The Travel Network Group agents say post-pandemic recruitment challenges have eased, thanks to training and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Vim Vithaldas, chief commercial officer, told delegates at the consortium’s conference in Munich: “Members faced real staffing challenges – enquiries were coming in but they didn’t have enough staff.
“But, over the past 12 months, with the new [TTNG] Training Academy and people coming back into the industry, I hear about this less and less.”
Ann Anglesea, Delmar World managing director, said: “Recruitment has been a nightmare for everyone but I think we’re through it now.
“In the last 12-18 months, I have taken on many people and let many go – from outside travel and from within.”
She employs 11 at her shops in Wrexham and Heswall.
“After two-three months, it’s obvious that some people I’d taken on just did not get it,” she added.
“I need passionate people, but I think we’re there now, thanks to recruiting via word-of-mouth through our network of staff.”
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Julie Pinkney, TTNG’s retail director, runs the consortium’s 20 owned stores, which have 100 staff.
She said: “It has been the most difficult recruitment environment ever.
“There’s a small pot of people who want to work in travel but the tide is turning – people want to join from other careers.”
She agreed that some recruits were not suitable so she sought a different type: “We changed our thinking about the type of people that we need.
“We need the passion and a love of talking about travel – live, eat, breathe, sleep travel.
“We have had a huge amount of success bringing those people into the shops.”
She also said training available from TTNG helps to bring new recruits up to speed.
Sandra Mutter, co-founder of Andara Travel, closed her shop amid the pandemic to downsize from a headcount of seven to just her and fellow co-founder.
They focus on tailored experiential travel and long-haul, working from home and in clients’ homes.
“We bake clients a cake if they visit us or give them vouchers to a Japanese restaurant, for example, if they book a trip to Japan,” she said.
“I want to have fewer bookings but higher value ones.”
Craig Goodridge (Independent Travel Experts) works on his own from a unit in an indoor market in Sheffield.
He told delegates that he hopes to take on an apprentice, ideally through Jet2.com’s apprenticeship scheme.
From left: Stephanie Slark, membership services director; Ann Anglesea (Delmar World); Craig Goodridge (Independent Travel Experts); Sandra Mutter (Andara Travel) and Julie Pinkney (TTNG Retail)