NEWS IN DEPTH | FACE TO FACE Mike Bugsgang


The former chief executive of the Association of Group Travel Organisers talks to TravelGBI editor George Clode about his views on the group travel market


Q: What sort of changes did you see in group travel during your tenure as Agto chief executive? A: Probably the most significant change was a far greater recognition of the importance of group travel operators, visitor attractions and destinations within the UK and overseas. This was partly attributed to Agto’s work in raising the profile of the sector among these key audiences.


Q: Is the group travel sector thriving? A: Barometer surveys I conducted for Agto among more than 600 group travel organisers (GTOs) and supplier members showed that high levels of optimism exist for the prospects for group travel in 2018/19. This fact has been underscored by the considerable increase in Agto memberships during 2017.


Q: What activity would you like to see within the sector over the coming years? A: As a marketer, the thing that has struck me most is the dearth of recent research relating to group travel. I believe there is a real need for the key commercial players in the sector to come together


with their counterparts locally to share ideas and to benefit from fam trips and seminars organised by supplier members. These networking events also


enable GTOs to keep up to date with legislation such as the Package Travel Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation, which have a direct impact on their activities as organisers.


� Mike Bugsgang has overseen a considerable increase in members during his tenure as chief executive of the Association of Group Travel Organisers


with Agto acting as the impartial umbrella organisation, to conduct an in-depth assessment of the groups market. I have attempted to secure tourist


board funding for such an exercise previously and I am sure that such a project will be revisited in the future.


Agto surveys show high levels of optimism for the prospects of group travel in 2018/19


10 TravelGBI | February 2018


Q: What challenges does the sector face, and what can it do to address them? A: Undoubtedly, a major challenge moving forward will be demographics. Currently, the increased number of over-65s in the UK population is a positive factor for the sector as traditionally, this age group is keen on group travel. However, in the future, younger


age groups (over-50s) may be less inclined to travel as a group, as they have been used to taking independent breaks.


This coupled with the fact


that many within this younger age segment are seeking more experiential-style holidays, means that Agto and suppliers will need to work hard to develop strategies to encourage people to become GTOs and to demonstrate the benefits of group travel.


Q: How can GTOs work more closely with bodies like Agto to benefit the sector as a whole? A: ‘Better Together’ is a popular mantra used in other industries, and it is equally applicable to the groups market. The recent surge in GTO


membership of Agto indicates that organisers are recognising that working in isolation in today’s fast- moving business environment can be disadvantageous. Agto’s nationwide network of branches enables GTOs to engage


Q: Is there room for such organisations to work more collaboratively? A: Agto is a member of the Tourism Alliance, which allows it to keep members updated on issues affecting the group travel market. Importantly, the Association also enjoys a strong relationship with the Coach Tourism Association. However, I have long advocated that opportunity exists for consolidation among the myriad trade bodies which would in turn provide a louder voice when the industry is dealing with national and local government on travel-related issues.


Q: Looking into your crystal ball, will group travel as a sector always exist? A: There is no doubt in my mind that the group travel sector will continue to prosper in the immediate future. But considering the rapid changes in the use of technology and consumer demand for ‘new’ independent leisure experiences, the longer-term outlook is far less certain. Despite these factors, as the


crystal ball starts to mist over, space shuttle journeys to the moon come in to view and I am sure that’s an Agto GTO member with their group on one of the first flights…


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