Aito Specialist Travel Agents is “back on track” after several difficult years, according to chairman Oliver Broad.
Members’ sales of Aito tour operators are 15% up year on year, the biggest sales it has enjoyed for over three years.
It now has 122 branches in its membership, which has slowly crept up after dropping to 99 branches a couple of years ago when key members ceased trading as a result of the recession. The growth in branches is largely due to existing members opening new shops.
The association has had as many as 140 branches in the past and has a five-year target of 150 branches.
“We are back on track after a really tough time. As an association we are in a really strong position and we have all our pins in order,” said Broad.
Sales of Aito operators are up following a concerted focus by Aito agents on selling product of Aito operators, aided by the association’s All Stars Incentive scheme designed to reward and encourage agents supporting these suppliers.
Broad added: “Our independent members are recognising the importance of supporting Aito operators because of the service they provide.”
Aito Agents is also funding more advertising and marketing in national newspapers to promote members and products of Aito operators with a call to action to the travel agent member.
“We have more funds available to help subsidise services for members after a few years of hard slog and we think we need to ride this wave; let’s get as much out of it as we can,” added Broad.
In January, the association is holding its largest ever domestic conference for 220-230 delegates and it plans to hold a further seven agent and operator dinners nationwide next year.
The second phase of the association’s website goes live in January, which will feature agents’ individual profiles on the site. Already the site allows searches of its members via a Google map.