p26-27 letters Apr10 6/4/09 17:44 Page 27
ttglive.com
letters
In last week’s TTG, popular consumer blogger Travel Rants called
ITM’s name change reflects
for a ban on agent fam trips. Here are some of your replies
these changing times
ITM’s name change to the “Institute of Travel
Yes, there is a recession, but that’s There are times when video-streaming and Meetings” is an important move for the
even more of a reason to send agents and online training is adequate. But sector (TTG April 3), as we see changing trends
on fam trips! You can learn details in a book/ nothing can beat seeing, hearing and touching in the way businesses structure their decisions
website, but it isn’t like the real thing. Because a destination to learn about it and sell it. and spend when it comes to meetings and events.
we have a recession, we need to sell full on, and And far from money being “fluttered away Historically, training and meeting budgets
it is hard if you haven’t experienced the place. sending agents to the sunshine”, companies are were fragmented, being allocated to each
People are still travelling despite the thinking hard about how best to get the best department separately. We have seen a move
recession, and the customer is wanting value value from fam trips. away from this over the last two years and this
for money – but people are still travelling This is not the time to turn your back on your is a positive step forward for the institute to
farther afield. Keep these fam trips coming. agent partners by pulling fam trips, it is time to recognise this new trend by changing its name.
Rosalyn Small be smarter in the way they are run. Around two-thirds of UK travel managers
Personal Travel Advisors Paul Riches also have responsibility for their organisation’s
sales and marketing director, Youtravel.com meetings and events spend. On average, that
I invest heavily in training for my team, spend equates to between 12% and 35% of an
not only with money but time too. E-learning is excellent. However, organisation’s travel and events costs depending
Educationals are the most effective way to nothing can compare to the emotions upon industry sector. With 60% of all meetings
ensure we sell customers the right product. that can be passed on to clients of personal ex- held in hotels, consolidating transient
Getting a client’s holiday wrong is the worse periences, such as turning a corner and seeing accommodation and meetings expenditure, or
thing we can do, not only for the environment, the rock-carved treasury at Petra, feeling the “convergence”, is an increasingly compelling
but financially too. Banning fam trips just power of Iguassu Falls, the serenity of China’s proposition for the corporate buyer.
because ill-informed people need to have a Great Wall and the romance of the Taj Mahal.
rant now and then isn’t something agents or Peter Ruck Trevor Elswood, group managing director, BSI
operators should consider seriously. general manager, Baldwins Travel
Diane Denney Dubai launches world’s first
managing director, somewhere2travel2 Fam trips should not be banned. More hover hotel? (ttglive April 1...)
and more tourist offices should be I thought the Dubai government had been
I went on a Dubai fam trip last week, encouraged to work with dedicated operators watching Flash Gordon a little too often!
and have already confirmed a Dubai to arrange such trips. Familiarising staff with
holiday for a couple. I would say that experienc- a destination they are selling increases their Lawrence Assock
ing the destination is worth its weight in gold. selling ability and confidence in the product. head consultant, 6th Dimensions Consultancy
Mandy Voyle Hicran Youssouf
World Market Travel managing director, Alternative Turkey
What do you think?
The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday.
Bonding should apply to all I recently had to pay Sharps Bedrooms a We need your name, job title and company
industries – not just travel deposit of £1,000 without any form of address. These will be withheld on request.
In response to “Lucky and surreal: Allard on XL protection. I have also had to pay Thomas Cook Priority is given to letters sent exclusively
repatriation” on ttglive.com, the suggestion a bond of £5,000 so I can buy their flights. to TTG. Please limit letters to 250 words
about bonding applying to all travel Industry However, is this protected if Thomas Cook maximum. We reserve the right to edit.
cases doesn’t go far enough. fails? Nobody at Thomas Cook is prepared to Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com
Every business in the UK that accepts money tell me if my money is ring-fenced or has just Fax: 020 7921 8033
upfront should require some form of bonding, disappeared into their current account. Blog: Or why not have your say online?
and then we would not have had the problems Allen Miller Write a blog at yourspace-ttglive.com
that were caused with all the recent failures. owner, Small Families
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