n What single thing have you achieved at work which has given you the most satisfaction?
Seeing a 14-year-old truant change into a senior manager.
n What advice would you give to someone starting out in the travel industry?
Accept all challenges.
n What percentage of holiday bookings do you estimate will be taken direct in five years’ time?
50%.
n When will digital TV start to have a big impact on bookings?
Within two years.
n Do you have a Web site and if so how many bookings do you receive on it?
Yes. We expect 5%-7% of bookings to originate from the sites. The addresses are: Frenchlife.co.uk, ItalianLife.co.uk and EuropeanLife.co.uk.
n Do you think the growing consolidation in the industry is good for consumers?
Consolidation always leads to opportunities for fast moving, smaller companies. They will ensure the consumer still has real choice.
n How many travel agents do you estimate there will be left in the UK in five years’ time?
Very close to the current number but the way they do business will change dramatically.
n Make one prediction about travel in the 21st century:
The ‘unpackaged’ package will become more than 50% of the market.
n What single thing have you achieved at work which has given you the most satisfaction?
Seeing a 14-year-old truant change into a senior manager.
n What advice would you give to someone starting out in the travel industry?
Accept all challenges.
n What percentage of holiday bookings do you estimate will be taken direct in five years’ time?
50%.
n When will digital TV start to have a big impact on bookings?
Within two years.
n Do you have a Web site and if so how many bookings do you receive on it?
Yes. We expect 5%-7% of bookings to originate from the sites. The addresses are: Frenchlife.co.uk, ItalianLife.co.uk and EuropeanLife.co.uk.
n Do you think the growing consolidation in the industry is good for consumers?
Consolidation always leads to opportunities for fast moving, smaller companies. They will ensure the consumer still has real choice.
n How many travel agents do you estimate there will be left in the UK in five years’ time?
Very close to the current number but the way they do business will change dramatically.
n Make one prediction about travel in the 21st century:
The ‘unpackaged’ package will become more than 50% of the market.
Personal talk
n What is your star sign?
Scorpio.
n What would you change about yourself?
My inability with languages.
n Which living person do you most respect?
Michael Jordan – US basketball player. He has huge talent and dignity.
n What is your greatest regret?
That Concorde never got into Australia.
n If you could be anyone for a day who would it be and why?
Australian cricketer Steve Waugh on the day he makes a century against the poms.
n Who, apart from your partner, would be your ideal holiday companion and where would you go?
My father-in-law.We’d go to France and binge on fine food.
n What is the most memorable destination you’ve visited and why?
Franshoek in the Cape wine lands – beautiful, peaceful and great food and wine.
n What type of holiday would you avoid at all costs?
Anything that has a bus waiting at the airport.
n What is your favourite TV programme/film/book?
My favourite programme is NYPDBlue, the film is The Deer Hunter and the book is The Covenant by James A Michener.
n How do you relax?
With a book and a glass of wine.
Warren Sandral
Job title: managing director.
Age: 51.
Born: Perth, west Australia.
Lives: Yorkshire Dales.
Status: married with four children.
Education: Curtin University.
Path to career: 1969-1977 mathematics teacher. Joined NATHolidays as a tour leader in 1978,promoted to operations manager in 1979. Left in 1983 to join Neilson Leisure Group as operations director. Ran his own real estate development company inAustralia from 1988-1990. From 1991-1993 was owner of a marketing services company in Phoenix, Arizona. 1993-present time, MDof French Life.