NEWS ROUND-UP IN THE PICTURE: It’s Golf Medal
The 140 agents who attended Travel 2 and Gold Medal’s annual Golf Day v Fun Day last month are likely to give the brands a sales lift, according to the sister operators. Last year’s participants increased their sales of the
operators’ product by 8.3%. Sales director Nick Hughes said the figure showed the event, held at Carden Park in Cheshire, has a tangible impact, as well as being a chance to say thank you to agents, suppliers and partners. Attendees completed either 18 holes of golf or
Crystal Maze-themed activities. There were 11 new golfers and 26 new non-golfers at this year’s event. Hughes said: “It’s part of our strategy to ensure our
partners are aware of how grateful we are and that we recognise the business they have done for us.” › Golf and Fun Day pictures, page 26
The Holiday Team affirms belief in indie agents’ value
Lee Hayhurst
lee.hayhurst@travelweekly.co.uk
The boss of the parent of trade supplier The Holiday Team was left staggered by the quality of independent agents he has visited since taking on the role.
Paul Wait, who became chief
operating officer of Southall Travel last August, after five years as chief executive of corporate travel body the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC), has visited scores of agents across the UK. He was speaking as Southall
Travel’s trade arm, The Holiday Team, launched its agent website vowing to help trade partners grow their businesses and compete against the big operators. He said: “We really believe in the
value the travel agent community provides, despite all this talk of everything going online. “My experience of going around
the country and walking into traditional travel agencies is that they are right in there among their communities, providing service in
a completely different way. “I have been really encouraged
by how much business they are handling. I was staggered.” The new Holiday Team website
has been redesigned to be more user-friendly, with more content added so it can be used as a sales tool with customers. It offers separate hotels and
flights search but The Holiday Team has focused particularly on upgrading flight-plus-hotel for packaging deals. The firm also
10
travelweekly.co.uk 2 August 2018
WEBSITE LAUNCH: Kevin Toby, The Holiday Team, with Seema Sood, American Airlines (left), and Prabh Gill, British Airways, sponsors of the launch
offers 24/7 sales support. The Holiday Team head of sales
Kevin Toby said: “Our aim is to further build trust and credibility among the travel trade and provide them with the product required to grow their business. “The new site allows them
to be competitive, make money and to compete with the big tour operators.” The Holiday Team will take 10
agents to Pondicherry, India, in September on its first-ever fam trip.
Hawke invites trade to join Clia’s 80-mile bike ride for the FHA
Clia’s deputy chairman is urging delegates attending the cruise association’s winter ball to join an 80-mile charity bike ride. Giles Hawke is leading a group
of cyclists including Princess Cruises’ Tony Roberts, Bernard Carter of Oceania Cruises and Choosing Cruising’s Robbie White – and wants to raise £2,000 for the Family Holiday Association, which takes underprivileged children and their parents on short breaks around the country. The cyclists will start at
Bishop’s Waltham, Hampshire, on December 18 and ride west towards De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel in Gloucestershire en route to the ball. Hawke, White, Carter and
Roberts were among a group to cycle a similar distance to last year’s winter ball at De Vere Wokefield Park, Berkshire. Hawke said: “It would be
nice if more people could get involved – the more, the merrier.” He added: “This is a relatively serious itinerary, so people need to make sure that they can go the distance and have the right gear.” ›
justgiving.com/fundraising/ cliacyclingclub
COMMENT: “Every time there is a travel crisis, our trade press reports on amazing acts of customer service” Giles Hawke, page 30
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