FRONTLINE
sharon thompson owner, Thompson Travel, Portadown, Northern Ireland
My head is spinning at the moment and
there are many possible reasons why. I’m not sure if my head is in a whirl since a recent car accident or if it’s down to work-related challenges – both good and bad. On one hand, like many agents, we’ve been inundated with calls from customers irate over cancelled flights and disrupted holiday plans beyond our control. We’ve also had to deal with those worried about future trips, and whether these cancellations are likely to continue and impact holidays they’ve been planning and looking forward to for a long time. On the other hand, we’re also being kept busy in a positive way, with a new influx of enquiries for future travel, showing that demand is still strong despite all the challenges including rising living costs. I still have a belief that the only way is up and a sense that everything will fall into place eventually, but it would be appreciated if someone could please give me a date for that. What is absolutely certain is that agents need to have all eyes on the ball in the current game – and man, do you need to love travel!
TEAM BUILDING For what feels like a very long time, we have had to get all the work done and play that game without full teams, but I’m delighted to say I am now back up to full strength.
22 16 JUNE 2022 AGENT
My head’s in a spin with all the challenges but strong demand and a new team make me feel positive
Retaining job skills and being able to succeed in business all boils down to the strength of your team, and after the pandemic mine has a different look to it. I have employed staff who had not worked in travel before but have years of experience of retail and customer service. They’ve been a brilliant choice, and with other staff returning and acting as mentors for those new to the industry, it feels like a new way of looking to the future of travel. To all the operators reading this, please don’t forget to include newcomers at events, educationals and training. They are keen and eager to sell.
KEEPING UP PRESSURE While things are certainly improving, we still need to make sure the government doesn’t forget us. In Northern Ireland, we are still fighting for the retrospective funding we asked for prior to another crumbling of our Executive. It may seem a foolish or pointless thing to be doing now, but I really believe you should fight for what is right. For two years, we have battled to save our businesses, retain revenue and protect skilled staff, and we still have great cause to raise those issues and put pressure on the government to recognise outbound tourism in future planning. We have no specific
representation within UK government and now is the time to keep pushing for that. Let’s not give up just because the
word Covid is starting to fade. There are now concerns over monkeypox and we all know more issues like this will affect us time and time again, so let’s keep our voices heard. A huge thanks goes to Julia (Lo
Bue-Said) from Advantage who has specifically contributed to providing a voice for us in Northern Ireland. Challenges will continue, but with my full team in place and demand strong, I feel positive. Onwards and upwards!
Wonder of the Seas
travelweekly.co.uk A REAL WONDER
Just before someone decided to drive into the back of my stopped car, I had not long returned from Royal
Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas – what a ship! Hats off to Royal on more fantastic innovation; with every ship it builds, it tweaks and advances. And I have to say it has done ‘wonders’ with the buffet dining, which was a real treat, from layout to presentation and taste. I could find myself eating there a lot more often than I normally would. It was great to reunite, feel ‘normal’ again and reassure ourselves that cruising is fully back on the agenda. Our forward bookings are proving that but nothing beats finding out first-hand.
DavidKim Colin Clare Carla DavidKim Colin Clare Carla diary diary
Sharon Sharon
PICTURE: Michel Verdure Studio
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
