Learn from our neighbours
This week we have produced a special version of Travel Weekly exclusively for the Irish market.
The hope is it will give other readers an insight into the trends and challenges facing travel agents in a different market, while at the same time give Irish agents the chance to find out more about their own sector – and see what they are missing from Travel Weekly every week!
There is a great deal we can all learn from how other travel agencies and operators work overseas. This week we have seen Australian-owned Harvey World Travel take another big step into the UK market with its acquisition of the 23-strong Galaxy Travel agency business.
It promises more growth and acquisitions in the future with the promise it will eventually have a travel agency in every town in the UK that can support one.
It sees the global reach of its business – with 2,000 travel agents worldwide as far afield as South Africa, New Zealand and Australia – as a major competitive advantage when sending people long haul.
But it is its disciplined approach to using preferred suppliers which is something we should all take note of.
Worldwide, Harvey World Travel achieves 92% loyalty levels from agents selling a number of selected preferred suppliers. It is claiming it can achieve 80% loyalty levels from agents from only 70 preferred suppliers.
If it can get even close to that figure it will be surpassing discipline levels across the rest of the sector and will be an Australian import we can all learn from.
Combatting the World Cup effect
Two weeks in and World Cup fever has taken over the nation, particularly now England are into the knockout stages.
But good news for Sven is bad news for travel because everyone seems to be putting their holidays on hold.
Travel Counsellors has come up with a novel way of boosting flagging morale. It’s running a tournament whereby counsellors are split into rival nations and it’s their daily sales against competing countries that count towards who goes through to the next round.
So in the land of Travel Counsellors there is still hope for England!