NEWS ROUND-UP
Neilson harnesses future talent with Jump Up training
Neilson has created an in-house training programme and a ‘talent database’ to identify the next generation of managers for its overseas Beachclubs. Te active-holiday specialist’s
Jump Up programme is being taken by 37 of its 800 summer overseas staff. Te courses they take and their key skills will be fed into Te Talent Bible, a new inhouse database of potential managers for 2020. Te operator aims to create
a career path for its overseas employees to move up the ladder. Neilson hotel general manager
Stephen Saterthwaite, who is overseeing the project, believes the scheme is the only one of its kind in the activity sector. He said: “We are trying to get
the word out to 16 and 17-year-olds that a job in travel is a career, not just a gap year.” Te Jump Up programme runs
for six to eight weeks at the end of the season. Te company also plans to
run a Talent Roadshow in May or June next year when ‘Team Talent’, Neilson’s human resources and recruitment staff, will tour the operator’s 11 Beachclubs, give presentations on career opportunities and meet staff.
Footprint hopes clients will go wild for window display
Footprint Travel in Prestwich, Manchester, has ditched traditional window displays for hand-painted artwork by a local illustrator to stand out on the high street. Ex-homeworker Mia Walmsley
10 10 OCTOBER 2019
opened her first shop in May and asked Myro Coates, the artist behind Te 22 Bees Project, which raised money for the Manchester Arena bombing
mental health matters: “I was diagnosed with postnatal depression and took over two years out of work” Rhiannon Walsh, page 17
Speakman joins Inspiretec board with big investment
Lee Hayhurst
Travel Counsellors founder David Speakman has become a “significant” investor in Inspiretec to help the soſtware supplier develop human-centric technology for travel firms. Speakman, who sold his stake
in Travel Counsellors in June 2018, replaces the Development Bank of Wales as an Inspiretec investor. He joins the board of the Cardiff-based firm as a non-executive director. “I’ve always loved technology, but
I’ve always believed you have to have a litle bit more emotion in travel,” he said. “Tere are a lot of people who think technology is the only game in town, but it has to be coupled with humanness. “I think my experience in
travel, in terms of bringing a more personalised service, will help Inspiretec. And investing is a nice way to keep connected with and enjoy an industry I love.” Inspiretec chief executive Simon
Powell, who retains a majority stake in the business, said: “It’s great to have David on board. “We have known each other for a
A lot of people
think technology is the only game in town, but it has to be coupled with humanness
long time and the experience he has in the travel sector was something we were missing on our board. “We have been growing over the
last four years, but we are probably 50% along our journey and the really important factor for me is having
supportive shareholders who know the industry and want to come on this journey with us.” Inspiretec is poised to reveal a
next-generation travel retail selling platform called Harmony 2.0 and a new cruise system at next month’s World Travel Market in London as it targets further international growth. Powell, who originally founded
technology firm Comtec and later relaunched it as Inspiretec, said this was an area ignored for over a decade due to the dominance of the vertically integrated tour operators and a focus on tour operator technologies.
David Speakman
Africa (pictured), with key features of the region painted on the window. Walmsley said: “I wanted
Mia
Walmsley outside
Footprint Travel
fund, to make her shop look different to a conventional agency. Each month, the agency has a destination theme, such as South
something that stood out and was like a postcard for the destination. “It’s made people stop and look,
and they look forward to what we’re going to do the next month.” She said the shop was already
reaping the benefits with a hike in sales for destinations featured. Walmsley also aims to run monthly themed events with suppliers.
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURE: Matt Sprake
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
