Industry talk
n What was your first job in travel and how much did you get paid?
Sales consultant with Hogg Robinson in Basingstoke earning £28 per week.
n Who has been the biggest influence on your career and why?
My family for their support and Yvonne Borg at Hoseasons for her passion and dedication to the industry.
n If you weren’t in travel, what would you be doing?
Something in the sport and fitness industry.
n What advice would you give to someone starting out in the travel industry?
Look at future opportunities, not your first month’s salary.
n How many hours do you work a week on average?
I suppose between 55-65 hours a week.
n What percentage of holiday bookings do you estimate will be taken direct by the year 2000?
I see very little growth in the next eight months.
n How long do you expect it will be before a significant number of bookings are made by digital television?
This new medium will appeal only to the younger clients, ie. those under 30 who have grown up with technology. I see no significant swing in the next five years.
n Do you have a Web site and if so how many bookings do you receive on it?
Our Web site is currently being upgraded to an on-line booking system which will go live in June/July 1999. We currently have around 300 hits per day.
n Do you think the growing consolidation in the industry is good for consumers?
On the positive side there will be less risk to the consumer of operator failures. On the negative side, if the industry development is not strictly managed we could end up with less choice.
n How many travel agents do you estimate there will be left in the UK in five years’ time?
All of those offering acustomer-led, professionalservice.
n Do you agree with travel agents charging a fee for their work or should they provide their service free?
I see no problem with this as long as the fee is to cover service excellence, otherwise customers will vote with their feet.