Let no-one doubt the scale of change facing the travel industry. The current trend for mergers reflects the Darwinian shake-out that is taking place.
Following hot on the heels of the Thomas Cook/MyTravel, TUI/First Choice mergers comes Triton’s proposal to join together all its constituent parts – Global Travel Group, Advantage and Worldchoice.
Any agent operating under the Triton umbrella will still be chewing over the news and trying to establish what such a move would mean for them. With the intention to move quickly on this – it is hoped that the process will be complete before the year is out – there will be a lot of issues to iron out.
Three separate organisations – straddling different business/membership models, separate brands and different cultural make-ups – agreeing on one way of doing business presents a huge challenge for triton.
But as George Begg, founder of Global Travel Group, has told Travel Weekly, with the consolidation of the travel industry this is the one opportunity members will have to put them in a stronger competitive position in the market.
The key issue for all members will be what’s in it for them. What new, extra tangible benefits will there be for members of a merged Triton? And will the prospect of a virtual vertically integrated tour operation be the killer proposal?
This week’s news that PSARA is rebranding itself as ACE – the Association of Cruise Experts – with some 6,000 agent members is further evidence of how the travel industry is evolving and recasting itself.
ACE is a large and increasingly important organisation for cruise which reflects the growing popularity of cruise holidays with the British public, as the latest statistics from the Passenger Shipping Association Annual Review reveal. Read all the figures in the latest issue of TW Cruise, free with this week’s Travel Weekly.
Evolution is about survival of the fittest, and both Triton and ACE are demonstrating that by evolving they are hoping to be in the strongest position for future growth and success.