| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 04/09/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 54 |
| Copyright: Other |
Tour operator update
Specialist to highlight importance of training
The importance of tourist office training programmes has been highlighted following the decision this week by specialist operator Discover the Bahamas to sell through Bahamas Training Institute qualified agents.The move has been made in response to the training programme run by the Bahamas Tourist Office, which has trained 1,800 agents since launching in the early 1990s.
Only the 300 agents who currently hold the level two or three qualification will be eligible to sell product from Discover the Bahamas, which until now has been a direct-sell operator only.
Product manager Georgina Iddon said: “We feel these agents are getting a better understanding because they are bringing in extra knowledge and we want to show our support for the training scheme.”
The operator has sent out invitations for World Travel Market in November to eligible agents and will be meeting them throughout the year to discuss the development. Commission levels have yet to be confirmed.
Bahamas Tourist Office UK manager Karen Seymour welcomed the move. “A lot of time and effort goes into our training programme so if Discover the Bahamas are making use of those agents it only makes sense,” she said.
Discover the Bahamas currently features eight islands and 25 hotels and is the only UK operator to have a specialist Bahamas brochure. It will launch a new brochure in November featuring five new hotels, with emphasis on niche markets and new excursions.