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Aito creates manifesto for ‘gold standard’ trade partnerships
Aito has created a ‘Gold Standard Partnership Manifesto’ as a shared pledge with tour operators to ensure trusting and high-performing partnerships.
The manifesto, launched at The Specialist Travel Association (Aito) Mid-Year Marketplace and sent to all travel agent and supplier members, was first mooted at this year’s Aito Agents’ Kickstart conference in January.
Aito Agents chair Gemma Antrobus said the manifesto should act as a blueprint for agent-operator relationships. It followed some suggestions that basic courtesies were being forgotten.
But she stressed most of its commitments should already be “a given”.
She said: “This manifesto is about mutual respect. It’s not about who is doing that and who isn’t and it’s not for agents or operators to wave under anyone’s nose. It’s nothing new [but] we hope it helps to solidify relations between agents and operators.”
She noted both sides had to work on ensuring they built a trusting partnership.
She added: “It’s worth remembering we all get bogged down in running our own businesses, especially when times are tough, and sometimes we lose a bit of perspective. We have got lots of new operators in Aito and ones that are new to working with agents.
“You have to set the foundations for that relationship and a lot of that is about understanding; it’s a two-way street.
“Agents are very fortunate; we get treated to amazing fams and dinners and operators call on us. Agents also need to give time to the supplier relationship.”
The manifesto sets out five key foundations for partnerships between agents and operators based on trust and integrity; respect and collaboration; understanding; shared commercial clarity; and time and commitment.
The document outlines a shared commitment to clear communications, long-term relationships and transparency, fairness and accountability, collaboration, a focus on exceptional experiences, and championing better behaviour, stronger partnerships and a sustainable future.
It also includes key principles for agents and operators to adhere to in their commercial partnerships, such as calling on suppliers to value their agent relationships and deliver on their promises, and urging agents to respect operators’ expertise and advocate on their behalf.
The manifesto was initially worked on by the Aito Agents panel and was followed by a discussion at the Kickstart conference, steered by Antrobus and Audley’s trade partnerships manager Sarah Turner. Feedback from the conference was fed into Aito before the final manifesto document was produced.
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