Following it’s recent purchase by All Leisure Group – Page and Moy will now be making great efforts to drive business through travel agents.

The relationship of Page & Moy with All Leisure Group will grow the company to offer agents a one-stop-shop for the affluent over 55’s market, with a spectrum of cruise, touring and long-haul destinations. With the help of chairman Roger Allard, Travel Agents should witness a shift in the market in favour of themselves. Allard believes the products offered by the brand are best in the hands of a specialist agent – who can put together a bespoke package that would be difficult for the customer to do alone.

Appointed Head of Independent Retailer of the Month, esteemed Retail Consultant and Business Mentor Claire Rayner has reaffirmed the need for Independent Travel agents in the British high-street.

In a recent interview with TTG (Travel Trade Gazette), Rayner explains the recession witnessed in recent years may be now be the key to retaining the balance in the high street.  This, she claims, is down to the fact that multiples are closing shops faster than they’re opening them, but figures show that smaller retailers are filling the void they leave, thus taking control of the high street once again. 

As key speaker at the 2012 Global Travel Group Conference, Rayner delivered an inspiring motive to our Agents with retail premises, a concept that she echoed in her recent article: she is confident that there is still a place for an independent travel agents in the retail landscape. This encouraging message is backed by research showing that people aren’t as price driven as they are conceived to be. Rayner stresses that the key to retail success will not be trying to undercut competitive online prices, but develop your business to offer your customer the service that’s unachievable from trawling comparison sites and endless ‘bargain’ websites.

Emphasis should be on customer satisfaction - going above and beyond, offering a  personalised service and unbiased advice, says Rayner. 

Don’t forget the financial protection that you, as an independent travel agent can offer your client. When self-packaging a holiday online it’s often easy to overlook the fact that Atol protection is not a standard service – something all Global Travel Group affiliated agents can confidently offer their customers, and something that Rayer implies is invaluable. 

The convenient alternative to flying across the English Channel is set to become even easier, with ten new routes in the pipelines from the high-speed train service.

Routes will depart from London St Pancras to various cities in Netherlands, Germany, southern France and Switzerland. This offers Travel Agents a superb alternative to selling Euro-holidays to their customers who prefer not to fly for one reason or another.

Though the new services have not been confirmed to date; this is a bid by the company to make Eurostar the main competitor to flying when the consumer is considering travelling to European destinations.

Following the recent news that BMI has been bought by International Airlines Group, BA has announced that they are, as of 23rd May, operating 9 of the routes previously serviced by the budget airline. The routes set to witness the change all depart from Heathrow, flying out to Bergen, Basel, Nice, Vienna, Stavangar, Hanover, Agadir, Marrakech and Casablanca.

The integration of these 9 routes marks the beginning of a strategy to introduce further routes to British Airways for the Winter season. This is a relief for those customers, and the agents responsible for bookings aboard soon to be ex-BMI flights.

If you have booked a client prior to today (Thursday 10th May) with BMI and due to fly before 23rd May on the above mentioned routes, the new operator is honouring the checked baggage allowance originally booked. However, all other policies from BA will be enforced, and Agents are encouraged to contact BA for full regulations. The ex-BMI routes mentioned above are available to book from today via BA, and BMI are no longer authorised to take new bookings on those routes.

Further developments are in progress, for more information and until further notice, see flybmi.com.

Mark Warner has divulged plans to increase their sales via travel agents from an impressive 18% to 30%. 

The products offered form Mark Warner are incredible Beach Club and Ski holidays - offering upmarket, active experience with loads thrown in and at great value. There's already several reasons to sell this product to your clients but their new incentive programme has just made things sweeter for their valued Travel Agent partners.

Whilst many of the tour operators that The Global Travel Group and our affiliated agents partner with will bend over backwards to ensure trade sales are given the facilities needed, Mark Warner has delivered all PLUS the added incentive of free holidays for Agents based on particular target schemes. This incentive has been developed from the traditional 'familiarisation trip', which is a common offering to Agents, and will allow them to experience the products themselves.

The decision to move away from the fam trips is an effort to be more flexible to agents, who often can't take the time out from their business at the times dictated by the particular Operator.

Managing Director Tony Hopkins wants to encourage agents to become close with their brand. This comes after feedback that agents thought Mark Warner was an unaffordable option for their clients, which is a label Tony hopes to shed.

Attention Travel Agents!

A report on Tourism-Review.com has enlightened us to the cycle the potential holiday-makers go through when taking to the web to book their leisure holiday.

The cycle is defined by 5 phases: Dreaming - Researching - Booking - Experiencing - Sharing.

1. Dreaming

Traditionally, word of mouth was the primary source for rousing the interest of the holiday maker. Now in the digital age, it's no surprise that the incredible surge of travel articles online are contributing to thousands of inspired travel dreamers. Blogs, online magazines, destination video clips and banner adverts... there's a series of platforms available to plant that seed into the brains of your potential customer.

2. Researching

Once the shortlist has been narrowed down either by destination, budget, experience and the likes; the investigation deepens. Customers are now generating longer query threads, with much more specific needs and desires to fulfil. Luckily there are an abundance of options available to you to meet the most outrageous of holiday requirements, so as an agent you need to ensure your website, social networking page, or blog offers enough information and possibilities to ensure the reader becomes your customer.

3. Booking

Though there are some travel itineraries that require bespoke, one on one consultation between Client and Agent, the majority of holidays can be booked online, and a huge percentage of customers prefer to take the latter route. Make sure your website is wither a fully-bookable option or offers clear instruction, and a hassle free guarantee on how to book over the phone or in person. Remember that the internet is developed for convenience, and this is what your client has sought up to now. Things to consider are site layout; can they find their way to the booking page? Is your site mobile compatible? Many people access using a smart phone or tablet, yours needs to be compatible whether this means resizing, creating a designated app or simply creating a quick call button when a phone number is clicked.

4. Experience

Your online source maybe called upon at any stage of the travel. from the 'Dreaming' stage right through the holiday and beyond to future travel opportunities. Make sure your site has information needed for your customer at each stage. For example, a dedicated Customer Care number for post booking and also those calling form in-resort? Do you have details or links to Car Hire? Airport information? Destination guides? 

5. Sharing

As well as new searchers seeking your site for inspiration, word of mouth is not to be forgotten, even if it is in digital form! Travellers are very inclined to review their holiday - on their own social network pages, blogs and through organised review sites. If you've generated the perfect getaway then guaranteed you'll hear about it. Keep in touch with your clients and publicise what they've reviewed. 

If you're reading this, you're at least in the right place to put these tips into action. Open a new window and access your online display.. you never know who will stumble across it!

It's the last day to resister yourself or your business for all categories of 2012 TTG Travel Awards.

To ensure you're in the running to be nominated for one or more or the 20 categories, head to TTG website now and fill in your details. You then have until 15^th June to submit your full entry.

Categories include the following:

Agency of the Year
Domestic Travel Supplier of the Year 
Trade website of the Year 
Travel Seller of the Year 
Technology Business of the Year