Barrhead Travel’s Jacqueline Dobson sets out her aims as the association’s new chief
It has been an incredibly quick two years since I accepted the position of vice-president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, standing alongside the brilliant Mike Tibbert during his presidency.
I can hardly believe that little more than 24 months ago, we were moving into the start of yet another year of uncertainty as the Omicron variant loomed over our peak season.
In fact, I remember hearing predictions that travel could take at least five years before there was any meaningful recovery. In reality, the industry has been far more elastic and we’ve enjoyed an outstanding recovery period, particularly over the last year when demand has really returned at pace.
While it may only have been two years since I became vice-president, there has undoubtedly been a decade of change within the industry.
From rebuilding routes and infrastructure to restoring our workforce, and from repairing customer confidence in travel to regrouping on new lobbying campaigns – we have certainly come a long way.
As I look ahead at a new chapter for me as president, I’ve been reflecting on how powerful member associations can be.
Special connections
Take the SPAA as an example, which is run by members, for members. There’s a reason that this organisation has been here for more than 100 years.
Of course, there’s the tangible impact that the group has delivered – such as supporting with the funding for travel agents during Covid or, more recently, reviving and chairing the cross-party group for aviation and tourism.
There are various victories to be celebrated that would not be possible without the commitment of the council. But, having taken a more hands-on role with the SPAA over the last few years, I’ve particularly noticed something special about the group that isn’t necessarily defined by their obvious achievements. In fact, I think the camaraderie that the SPAA fosters is unlike any other member association I’ve known.
It makes it even more impressive when you consider that everyone within the council has full‑time jobs and driving success within the association is done in addition to their day-to-day.
In my opinion, the SPAA has been instrumental in helping to build back the joy of working in the Scottish travel industry.
Future plans
Delivering more events , including the new Sparkle Awards, with higher attendance than ever has underlined the impact it’s having on morale and you can’t help but notice the strong sense of pride among the Scottish travel community.
The SPAA really does bring people together and I think, as an industry, it’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to bounce back so quickly.
A focus on the people in travel will be my raison d’etre as president over the coming years. I intend to deliver a bold advocacy programme targeting the UK and Scottish governments to really showcase the people behind our industry who are driving strong economic contributions and creating stable career opportunities.
I plan on putting our people at the forefront of conversations about outbound travel – including challenging the current apprenticeship levy framework, which is no longer fit for purpose in Scotland.
In addition, I will make sure people are at the heart of any government discussions on travel.
Turning attention to support for retail will also be high on the agenda. Travel agencies are propping up high streets across the country – but our communities need urgent attention so everyone can flourish and expand.
Looking ahead, it’s not going to be plain sailing. There are headwinds on the horizon that need to be addressed now. However, I know that the collaboration the SPAA fosters internally means we have an incredible council and membership team who are ready to tackle challenges. I’m very excited to see where the next two years will take us.