p9 news June19 17/6/09 21:19 Page 9
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Aito in brief
Sales tips and launches were on the agenda at Aito’s Specialist
Travel Agents conference, reports Martin Ferguson in Gdansk
■ Be wary of using Facebook to sell holidays
Former Cadogan boss Tom Allen said agents
‘Exploit air fare offers
must treat their websites like their shop window,
but warned against investing too many resources
in social media. Allen said his children were “avid
users” of social media website Facebook but to bring clients back in’
questioned whether young social media users
wanted businesses to get involved in their space. TACTICAL air fare offers have given the trade an partners had been “strong” in the first half of the
opportunity to get back in touch with dormant year and he is looking to forge even closer ties in
■ Host city Gdansk tipped for tourism success clients, according to a luxury operator. the future.
Gdansk could become a surprise tourism success Airlines have suffered sharp decreases in pre- “We have had a good year. We had more
and could give agents “huge earning potential”, mium traffic since the start of the recession and passengers between January and May this year
predicted Oliver Broad of family-run agency many have made bold moves to attract business. than last year,” he added.
Robert Broad Travel. The city had the advantages In May, British Airways launched a buy-one- “The Caribbean has been a success, with
of being outside the eurozone, having beaches get-one-free offer on business-class seats, while Barbados a stand-out, although we are coming
and offering a city break that was cheaper than Emirates has been offering double commission to the end of the summer season in that region.
Rome or Venice, he said. and free nights in hotels. “Dubai has been doing well and although
Chester-based operator Seasons in Style is some people are downgrading certain aspects of
■ Anatolian Sky unveils Egypt brochure viewing the knock-down premium fares as a way their trip, it’s certainly not all doom and gloom.
Agents will be able to sell Anatolian Sky’s new to entice clients and boost sales. People are travelling.”
Egypt product from July 10. Area sales manager Speaking at the Aito Specialist Travel Agents Ham also suggested trading would improve as
Stephanie Jones said bookings to Egypt would conference in Gdansk, Poland, agency sales prices fall due to the weakening of the US dollar.
help the business through the quieter winter manager Nigel Ham said: “The tactical fares “Some 60% of our bookings come through
season. The operator will concentrate on resorts have been important for the trade. the trade, although he would like to see that
in El Gouna and Hurghada. Agents can earn 12% “Offers such as BA’s two-for-one have given us number rise,” he said.
commission on each booking and 10% from a reason to get back in touch with and entice “We want to continue to work closely with the
late bookings. clients who haven’t booked in a while. It’s a good agencies and find success for both.”
avenue for us to find and convert more sales.”
■ Majorca to host next year’s conference Ham said bookings through travel agency ■ Don’t miss our 11-page aviation special, p39
The Aito Specialists Agents conference will next
year be held in Palma, Majorca, in mid-June.
Agustin Garcia, head of promotions for the Span-
ish Tourist Office in the UK, said hosting the con-
Agents urged to
ference would be critical to the Spanish tourist
industry as it battles its worst slump in years.
trumpet security
ttglive.com
For more news and pictures from the
TRAVEL agents are not doing enough to promote
Aito Specialist Travel Agents conference the financial security they offer to customers,
in Gdansk, visit
ttglive.com/aito
according to leading travel figures at the Aito
Specialist Agents conference.
Since the collapse of XL Airways, many travel
Use recession to axe ‘deadwood’ staff agents have claimed increasing numbers of
Agents and operators have been told to use the consumers are returning to the trade in the
recession as an excuse to get rid of “deadwood” knowledge their money is safe should their
from their businesses. holiday fall through.
Jonathan Wall, managing director of accounting But travel accountant Jonathan Wall told
firm Elman Wall, said companies could blame agency delegates that more needed to be done
“everything” on the recession. to capitalise on that trend.
“Use it in your favour. It is a chance to get rid “The collapse of XL scared a lot of people and
of weaker staff, or change your suppliers.” has driven some back to agencies,” he said.
Wall urged agency and operator owner/ “But agents should shout about the security
managers to “step back” from the daily running DESIGNER WEDDINGS: Aito operator they offer and make the message clear on their
of their businesses and evaluate their priorities. Beachcomber has launched a Weddings in website, not buried in the terms and conditions.”
He warned against trying to “be all things to Paradise product with Laurence Llewelyn- Tom Allen, chief executive of travel consultancy
all people” and advised bosses to be “ruthless” Bowen and wife Jackie, author of Debrett’s Tom Allen Partnerships, said agents never used
and “bold” with their decisions. Wedding Guide. Weddings are available at to shout about financial security because they
hotels in Mauritius and the Seychelles. didn’t want to raise fears in consumers’ minds.
19.06.2009 09
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