Your letters


Trust in Travel Agents – we do have a future


I FEEL that my business needs to be part of TTG’s Trust in Travel Agents campaign. I started Wish You Were Here


Travel 22 years ago and the company has always been based in St Neots in Cambridgeshire, although it only moved to the high street seven years ago. This move definitely improved


turnover and the level of our recognition in the town. Even now we have people come in to see us who hadn’t previously known that we existed. We have great repeat clients and loads of recommendations too.


The business “acquired” a new owner in


November 1999 and he has given us a new lease of life through the support he has given


Why we need another try at launching an APD campaign


I agree with a united stance, it’s the only way the government will take the travel trade seriously (“Fresh anti-APD campaign could unite industry”, ttglive.com). Currently we are seen as a soft target that will just roll over and accept tax rise after tax


Claire Webb. manager, Wish You Were Here Travel


rise. Although Chic Locations is an upscale operator, with more resilient clients, I can see the impact this tax is having. It is hurting low cost tourism in many areas, and specifically VFR and budget accomodation, particularly in the Caribbean.


David Kevan, partner, Chic Locations travel trade gazette


uk & ireland edition Issue 2947


EDITORIAL


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26 18.02.2011


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us. My staff are excellent at their jobs and we always put customers first. We think one of our best attributes is the way we all help each other when we’re not busy. If only one of us has a client we will all contribute to that sale by giving advice or searching for different operators to help out. We also attend wedding fairs and do phone-ins on local radio. High street agencies have lost clients to the internet, and with all the will in the world won’t win them all back.


However, if we deliver impeccable, friendly service and offer great holiday choices we trust we can keep adding to our client base.


Indie operators will profit from Tui’s upfront payment demand


There is no justification for getting clients to pay upfront for holidays (TTGFebruary 11). Operators don’t pay upfront for flights or accommodation, and this move would kill early-booking incentives. Peak summer bookings start after Christmas, when clients are low on funds. Having to pay eight months ahead wouldn’t encourage me to book, even with a 10% discount, but would result in late bookings and cause margins to be cut further if operators started discounting. Independent operators will be the winners, which is great for agencies like mine that sell 60% of holidays via smaller specialist operators.


Angus Kinloch managing director, Skiline


Getting early payments could help out agents and operators


Offering a discount for full payment could be a useful selling tool in the travel agent’s armoury. It would also improve my operator’s cash flow and mean I wouldn’t have to chase forgetful clients who haven’t put the cheque in the post. Plus I could better manage supplier deadlines.


Zoe Woods operations manager, The Groups Company


WHAT DO YOU THINK? The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday. We need your name, job title and company address. Please limit letters to 250 words maximum. We reserve the right to edit. Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com


LETTER OF THE WEEK


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