NEWS
INSPIRATION AT SEA: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) and Travel Weekly co-hosted a bespoke Inspiring Women event for employees of the group onOceania Vista in Southampton. A total of 38 women from the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises took part in the day on August 27. Attendees included Oceania and Regent group chief marketing officer Caroline Smith, Oceania UK and Ireland sales director Louise Craddock and NCLH EMEA finance director Moira Taylor. The day featured a keynote speech from Jo Rzymowska about her 40-year industry career, while Travel Weekly editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley moderated a panel discussion with NCLH executives whose roles span marketing, guest services, vessel operations and sales.
InteleTravel hails rise in full-time agents and expansion into UAE
Juliet Dennis
InteleTravel commercial director Kelly Cookes has revealed an increasing number of agents at the rapidly expanding homeworking agency are now choosing to work full-time and said the group’s reputation is improving. Speaking a year into the role,
following her high-profile move from Advantage Travel Partnership, Cookes said she was seeing more agents increasing their hours. The business has 42,000 UK advisors, with about 20% currently operating full-time and the rest part-time. “We know more are working
as those who work full-time. “The whole ethos of InteleTravel
is we give anyone the opportunity to be an entrepreneur and grow their own business on their terms and hours that suit them.” She insisted there was no pressure
STORY TOP
on agents to increase their hours, stressing many chose to do so. “It’s part of the fact we’ve been in the UK for seven years,” she said. “We’re not saying ‘you have to do full-time’ – it’s all about them being in control, and us being there for support.” Cookes also noted rising sales
full-time from the conversations we are having,” said Cookes. “Many homeworkers across the industry operate hours that suit them, and even within the retail space there are a lot of part-time workers who are just as knowledgeable and passionate
travelweekly.co.uk
volumes per agent. “When we look at sales, it’s usual to see £50k-plus coming through on a daily basis,” she said, pointing to the group’s training and sector-specific activity. She cited a changing industry
perception, with “really solid relationships” established with supplier partners and growing interest from agents in how the
business operates, particularly its PlanNet recruitment arm. “We are always open and that
normally helps,” Cookes said. “PlanNet is run as a separate business and agents can be part of one or the other, or both. “Being a disruptor, you are
always going to face [criticism],” she added. “There are others that do similar things and bring new-to- travel agents in, but we are doing it on a particularly big scale.” The domestic growth comes as
InteleTravel continues to expand into its newest international market, the United Arab Emirates. Cookes, who also oversees the UAE as commercial director, said the group had recruited almost 200 agents since launching in the region at the end of June in a move that had been “well received”. “The reception has been very
welcoming. Sales have come in; it’s been a good move,” she said. Advisors in the region are
undergoing a 90-day onboarding
training programme, which includes learning the regulatory rules on selling travel in the UAE. Most advisors are currently expats
based in Dubai, though interest from local people is steadily rising. “Interestingly, as the weeks
have gone on we are seeing more interest from the local population,” Cookes said, adding that initial bookings were mostly late sales, with a high proportion of multigenerational holidays. The US-headquartered company
originally intended to launch in the UAE earlier this year, but paused plans due to the Middle East conflict. InteleTravel hopes to recruit
about 1,000 agents in the UAE. To support the push, it has signed contracts with 34 preferred supplier partners in the region, promised a dedicated customer service team and introduced a UAE website featuring AI technology to help agents
“streamline administration processes”. i The Interview, page 10
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PICTURE: Sarah Lucy Brown
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