| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 26/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 44 |
| Copyright: Other |
Operator profile
Silverbird looks East for tailor-made gains
Linsey McNeill reports on Asia specialist
When Silverbird was launched 15 years ago by managing director Jerry Quinn it was one of the first operators to specialise in the Far East.Today it has many competitors but claims to stay one step ahead of the others by providing agents and holidaymakers with a knowledge of the region that few others can match.
Its Oriental Vacations brochure covers all of southeast Asia, including the lesser-known destinations of China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. It also extends to Australia.
“We have a tremendous depth of knowledge of all featured destinations, meaning we can put together tailor-made packages very quickly and offer good advice,” said Quinn.
Quinn decided to establish the Far East specialist after spending eight years at P&O Air Holidays, which he set up from scratch on the back of P&O the cruise operator.
“I decided to go it alone and create a tailor-made specialist to the Far East, and I got a bit of backing, and that’s how Silverbird started,” he said.
The Silverbird team is small by most operators’ standards, consisting of just 10 members in total but Quinn said most had been with the company for many years. Director Paul Graham joined Silverbird from Hayes and Jarvis about seven years ago, and general manager and fellow director Sue Pryde joined 13 years ago from Cox and Kings. Reservations manager Steve Gould has been with Silverbird for about 10 years.
“It is important for a firm this size to retain continuity so we have a depth of experience,” said Quinn. “Between us we have been to all the places we feature, and Paul and I have visited all of them.”
As the company is so small, every member of staff takes calls from agents and handles reservations – even Quinn.
“We’re on the phone all the time and are able to answer any questions about the destinations we feature, which is something even the other specialists don’t do,” he added.
About 60% of Silverbird’s business is through travel agents. Most comes from the south of England but the operator also gets a fair amount from Manchester and, perhaps surprisingly, Ireland.
“I’m not sure why we get so much from Ireland, except that when I launched the firm 15 years ago I sent out press releases and the papers probably thought I was Irish because of my name, so we had good publicity,” said Quinn.
As a small company, Silverbird does not have a sales team on the road but it is a member of the Campaign for Real Travel Agents (CARTA), the Pacific Asia Travel Association, and the Asia Travel Marketing Association.
Quinn estimates there are 450 to 500 agents who actively sell Silverbird holidays, all of which are independents.
The operator has just one brochure, Oriental Variations, which Quinn describes as “a collection of ideas”. It does not contain any prices as it expects most of the suggested itineraries to be altered by its clients.
“Prices in brochures are meaningless as even when we have a suggested itinerary, 90% of people want to change it,” said Quinn. “We are a true tailor-made specialist and we will give people what they want.”
Oriental options:the operator was one of the first to specialise in the Far East
Talking point:Quinn takes agent calls
factfile
Silverbird
Destinations covered: whole of Far East and Australia.
Sample holidays: all packages are tailor-made, but there is a regular special offer called Golden Opportunities. Examples include – 12 nights at the Dusit Resort in Thailand from £699 until June 27; two nights in Singapore and 10 nights in Phuket from £785 until June 15; and 10 nights at the Shangri La Rasa Ria resort in Borneo from £799.
Silverbird is also the general sales agent for Thai Airways-owned Royal Orchid Holidays, which can be contacted on 020-8875 9191.