ellers in mind, so that members can use it to win new corporate clients.
ARTAC chairman and managing director Colin Heal said the initiative was taken on the back of demand from existing members and also enquiries from non-aligned agents and members of rival consortium Advantage Travel Centres.
“We have also had enquiries from Advantage members who, Isuppose triggered by the franchise deal with Airtours, have been coming to us and asking what we can offer on the business travel side.
“This is one area which Advantage has been developing for some time.”
Heal claimed that although ARTAChas always had relevant supplier deals in place, it has not packaged them together so that members can present them to potential clients.
“With this new brochure, members can send it out to local businesses to show them the savings,” he said. “I know an increasing number of businesses are contacting our members as companies become more cost conscious. Obviously we are talking about small to medium-sized businesses whose travel spends are too small for major business travel houses.”
Heal said the business travel initiative will be further developed depending on its success.
“There are no plans to have a dedicated business travel person, but I do not rule it out. It depends what response we get from members. I am sure that even those members who do not do much business travel will attract some by sending out the brochure,” he said.
Heal also believes the initiative will attract new members – both from Advantage and also from agents which are not currently part of a consortium.
But Advantage business travel development manager Norman Gage said ARTAC has acted too late and is already three years behind.
He claimed Advantage has not lost any members on the business side because of the tie-up with Airtours. Only Scottish agency, Sibbald Travel, has left the group and that was because it was purchased by Thomson.
Gage said Advantage was not making an effort to recruit new members, and instead is concentrating on encouraging its members to work as a body, rather than as individuals.
“As far as new members go, we will only consider agents which are suitable and willing to work together as a group and realising that this is the way forward,” he said.
“I’m not sure there are many potential members out there. I think that anybody who wants to be part of a group has already joined and I don’t anticipate any of our existing members leaving because we’ve been focused on business travel for much longer.
Agency consortium ARTAC Worldchoice is about to embark on a major initiative designed to strengthen its members’ corporate travel business.
Unveiled by membership services director Bob Taylor at ARTAC’s conference last month, the drive will see the launch of a dedicated business travel brochure in the next few weeks. The brochure will outline special hotel and air-fare deals that the consortium has negotiated with business travellers in mind, so that members can use it to win new corporate clients.
ARTAC chairman and managing director Colin Heal said the initiative was taken on the back of demand from existing members and also enquiries from non-aligned agents and members of rival consortium Advantage Travel Centres.
“We have also had enquiries from Advantage members who, Isuppose triggered by the franchise deal with Airtours, have been coming to us and asking what we can offer on the business travel side.
“This is one area which Advantage has been developing for some time.”
Heal claimed that although ARTAChas always had relevant supplier deals in place, it has not packaged them together so that members can present them to potential clients.
“With this new brochure, members can send it out to local businesses to show them the savings,” he said. “I know an increasing number of businesses are contacting our members as companies become more cost conscious. Obviously we are talking about small to medium-sized businesses whose travel spends are too small for major business travel houses.”
Heal said the business travel initiative will be further developed depending on its success.
“There are no plans to have a dedicated business travel person, but I do not rule it out. It depends what response we get from members. I am sure that even those members who do not do much business travel will attract some by sending out the brochure,” he said.
Heal also believes the initiative will attract new members – both from Advantage and also from agents which are not currently part of a consortium.
But Advantage business travel development manager Norman Gage said ARTAC has acted too late and is already three years behind.
He claimed Advantage has not lost any members on the business side because of the tie-up with Airtours. Only Scottish agency, Sibbald Travel, has left the group and that was because it was purchased by Thomson.
Gage said Advantage was not making an effort to recruit new members, and instead is concentrating on encouraging its members to work as a body, rather than as individuals.
“As far as new members go, we will only consider agents which are suitable and willing to work together as a group and realising that this is the way forward,” he said.
“I’m not sure there are many potential members out there. I think that anybody who wants to be part of a group has already joined and I don’t anticipate any of our existing members leaving because we’ve been focused on business travel for much longer.