A STRONG BELIEVER in thorough staff training, London City Airport (LCY) is extending its programme to handle the role of aerial gateway to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics at the Olympic Park, three miles down the road. Says marketing
director Tricia
Handley-Hughes: “Airports should not overlook the importance of keeping travel buyers in the loop. LCY provides an ongoing programme in this respect. Our activity applies to travel buyers, not just in the UK but at the other end of the route, which we see as crucial in
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travel buyer. Happily, travel organisations seem to be meeting the need. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) offers members a wide range of training opportunities (see ‘Training Resources’, overleaf). One financial services travel buyer says of his training with the GTBA: “The course opened a new dimension for me. I am no longer perplexed by acronyms or discussions about revenue yield management. “I understand so much more
about the basics of the travel world and my company has gained because I am not disadvantaged by a lack of knowledge when dealing with suppliers.”
the lead up to the Olympic Games.” The LCY Academy, supplied by Online Travel Training, delivers information over five modules for the newcomers to the LCY staff: transport options for travelling to the airport; facilities on arrival; route networks; airlines; and staying connected.
A COMPLEX BUSINESS Some idea of the training needed to understand the complexities of the travel buyer’s role is also contained in the GTMC prospectus. Though
“I understand so much more about the basics of the travel world because I am not disadvantaged by a lack of knowledge”
the courses are primarily for agents and consultants, they are available to non-members and are taken by travel buyers as well. The Consultant Certificate in Business Travel, for example, is a starter qualification
Information on
route development is provided through an LCY corporate sales manager, who works closely with the travel buyer to assess usage of LCY by the business traveller. The airport also
offers presentations to travel buyers, travellers and PAs, corporate road shows,
and airport visits to provide first-hand experience of updated equipment and infrastructure. LCY has allocated budget and resources to the inbound market for 2012, and plans a London Ambassadors’ information pod for the duration of the games, plus a VIP meet-and-greet desk.
covering everything from business travel destinations and discounted air fares to rail travel, financial services and information technology. The GTMC Advanced Certificate
in Business Travel, the next stage for those keen to step up the corporate ladder into more senior managerial positions, requires even more serious study, exploring topics such as conferences and trade fairs, chartering aircraft, the no-frills carriers and supervisory skills. But before reaching those exalted heights, remember that giving staff ease of access to education and training courses at any level will be beneficial. As Woody Allen also said: “Eighty per cent of success is showing up...” n