| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 29/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 3 |
| Copyright: Other |
Advantage conference
Operators angry over lack of agent access
OPERATORS have complained of being starved of access to agents at the Advantage conference in Tunisia.They are angry Airtours was allowed to whisk over 100 agents to a private, day-long meeting in Port El Kantaoui, an hour’s drive from the conference venue in Hammamet.
Suppliers also attacked Advantage’s decision to allow sponsor JMC to put up almost 50 agents in hotels well away from the conference complex.
Travelscene sales director John Harding said: “We only get to speak to agents in this environment once or twice a year and need access to them. It’s as if the rest of us were being protected from agents.”
Travel 2/4 sales director David Holland said: “I didn’t speak to agents until Saturday morning.”
Funway Holidays sales director Gerry Boyle added: “It is supposed to be an independent agents’ conference.”
Manchester Airport business development director Bill Savage hit out in his speech.
“It’s the first time I’ve spoken to you,” he told agents. “We’ve been cut off from you.”
Advantage president Roger Smith said it was clear from the itinerary that agents would be away for a day.
Airtours UKLG business development director Andrew Williams added: “Advantage held a members meeting on Friday and we were invited to host a lunch and make a presentation.”
n Next year’s Advantage conference is tipped to be in either Cork or Killarney, southern Ireland.
Harding: made a complaint