Event aims for wider range of trade interest

Recruitment

Event aims for wider range of trade interest

Report by Philip Whiteley

Travel 2000 has become an important industry forum, attracting key senior figures from travel companies as well as job hunters and students.

Exhibitors see the event as a means of raising their profile and brands, rather than simply setting out to fill quotas of college recruits.

Air Miles head of human resources for the leisure travel division Gail Ward said: “Although we are not recruiting extensively at the moment, Travel 2000 is still very valuable. It’s great for public relations and external branding.”

In addition, many of those walking round the stands are established in the industry and are keen to learn about the activities of other companies, with only a long-term eye on switching jobs.

“It is not only job seekers. People are thinking about moves in the future,” said Ward. “You will get established managers going along.”

A spokeswoman for Travel Weekly’s parent company Reed Business Information, which is organising the show, said many recruitment consultants picked up new clients as well as potential candidates at Travel 1999.

Some 3,000 visitors attended last year’s London event. A similar number is expected this year, although the organisers have actively dissuaded colleges from sending first and second-year college students, so that only those in the job market are attending.

The spokeswoman said: “At the first few shows, there was an avalanche of students and none of them were really looking for jobs. It was a day out.”

The quality of delegates has steadily improved. Travel 2/4 Tina Crowe personnel manager said: “It manages to attract the right sort of people – those who are looking to get into the industry. We have been for the past three shows and found them to be excellent.”

This will be the fifth careers show for the travel trade. It started in 1998 and takes place twice yearly – in Manchester in the spring and London in the autumn.

It was started in response to the appearance of skills shortages in the industry caused by a growth in business which coincided with poaching of staff by higher paying industry sectors.

New exhibitors for this show include recruitment consultancies Reed Solutions and Francis Thompson.

Looking ahead: many attending the show will also be studying the long-term prospects for their careers

show details

travel 2000

Location: London Olympia.

How to get there: attendees can reach the show via Kensington Olympia BR; Earl’s Court Underground, A4 by road

Dates: September 20 and 21.

Entry: Free.