01.03.12 News HOMEWORKING FIRM
ITE gears up for overseas conference
INDEPENDENT TRAVEL Experts (ITE) is to hold an overseas conference to mark its first year in operation, writes Debbie Ward. Director Amanda Taylor said this would be somewhere in Europe in September or October, and plans would be finalised in the next couple of months.
The homeworking company, which is part of The Travel Network Group, launched on September 1, 2011 with a target to recruit 50 agents within its first year. It has already reached 30, and expects to have 75 homeworkers by this September. “If we grow very much beyond 75 we know it will be difficult to be so hands-on, and if we have to go through somebody else our message gets diluted,” said Taylor. ITE launched a month early to enable it to attract any interested casualties from the Thomas Cook/ Co-operative Travel merger, but Taylor said it has ended up recruiting most of its agents from elsewhere on the high street.
Time Travel
tourists” Industry leaders in North America predicted new opportunities to sell European holidays, following publication of a report sponsored by 21 countries, including the UK. To take advantage of the big market, the European Travel Commission set up a new board that would plan bigger and better campaigns.
50
March 2, 1962 “Europe to step up campaign for US
Homeworkers target the ‘right’ types
Lucy Siebert
A FORMER City lawyer is one of three homeworkers helping Haslemere Travel to tap into new,
hard-to-reach markets, according to the company’s managing director. These homeworkers, none of whom have traditional travel trade backgrounds, bring with them a wealth of business and travel experience as well as connections in difficult-to-break-into markets, such as the racing set or private-school markets, said Gemma Antrobus. “We wanted to expand into certain
markets, but you can’t reach them with advertising or other traditional means,” she said. “We wanted to target a type of person, but you need to largely do that through word of mouth,” she added. These agents have diverse
backgrounds, ranging from an ex-City lawyer, a former PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Debbie Suenson-Taylor in Jaipur on her ‘adult gap year’
executive and a former executive assistant at Abercrombie & Kent. There are no plans to expand this division now, said Antrobus, but if the right person came along it could be considered. Katy Brown became Haslemere’s
first homeworker a year ago, having carved a career as a legal eagle in London before getting disillusioned with the corporate life. She knew the company through connections.
Debbie Suenson-Taylor then joined with a large amount of corporate experience, from accounting firm PwC. She approached Antrobus after hearing her speak at an Aito event at World Travel Market and has a passion for travel following a two-year “adult gap” year with her husband. Finally, Muffy Spencer joined the scheme via word of mouth, bringing with her strong connections in the horse racing and hunting world, as well as in-depth knowledge of South Africa, where she has lived. “These three bring exactly what we want to the business. They don’t have a travel background, but they offer great service,” Antrobus said. Not having a trade background means that the homeworkers are keen to do a lot of training and to visit the shop for weekly updates. Antrobus said it was important for her to be able to manage them herself. “They are all highly professional people. Though I have learnt to be patient, as it’s a case of going back to basics,” she said.
The TTG archives: 50, 25 & 5 years ago
Multiples faced subscription increases of up to 30% in Abta’s sweeping reforms package, launched to win back the support of independents. More than 50% of retailers would not be asked to pay higher fees as increases were loaded on to companies with high turnovers.
25 …celebrating 20 years in the travel industry 01.03.2012 07
February 26, 1987 “Abta subs deal protects independents”
The battle for top-quality independent agents intensified as Freedom Travel revealed aggressive plans to poach Triton and Midconsort members for its consortium.
5
March 2, 2007 “Rivals tempt cream of independents”
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