InteleTravel tasks Kelly Cookes to take agency ‘to the next level’

InteleTravel aims to boost agent productivity and supplier engagement to attain the “next level” of trading following the high-profile appointment of Advantage Travel Partnership chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes.

Cookes will join as commercial director on September 1, reporting into managing director Tricia Handley-Hughes, who said the the homeworking agency was now recognised as a “robust business”.

She said: “We feel bringing in a high-profile person like Kelly, who is really experienced and a good fit for the business, can help us to achieve the next level. We’re performing well. People are sitting up and taking note.”

More: InteleTravel increases year-on-year revenue by 88% in UK and Ireland [Jan 25]

Bookings for the year to date are 59% up year on year and revenues 57% up for the agency, which boasts 35,000 homeworkers in the UK and Ireland. 

Cookes’ remit will be to help raise productivity among agents at a “basic” sales level to become thriving businesses; develop InteleTravel’s luxury sellers and new accessible travel specialists; optimise supplier relationships; and bring in new operators.  

Handley-Hughes said: “We know a lot of our successful agents because they’re so engaged at events; we want more of them. It’s about showing agents it’s not as difficult as they may envisage. The focus is on productivity and what we need to do commercially to help these advisors grow their businesses.”

The group is considering more events to develop agents’ knowledge through its Pathway to Pinnacle programme. It already runs one-day educationals and training events.

InteleTravel also wants to develop its luxury agents. It currently has around 40 to 75 selling “real luxury” travel. “Have we got the right product mix? Could we do more to nurture these agents?” said Handley-Hughes. 

On suppliers, she said there were “a lot more” the group could work with but stressed there was also “more work to do with existing suppliers”.

“We have about 85 preferred suppliers,” she added. “[One question is] how many of these truly engage with us on a daily basis? I’m having to turn suppliers away; not everyone can be a preferred supplier.”