PHOENIX Travel is looking to move into the conference and incentive market as part of a long-term strategy to diversify its business.
Managing director Jon Langley said it is becoming increasingly important for agents to expand into new areas if they want to stay competitive.
He said: “Business travel is heading towards a period of uncertainty, particularly in the light of changes to airline’s commission structure. To have all your eggs in one basket these days can be a recipe for disaster.
“We are looking at ways in which we can move away from our core business travel services and are looking at getting into different areas.”
Langley claims the conference and incentive market is becoming more lucrative – agents are able to earn four times as much as they earn from just booking travel.
“The demand for conference and incentives is growing phenomenally. It is an essential market to be in.
“We currently do organise conference and incentives for our business travel clients if they request it, but it is not a market that we actively chase at the moment.”
Phoenix is aligned to a business travel agency in the US, called Advanced Travel Management, which has a dedicated conference and incentive division, called Advanced Meeting Partners.
Langley said one option is to set up an AMP office in London.
Meanwhile, Phoenix has beefed up its sales team with a number of new appointments. Sean Wallace has joined as sales manager from business travel agency Fairways and Swinford.
He has appointed two sales representatives, Marc Cartz who will cover the Midlands area and Tim Rouse who will cover the north region. A third sales rep, for the south region, will join shortly.
The agency is also looking to appoint a new account manager.