Daniele Broccoli, ABTA board member and director of Typically Italian Holidays and Britaly Travel, gave Michelle Perrett his views on the travel industry
How long have you been in the industry, and what changes have you seen?
I have been a travel agent for 24 years and started off quite young. I have seen small companies and tour operators expand because agents have supported them.
Tour operators are now using the Internet as an excuse and are giving 20% off to customers who book direct.
They would previously give the travel agency 10% commission, so why is this cheaper for them? They still have to market the deal on the Internet, which isn’t cheap.
With travel agencies, they send out the brochure and the agent does the rest. It drives me mad.
How did Britaly Travel start off?
When I started off 24 years ago we had one desk, one phone line and two brochures in the shop.
I still see the first client I ever booked a flight for walking past the shop.
You have set up your own tour operation, selling directly through travel agents. Why?
Typically Italian is totally focused on the travel agent and has no website and no direct-sell mailing list with clients. I believe a proper travel agent is a true professional.
We have sold a great deal of accommodation over the years and we know we have a good product. I believe in the Internet – it adds value. But I just don’t agree tour operators have to sell everything cheaply through [that medium].
That said, there are some good trade-only and accommodation-only suppliers that support us well. And some tour operators are so friendly to agents.
I know the Internet has revolutionised everything, but have travel agents ever let them down?
The traditional view is that agents are in decline and people prefer to book online. What do you think?
People are coming back to agents. Disasters do the travel industry good – clients who book online can’t call the travel agent or call centre if there are problems.
Times are hard for all of us but we are quite tough and resilient. Travel agents are selling more specialist destinations such as Thailand and Italy, and clients want our knowledge – there’s less of the bucket-and-spade brigade now.
When the Internet first came about, travel agents were a bit slow on the uptake but now they are moving forward.
People in the travel industry are not the best paid in the world, but homeworking allows people to work flexible hours.
What issues do you think agents will face in the coming years? Do you have any advice for them?
I hope this recession does not bite too hard. I would advise agents to be proactive with clients to make sure they keep on top of the business if it’s going to be a tough year.
We have a high turnover for a minimum profit. Travel agents are working on a 6%-7% margin. You have to convince your client you can offer better service and, more importantly, advice.
Although we don’t all do it for the money, people in travel are passionate. It’s the only industry I know in which I can go to an event with agents I don’t know and end up talking about everything.
You are a member of the ABTA board representing the views of agents. What exactly does this involve?
I am the only voted-for travel agent representing agents on the board. In meetings, I put across the views of independent travel agents.
I am also on the code of conduct committee, which monitors breaches and issues such as a late-paying travel agent or a tour operator which has breached the conduct code. I use my experience as a front-line travel agent and tour operator to contribute to this.
I believe in ABTA and what it stands for – it is a good assurance to customers. I worked my way up from the smaller ABTA committees to this position, and I was elected to sit on the board until 2009. Travel agents contact me when they have any issues and I do my best to help them.
What about the future for travel agents?
You get bad things in any industry but there are people out there who think they can make a quick buck, and word soon gets out if you’re a bad travel agent. The independent travel agent will always be around. No one is ever going to get rid of us.
[The high street] lost all the butchers and fruit and vegetable shops but now they are coming back. People want the service of a travel agent. There are always going to be the likes of easyJet and Ryanair around and we need to work with them.
Profile
Lives: Peterborough
Status: Married with three children
Employment history:
- 2006 – Set up own tour operator Typically Italian
- 2006 – Voted to the ABTA board
- 1984 – Set up Britaly Travel in partnership with his father
