talking shop WISE COUNSEL The way forward
We work in an industry that has seen hundreds of job losses and company collapses this year, leaving many without the job that they loved. It's a period of change for all and those of us working from home realise it can't be a part-time easy option, but rather a chance to run our own businesses in a way where we can guarantee our clients fi rst-class service. We've faith in the notion that, by and large, the travelling public still want personal service when spending signifi cant money on holidays. We shouldn't kid ourselves: there will always be DIY travellers and until they get stranded somewhere, due to political unrest, weather or strikes, and the like, they will unlikely change. But when they do fi nd themselves somewhere up a creek without a paddle we need to be ready to pick up the pieces! Remember, its not that diffi cult
to try to retain a client’s loyalty by keeping in contact with them throughout the year, remembering birthdays and anniversaries and all their little favourite holiday requests.
2012 in review...
It’s been another incident-packed year! In January we were still reeling from the Costa Concordia tragedy. Did that affect the cruise market? I don’t think so; people have short memories when it comes to such disasters. February saw the ATOL Flight Plus ball start to roll with Travel Counsellors being the fi rst appointed accredited body. Many agents were left confused, and there was something of a mad rush to get organised and ‘legal’. Then we had the build-up to the Diamond Jubilee and Olympics and I noticed many clients taking an overseas holiday before the fun and games kicked off.
Top: Hanghzou, China – exactly the 'type' of complicated destination where knowledgeable agents can offer added value to their clients
BARBARA CHARLTON Regular columnist Barbara was voted Most Helpful
Travel Counsellor of the Year for two consecutive years E:
Barbara.Charlton@
travelcounsellors.com T: 0845 0587 290
Reasons to be cheerful in 2013!
TOPS 2012 Rather than pick one name for our fi nal Most Helpful Tour Operator of the Month award of the year I have nominated the entire sales team at Caribtours. Barely a month has passed this year without Caribtours receiving a rave review, so recognition for MD Paul Cleary's hand- picked team is entirely appropriate!
Our uncertain summer weather made us all miserable, but the nation had plenty to grip its attention and autumn arrived with most of us feeling good about being British. September and October were busy, as those that had ‘deferred' a summer holiday started to travel. October also saw the deadline
for the issuing of ATOL certifi cates, and I am sure many candles burned long into the night as companies became fully compliant. It’s not a perfect solution – for one, it’s not a level playing fi eld – but I am looking forward to the CAA’s Public Awareness Campaign in time for the peak-booking period after Christmas, which hopefully will reassure the public that their money is safe. Hurricane Sandy in November
devastated parts of the east coast of the USA and obviously affected bookings Stateside, but these should rebound quickly. Do I feel confi dent about bookings in 2013? I do expect more holiday- makers to ‘come back’ to agents that they can trust – just make sure you are one of those agents.
Most helpful Tour Op
I have received so many wonderful stories this year from agents singing the praises of res agents at great tour operators. Please continue to send your 'special agent’ nominations
62 December 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
“Retain a client's loyalty by staying in touch with them throughout the year by remembering birthdays and anniversaries”
directly to me in 2013. For our nominations for December,’ Chirag Patel from Emirates Tours drew on his own honeymoon experience when helping Jayne Beasley get the Burj in Dubai and Mauritius in on budget for her honeymoon clients. Jayne also wanted to mention Christian Hodson from Travel Counsellors ‘Suitcase’ who helped book a £35k booking and made alternative suggestions when 21 nights at a pool villa at the Datai in Langkawi proved diffi cult to book. Maria Foxwell told me that Hayley Hamilton at Italian specialist Citalia helped with repeated changes to different itineraries, and it was only her insitent calls that fi nally secured the booking. And Karon Edmunds nominated
the wonderful staff at Caribtours and The Private Travel Company for their compassionate help when her client’s dad was diagnosed with
NEW FOR 2013 From next issue (January) I want to start mentioning your ‘Best Kept Secrets’ – but I need you, please, to send me your special places. These can be a ‘must see’ view, somewhere you can sit in peace and 'have a moment’, an intimate restaurant or a fabulous place, attraction or real ‘experience’ . Of course, they must be ‘long haul’!
CONGRATS TO VASU! Vasu Bhardwaj from Transindus was last month’s Most Helpful Tour Operator. Vasu impressed a client who at the outset asked “Why should I use you over the internet?”. Vasu put together a complicated three-week itinerary to India – and then got an apology from his client for that initial
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