Aito reaffirms expansion plans at Gibraltar event

Aito Agents has pledged to continue to grow its membership and is proactively recruiting homeworking groups.

 

Speaking at the fourth Aito Famference in Gibraltar, chair Gemma Antrobus said the agent arm of The Specialist Travel Association aimed to expand from 75 high street branches to 100 but had no set target for homeworkers.

 

The pledge came as Aito said it would continue to target expansion of its tour operator members from 100 members to 150 by 2027-28.

 

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Antrobus said Aito Agents was contacting homeworking groups, recruiting former members and using existing members to spread the word.  Homeworking groups Inspire Travel and Designer Travel are already members.

 

“We are going to homeworking groups and often the conversations come from homeworkers who used to work for Aito members who have said it would be great to join Aito,” said Antrobus, who noted the hybrid fam trip and conference was one of the group’s most popular events.

 

This year’s three-night Aito Famference, which included a mix of 40 agents and operators, sold out within 24 hours. It included a raft of daily excursions.

 

During the trip, Antrobus called on agents to help change perceptions and “positively promote” the destination. She said: “This is the reason we come to destinations, so we can experience what it’s like and be ready to sell it. It’s our responsibility now to go back and talk about this trip and positively promote Gibraltar.”

 

She said many agents were not familiar with the British Overseas Territory because they were not asked about it by clients. 

 

“We want to change perceptions in the agent community and we’ve already been talking to each other about who to sell it to,” she added.

 

The trip included a 1940s-themed dinner hosted inside Gibraltar’s Second World War tunnels, attended by tourism minister Christian Santos, who said trade events such as the Aito Famference and Clia’s destination showcase last year were vital to push the destination to a wider audience, such as to families for active short breaks. Santos, minister for equality, employment, culture, tourism, youth and training, said: “The trade is a key player.”

 

Aito is currently assessing two destinations for next year when it will celebrate its 50th anniversary.