I would like to reply to the letter from Stephen Tomlinson of Banks Sadler that said hotel chains should support the conference and incentive agencies to improve product knowledge (Travel Weekly May 10).
Stephen has the right attitude. Only by gaining and widening his knowledge will he and the agency Banks Sadler profit. There are a number of colleagues working for other agencies who are not so willing in giving us – the hotel chains – the time to pass on our expertise.
Hoteliers spend a major proportion of their sales budget in making sure their product knowledge is given to those willing to benefit.
The attitude some agencies have towards us when we say we want to visit them is sometimes more than frustrating.
The usual excuses are ‘we do not do business there’, or ‘we have no time until next year.’ But we all work to tight schedules. Surely the supplier-agency relationship is in the interest of the agency, not just the hotel chain.
The request for us to host genuine educational trips was another subject that Stephen made. As a hotel chain we only organise genuine educationals, whereby the participants will benefit from destination and product knowledge.
The cost of such trips are not only time and budget consuming, but always require the participation of partners , such as airline and ground agents.
We are currently organising an educational to Mauritius in June, but have been staggered by the number of agencies which do not even have the decency to reply to an invite.
Agencies need to want to learn about destinations relevant to their clients needs. The only way for that to happen is a genuine wish to give the suppliers the timeto visit the conference and incentiveagencies.
Only by meeting the conference and incentive agents can we their market with more product knowledge – laying on more training, educationals and functions.
The decision is really left to the conference and incentive agents themselves. They are holding back their colleagues who are showing a positive and understandable request in gaining product knowledge.
Mark Spivey
Director of sales UKandIreland
Maritim Hotels
Wimbledon