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Nuttall sets up Holiday Village


Lucy Huxley lucy.huxley@travelweekly.co.uk


New SPAA chief issues demand for industry unity


Ben Ireland in Glasgow and Lee Hayhurst


The new president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) was set to use his inaugural address at the group’s annual dinner on Tuesday to demand a more robust defence of travel agents’ interests.


Ken McLeod spoke passionately


about the ban on credit card fees, airline GDS charges, APD and new EU package travel rules. He said such challenges


illustrated what “seems inherently wrong with our industry” and created barriers to business. McLeod called on agents and


trade organisations such as Advantage, Abta and the GTMC to help the SPAA “challenge and defend, protect and influence” and find “sensible solutions”. Talking about the new EU


Package Travel Directive, which is due to become law in July


despite details remaining under consultation, McLeod said agents were being treated atrociously. Claiming the government and


the CAA “don’t seem to be seeing eye to eye”, he added: “What chance have we in the trade, or indeed the public, got when the legislators can’t agree on the interpretation? “Abta, especially, as the lead authority for agents, needs to represent agents’ anger at this nonsense more forcibly.” McLeod said there were


positives and he had sympathy for the CAA given the task it has, but added there were “more questions than answers”. Striking an upbeat note, McLeod said the industry was “thriving” but had to speak with one voice. “A travel industry divided is a


travel industry with an uncertain future,” he warned. The 88th annual SPAA dinner


took place on Tuesday in Glasgow after bad weather in March forced the event to be postponed.


26 April 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 5


Vertical Group membership director Paula Nuttall has left the business to set up a homeworking division that will pay commission “almost immediately”.


The Holiday Village will be part


of The Travel Village, her husband Phil Nuttall’s travel agency business. It will pay homeworkers 50%


of their commission one month after the booking date, with the remainder paid six weeks prior to departure.


Most homeworkers receive


payment once their customer has taken the holiday, meaning agents risk losing any commission owed if they move to another group. Nuttall said: “Something that


will make us stand out over other homeworking firms is our commission payments. “The largest risk to people


moving homeworking companies or transferring from the high street is immediate lack of earnings. “Our structure means homeworkers start earning


with us almost immediately.” Paula, who used to look after sales and business development for Miss Ellie’s Travel and Your Holiday Booking, both part of the Vertical Group, said she increased the number of Your Holiday Booking homeworkers from 25 to 80 in two years. She aims to recruit 20


homeworkers for The Holiday Village by Christmas and said she is seeking agents with lots of experience. The Holiday Village website will


launch on May 1. Nuttall said homeworkers


will be able to sell anything but can draw on the expertise of other parts of The Travel Village including ocean and river cruising, and touring and adventure holidays. It will also benefit from central


marketing, social media and technology functions within The Travel Village, as well as being a member The Co-operative Travel Consortium, part of Midcounties Co-operative Travel. Nuttall is currently


recruiting for a business development manager to support


her growth plans. › Travel Portfolio, page 12


Paula Nuttall: The Holiday


Village will pay commission one month


after booking


PICTURE: SHUTTERSTOCK


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