NEWS CONFERENCE REPORT


Broadway Travel Service Conference: More than 100 members attended the consortium’s annual conference in Portugal last week. Ben Ireland reports from Albufeira


From left: Broadway’s Adam Pardini,


Jill Mitchell and Steve Tyler


Broadway bullish despite a ‘very challenging year’


The boss of Broadway Travel Service is optimistic about the future despite a turbulent year in which the business saw a dip in profits.


Speaking at the group’s annual


conference in Portugal last week, managing director Adam Pardini said bookings turnover had dropped from £204 million to £191 million for the 12 months to September 30, while profits fell slightly from £15.4 million to £15.1 million. However, he remained upbeat


about trading given that Sharm el-Sheikh, which had accounted for 18% of the company’s bookings, had been off the market. Addressing consortium members, staff and partners in Albufeira, Pardini said: “It’s been extremely challenging trading for all of us. It’s the first time in eight years I’ve stood here and said this year is not as good as the previous one. But I’ve got at least three pages of reasons why.” Terrorist attacks in Egypt, a


failed coup in Turkey, the collapse of suppliers, including Lowcost Travel Group, and uncertainty


“This year is not as good as the previous one but I’ve got three pages of reasons why”


surrounding Brexit all contributed to a difficult year, said Pardini. But he said Broadway’s profits


remained “healthy” and the business “well positioned for growth” with a “clear strategy”. “In challenging circumstances,


we have traded through and made a healthy profit,” he said. Broadway Travel Service runs


five brands: Broadway Travel, Inspired Luxury Escapes, Travel Interaction, HolidayDeals2Go and Broadway Cruise. Chief operating officer Jill


Mitchell highlighted a surge in bookings through Broadway Cruise in the last year and said HolidayDeals2Go had grown by 23%. The company said its customer service ratings were also up by eight percentage points.


India call centre wins consortium award


An India-based travel agent call centre has put its 27% rise in turnover and high conversion rate down to daily staff feedback. Global Hoppers won Broadway


Travel Service’s consortium member of the year award. Sales and marketing director


Aftab Mahmood said: “Global Hoppers has a conversion rate


of around 15%, higher than the 12%-13% industry average.” Last year the business, which


sells exclusively to the UK market, saw turnover jump from £7.2 million to £9.3 million. Finance director Himayat Ali added: “We give high levels of feedback. It will be daily, and can be as often as every 10 calls.”


Pardini unveils bonus scheme for 2017 performance


Staff at Broadway Travel Service will receive an extra bonus if the company beats its annual revenue targets. The new incentive will come


into effect on January 1. Managing director Adam


Pardini said: “For the achievement of the business, we want to reward the people who help us get there. “It will be an extra bonus scheme on top of what they already get based on profits over and above our targets.” Every member of Broadway’s


more than 100 staff – including call centre staff, homeworkers and management – would qualify for a bonus from the long-term incentive plan. “Why should incentives just


be for sales?” Pardini said. Details of how much the bonus could equate to have yet to be announced. Hugh Morgan, who joined


Broadway as non-executive chairman last December, praised the scheme. He said: “It encourages people to stay with us and continue to work hard and means that the staff share in the profits of the business.”


12 travelweekly.co.uk 20 October 2016


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