InteleTravel’s 2022 conference in Belfast


NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


Tricia Handley- Hughes


InteleTravel celebrates its fifth anniversary in the UK this month. Samantha Mayling spoke to UK director Tricia Handley Hughes about overcoming challenges to establish the brand


T


o say InteleTravel raised hackles in the British trade after the American firm launched


in the UK five years ago would be an understatement. Numerous rival agents slated its


recruitment methods and enrolment of novices. Now, however, it is an established agency, with 15,300 homeworkers in the UK and 95 preferred suppliers. “I did lose sleep thinking about


how we could change perceptions and overcome this criticism,” admits UK director Tricia Handley-Hughes. She started as a consultant after


meeting James Ferrara, president and co-founder, becoming full-time as the business grew with US support. The keys to credibility were


gaining Abta membership in March 2019 and being granted an Atol licence in November 2021, thanks to work done by lawyer Joanna Kolatsis, director at Themis Advisory, and Chris Photi, head of travel and leisure at accountants White Hart Associates. “Getting Abta membership and


the Atol boosted our credibility and numbers went up,” Handley-Hughes recalls. “We overcame the negativity. Now we’re bringing lots of revenue to the industry. Lots of our suppliers have become like ambassadors for us and helped change perceptions. We kept delivering for partners and revenues speak for themselves.”


10 7 SEPTEMBER 2023


Sales made by InteleTravel’s top homeworker this year


Another key factor has been


training. Handley-Hughes says: “One of our newest ambassadors [agent mentors] ran a shop for 10 years and told us he’s never had training and support like he’s had lately. “Partners justify investing in


training as they see a return.” Furthermore, low fees were


attractive to newcomers. “People could see if they could run


a travel business; if it did not work out, they didn’t lose a fortune,” she says. Recruiting via a firm called


PlanNet also raised eyebrows but Handley-Hughes says the two are separate: “PlanNet recruit for InteleTravel; we concentrate on the core business of running the agency.” Just over a year into her role, the


coronavirus pandemic emerged. “This is where experience kicked


in,” she recalls, having run her own UK destination management company called Pinpoint Britain. “You could sense concern about


travelling, so I contracted as much UK product as possible. Then it was a case of helping with changes, refunds and cancellations. Concentrating on


UK products that early meant we were prepared.” Supporting agents online with


“gin o’clock” virtual gatherings, podcasts, newsletters and webinars helped keep homeworkers connected. The annual conference went


virtual during Covid, after the first was held in Glasgow in 2019, but then it headed to Valencia (2021) and Belfast (2022), with Malaga hosting in November. “Conferences have gone from


functional to aspirational,” says Handley-Hughes. Despite cost-of-living pressures,


she sees no market softening and says August revenues were up by 53% year on year.


Five years in uk £1.2m


“It is about the development of


agents,” she adds. “They’ve found their feet and are


comfortable with sales. Some do it as a secondary job or part-time but still have a good commitment. “Our top agent still only sells to


friends and family and has made sales of £1.2 million so far this year, thanks to long-haul high-value bookings. Other agents aren’t far behind.” Homeworkers come from varied


backgrounds, including nurses, teachers, lawyers, accountants and corporate roles. “Accountants and lawyers will be focused on time and productivity. If agents focus like accountants and lawyers, it’s a recipe for success,” she says.


inteletravel


1991: Founded after James Ferrara’s venture capital firm buys a


Californian homeworking agency Sept 2018: Sets up in UK


2019: 1,800 agents signed up in UK; Abta membership granted


2021: 10,700 agents signed up in UK; Atol licence granted (it is now licensed to carry 4,030 passengers)


Sept 2023: 15,300 agents signed up in UK and 400 in Ireland; 95 preferred suppliers


Oct: UK tour operation due to be unveiled Agent costs: Sign-up fee £142; monthly fee £32


Agents keep 70% of commission paid by suppliers; this can rise to 80% if they hit sales targets, which about a fifth do


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Chris Mills


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