The Travel Weekly Globe Awards is one of the most thrilling events of the travel trade calendar, especially for those who are nominated for one of the many awards, voted for exclusively by travel agents.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE ONLINE
The event isn’t just an opportunity for industry professionals to dress up and socialise – it’s an occasion to recognise excellence within the industry. Which is why the newest of the Globes, the award for the Best Recruitment Consultancy, was launched five years ago.
Travel Weekly deputy editor Lisa James said: “It was introduced to reflect the increasingly important role that recruitment specialists were playing in the industry. And the award is even more valid today than it was then.
“The travel industry is more professional and more competitive than ever and businesses are becoming ever more dependent upon recruitment consultancies to find them the very best calibre employees.”
Like all the Globes, the award for Best Recruitment Consultancy is hotly contested. Though AA Appointments has scooped the award four out of five times, James said it is always a very close-run battle. “I expect this year to be just as close and just as tense as ever,” she added. So which one will you vote for this year?
2005 winner AA Appointments:
Having won Best Recruitment Consultancy four times, you’d think AA Appointments would have become a little blasé, but not according to managing director John Tolmie.
“We’re always very chuffed,” he said. “The nerves and the excitement on the night are the same whether you’re nominated for first time or the fifth.”
AA Appointments uses the award in all its publicity and marketing material. It appears on its letterhead, on its website and on its e-mails and Tolmie admits it’s a boost to the business.
“It’s very prestigious to be voted the best in your business and it’s not something we take lightly.”
It is also a great staff motivator, he said. “Staff love winning the award – they get a great night out, after all,” he joked. But on a more serious note, he said that winning the award “rubber-stamps the approval they get for all their hard work”.
Indeed, Tolmie said the staff at AA Appointments could take all the credit for the fact the company has won the Globe so often. “Our success is all down to the guys here,” he added.
AA Appointments also benefits from the fact it is one of the oldest recruitment agencies, having been established for 22 years. “We are a recognisable force and we like to think we are innovative and set trends for the others to follow,” added Tolmie.
Among this year’s candidates are:
Travel Trade Recruitment: managing director Andy Cole said: “We’ve won new business this year from several firms including Hogg Robinson, Lastminute.com and Tui. We’ve got nine new consultants, giving us 28, and we’ve trebled our presence in Scotland. Also new is our online GDS training programme, with free training for every candidate we place.”
New Frontiers: managing director Julia Feuell said: “We have opened a new branch near Gatwick, we have upgraded our recruitment software and relaunched our website. We will launch the first advice line for students on behalf of the Institute of Travel and Tourism this autumn. We have also set up a student travel academy on behalf of one client to solve skills shortages.”
T&T Recruitment: sales and marketing director Jason Blayne said: “To try to solve the skills shortage in travel, we will shortly be piloting a student placement programme with members of the Guild of Travel Management Companies. Students who pass our training programme will be given a placement with one of these firms, rather than having to go out on their own to get experience. “
Travel World Selection: corporate account manager Kelly Whelan said: “I was taken on this year to develop the business in all areas.
The firm has also opened new premises to service our London-based clients. We have also continued to enhance our in-house systems to help our team of recruitment specialists look for the ideal candidate for each job.”
C&M Group: managing director Angus Chisholm said: “It has been an exciting year, with the launch of our new brands for our travel recruitment and training areas of specialisation and our new travel executive search brand ‘Rise’.
“They have been very well received by the travel industry. We believe in a long-term commitment to quality and investment in our ability to offer our customers a good service and that is what we will continue to do.”