Clare Sharon Clare Sharon diary diary
AndreaJennifer MattMatt
AndreaJennifer & Ashley
Ashley
Helen
Helen
FRONTLINE
Helen Parry director, Arundel Travel, Otley, West Yorkshire
Walking to work this week, I spotted a
coffee shop advertising pumpkin spice lattes. In August. After spending part of the summer in Greece with friends and family, I’m definitely not ready to think about autumn just yet! Coming back from holiday has meant catching up with the team on what’s been happening while I’ve been away. One thing has come through loud and clear – it’s been a very late and very busy market. People are walking through the door ready to book, rather than just looking for inspiration, and booking some really good holidays too. There’s an interesting mix of
customers already looking ahead. Some haven’t managed to get away this year, while others enjoyed a UK break – but for some, it’s not quite the same and they’re now making sure an overseas holiday is firmly in next year’s diary.
WAITING GAME One of the biggest frustrations has been the time some specialist quotations and itineraries are taking to come back. We appreciate it’s a busy period, but some operators advise allowing up to seven days. We know a good itinerary takes time when dealing with Canada, Asia, the Caribbean or a tailor-made trip. That’s why we use specialists and stay loyal to operators we’ve built relationships with. But seven days is a long time for an excited
22 3 SEPTEMBER 2026 AGENT
It’s frustrating how long some operators take on specialist
quotations – especially given the speed of AI
customer to wait, which is why we sometimes approach suppliers we don’t know so well, simply in the hope of a quicker response. There has to be a way of
overcoming this during peak periods – whether that’s more resource, better communication or a plan for managing turnaround times. Even if a full itinerary can’t be completed within 48 hours, an update and some initial costs would keep the conversation moving. On a positive note, we’ve had lots of suppliers coming into the shop, training the team and showcasing products, and we’ve made bookings with a
couple we’d never previously used. Surprisingly, after eight years, there are suppliers we’ve never seen.
EMBRACE AI And then there’s AI. We’re no longer just competing with multiples and online agencies: customers now have another way to research and organise their holiday. I’ve trialled AI and when the right information is put in, it can be frighteningly good – building an itinerary complete with destinations, hotels and links to sites like Booking. com and Skyscanner. Suddenly, organising a complicated trip yourself can look incredibly easy. The customer may not know
who they’re booking with, what financial protection they have, or what happens if part of that itinerary changes. That’s not a criticism of AI, but it makes our role clearer. An experienced agent doesn’t just put a flight and a hotel together – there’s knowledge, protection and someone there when things go wrong. AI is another change to
embrace, not fear. It can produce ideas in seconds, so it reinforces why speed, communication and service have never mattered more. And on that note, I’m off
for a coffee – just definitely not a pumpkin spice one yet!
I LOVE THE BUZZ OF NEW COLLEGE YEAR
Alongside life in the agency, there’s lots of excitement at Leeds City College as we
start another academic year. Enrolment has been amazing, with so many people choosing travel, tourism, aviation and cabin crew. Our partnership with LNER has been a real highlight too, helping us
understand its product, values and career opportunities – I’ve loved seeing just how similar some roles are to cabin crew – from customer service to safety and evacuation procedures.
Thanks also to Leeds Bradford Airport and duty manager Chloe for their support with our Airport Ambassador
Programme. As another summer ends, seeing ambassadors secure jobs with Swissport and Jet2 has been brilliant – exactly what these industry partnerships are all about.
Leeds City College
travelweekly.co.uk
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