, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi and Cape Town are included in the deal.
www.travel2.com
New Virgin modules mean prizes Virgin Atlantic is adding a new module to its trade training site each month until December, with a chance of prizes for those who complete each one. November's Premium Economy module offers agents £1000 towards a Christmas Party and December's Economy module a spa weekend.
www.vsflyinghub.com
Get romanced by Saint Lucia The Saint Lucia Tourist Board will
be showcasing its romantic side at WTM 2011. Agents and tour operators are welcome to drop by stand CA325 for an update on the island’s developments and the unveiling of two new initiatives: Health & Wellness and Made for Romance.
www.stlucianow.co.uk
www.sellinglonghaul.com • November 2011 67
the young internet generation, as a third of 16- 24-year-olds reported to have used them. The 45- 54-year-olds were least likely to (15 per cent). The survey also showed that women
were more likely to go the retail route, with 31 per cent booking with an agency, compared to 19 per cent of men. Not surprisingly, in the wake of bankruptcies, strikes and ash clouds, financial protection was high on the list of priorities for consumers booking holidays. Along with 'safe and secure accommodation', the top five priorities for bookers were: a financial protection scheme (79 per cent), ATOL financial protection (74 per cent), ABTA
membership (73 per cent) and knowledgable staff (67 per cent). ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer commented: "Even in a year when customers are tightening their belts, the lowest cost is not their top consideration." In fact cost was 10th, with 53 per
cent placing precedence on price. Overall, eight in 10 viewed a financial
protection scheme as important, representing a climb of five per cent in 12 months. But there is still a way to go, as 43 per cent were shown to have booked direct with airlines and accommodation providers. See more at:
www.abta.com
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 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76