p12 news 29/4/09 19:12 Page 12
news
ttglive.com
In brief
Counsellors bucks
■ Emirates to pay agents double commission
Emirates will pay double commission in May to
agents who book more flights than they booked
in May 2008. An agent who sold £5,000 worth of
dip with 5% surge
flights last May, for example, will earn 5% com-
mission for £5,000 worth booked this May, but
The company has counsellors in every flight sale above that will earn 10%. To reg-
Lee Hayhurst.
TRAVEL Counsellors has this year Holland, Germany, Canada and the ister for bonus commission, which applies only to
recorded 10 of the best 20 selling US, but the majority are in Australia published fares from the UK, agents should email
days in its 15-year history, agents at and South Africa, which have 85 bonuscommission@emirates.com by May 20.
a series of mini conferences in the each.
UK were told last week. Malcolm Hingley, sales director, ■ Air Namibia suspends Gatwick-Windhoek
The encouraging performance told the 500 agents who attended Air Namibia is to suspend its service from
should see the Bolton-based firm, the conferences that 171 counsel- Gatwick to Windhoek from the end of May
which has around 800 UK home- lors had recorded their best ever because of falling demand. The last UK departure
based agents, increase turnover 5% this year to month in 2009. will be on May 29. Air Namibia stressed it will
£257 million. “The customer is going to book their holiday, continue to fly five flights a week from its main
The conferences, held in London, Birmingham so you have to be sure they book with you,” he European gateway in Frankfurt.
and Bolton, heard performance from the 320 said. Birmingham to gain Athens link? Air, p24
overseas counsellors had been crucial. Travel Counsellors also revealed a new cus-
Sales in the countries Travel Counsellors now tomer management system that automatically ■ Holiday Extras donates £20,000 to hospice
operates in are up 40% since November, with displays client details on screen when they call. Holiday Extras has donated a cheque for £20,000
revenues said to have increased by 90%. Steve Byrne (pictured), managing director, to Kent charity Pilgrims Hospices to kick-start its
In the UK, revenues are 7% down on last year, said the conferences sought to deliver a positive latest fundraising campaign. The charity is hoping
although 190 UK counsellors are 10% up this message by focusing on the fundamentals to raise £55,000 to renovate an area of the
year. behind success. Ashford hospice for patient activities and clinics.
■ Comtec acquires Traveltradex Cruise module
Hotels crushed
GDS Deals to help
Travel technology company Comtec has acquired
the Traveltradex Cruise module, which will be
by corporates
agent contracts
rebranded and added to Comtec’s travel search
and booking software, Travelconnect. Travelcon-
nect Cruise will allow trade and consumer users
FORMER Worldspan directors have founded a to search cruise itineraries from several lines
HOTELS worldwide have seen rates savaged by consultancy to help travel agencies get the most including Celebrity, Princess, P&O Cruises, Royal
corporate clients demanding lower prices during out of their global distribution system contracts. Caribbean, Cosmos, Cunard and Ocean Village.
the recession, according to a leading hotel boss. Steve Barrett and David Taylor, who between Swan Hellenic plans Far East sailings: Cruise, p20
Andrew Ashmore, Hyatt International’s vice- them have more than
president for sales and marketing in Europe, the 35 years’ experience in
GDS contracting tips
■ Travelport to offer Aegean Airlines fares
Middle East and Africa, said hotels had been the GDS sector, left Travelport, the global distribution system
conceding to corporate demands to compete. Worldspan last year when ■ Don’t over-commit, and company, has signed a multi-year full content
“Clients are looking to pay up to £50 less per it merged with Galileo. be realistic about future agreement with Greek carrier Aegean Airlines.
night than they were last year. The competition is The pair said the serv- performance The deal means the airline will provide all its
doing it, so we have to compete,” he said. ice, called GDS Deals, will ■ Analyse contractual published fares to agents linked to the Galileo
But Ashmore predicted the worst of the help agencies save time clauses and their and Worldspan GDSs. It will also include fares
downturn was nearing an end. Corporate hotel and money. Off-the-shelf implications previously only available on the airline’s website.
sales had remained “normal” until December, and bespoke services are ■ Discuss and agree
while leisure sales had been holding up. available as well as some support levels before ■ Eurostar reduces CO
2
emissions by a third
“January and February were brutal months for added-value packages confirming contracts Eurostar has reported a 31% reduction in CO2
the industry. March was an improvement and offering substantial dis- ■ Focus on the overall emissions since 2007 but admitted that progress
April has been excellent in some areas,” he said. counts. commercial value of towards other environmental targets had been
Ashmore said cities such as London, Paris and Barrett said many the deal over the slow. The Channel rail operator said higher load
Milan had shown signs of recovery in the last companies did not re- contract term factors and a switch in electricity supplier had
month, but Kiev, Moscow and Istanbul were still gard GDSs as a crucial ■ Properly leverage cut CO
2
emissions by 31% per passenger journey.
suffering and Dubai had been “decimated”. supplier, and only consid- competing GDS bids
ered it when contracts
ttglive.com
■ Don’t just focus on air
For the latest news, reviews and comment
■ ‘Cost heroes’ are valued: Business travel, p28 came up for renewal. from the travel industry, visit ttglive.com
12 01.05.2009
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