Independent travel sector gathers at AITO overseas conference in Dubai

The AITO conference took place in Dubai (14 -17 June 2013) and gave AITO Agents and Operators the opportunity to address the biggest issues currently affecting the travel sector

The conference focused on three key themes - the retail environment, how best to maximise the unique benefit of relationships between AITO Tour Operators and AITO Specialist Travel Agents and a careful analysis of consumer aspirations for travel in 2013 and beyond.

Delegates stayed at the luxury five-star Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach Hotel and had the chance to explore the historic and cultural side of the destination as part of the programme. Other highlights included a traditional Dhow Cruise, as well as a special ‘dine-around’ evening taking place in restaurants at some of the most luxurious hotels in Dubai, including the Atlantis Palm Hotels and the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray.

Speakers

                                                                                                         

Speakers included Hossein Johari Tehrani, the Managing Director of one of Dubai’s most successful travel and logistics management groups, Agent Elect, on his in-depth understanding of both international and local market trends and Sunil Bali, a critically acclaimed author, who led a motivational speech on how to use your mind to achieve success.

Radha Patel, Associate Director of The Futures Company, a global strategic insight and innovation consultancy, also highlighted her recent research about the impact technology will have on travel in the future; Kerry Baggott, a lifestyle journalist at one of Dubai's biggest publishing houses, ITP, presented a fascinating insight into what life is really like in Dubai and Evo Hannan, a Dubai-based teacher, revealed exactly how he turned a struggling art department in an English speaking private school into a thriving success by applying business strategies. 

Announcements

An array of benefits for AITO Agents was announced, including a new AITO Agents’ consumer website which will showcase the unrivalled selection of trips offered by AITO Specialist Travel Agents.  Every AITO Agent will have its own profile with social media plug-ins, photo and video technology. 

The new site will also create a unique online social community for the AITO family, allowing members to keep up-to-date with the latest product developments and AITO news as they happen, and to interact with one another. 

Chairman of AITO Specialist Travel Agents, Oliver Broad, says: “The AITO Agents’ membership base is spread across the UK. We regularly organise training sessions and conferences to ensure all members are engaged and this new and improved website will build upon this – acting as an information-sharing forum for members, as well as boosting their online presence. Our membership base still very much has a place on the high street, thanks to its specialist, unique, boutique offerings - but we cannot ignore the power of the internet and it is vital for members to have the best possible online presence.”

Awards

Members’ achievements were also recognised at the conference with the presentation of the AITO Specialist Travel Agents Supplier & Agent Awards 2013, voted for my members:

AITO Agent winners:

Travellers World received the AITO Agent of the Year Award, Bakewell Travel was named the Best AITO Agent Newcomer and Gemma Antrobus of Haslemere Travel picked up the AITO Outstanding Achievement Award.

AITO Operator winners:

Classic Collection Holidays received two top accolades - the ‘Closer ties’ AITO Tour Operator of the Year Award plus staff member Claire Cannon received an individual award in the form of the AITO Superb Service Award. Lusso was also named the Best AITO Tour Operator Newcomer. 

Update: AITO’s Just a Drop fundraising campaign

It's fantastic to see some AITO reps taking on challenges to raise money for the international water aid charity, Just a Drop!

AITO is aiming to raise £20,000 by the end of September to enable three villages in Uganda to be provided with boreholes, supporting and improving the lives of over 6,000 people.

Here are some examples of what AITO representatives have been getting up to:

Managing Director of Lusso & Worldwide Escapes, James Weaver, completed a madcap marathon (involving 200 obstacles!) on earlier this month (11 May) in an impressive 4 hours, 29 minutes and has so far raised over £2,000. Fundraising page: http://www.justgiving.com/James-Weaver-Travel 

James says: “The support I have had from sponsors has been amazing and it definitely gave me a reason to fight the agonising cramp at 15 miles and also all the freezing water sections – particularly the 25 minutes swimming in an ice cold lake!  I’m glad all of my gym sessions, runs and dieting paid off, as it was a seriously tough day, but I’m delighted that I can make such a positive contribution to one of Just a Drop’s projects.”

Vanda Bauer of Classic Collection Holidays is taking part in ‘Nightrider’ - 100km moonlit cycle ride past some of London’s iconic landmarks on 8/9 June. So far, she has raised £1,300, smashing her original target of £500. Fundraising page: www.justgiving.co.uk/VandA-nightrider

Oliver Broad, Chairman of AITO Agents will do a sky-dive before the AITO overseas summer conference in Dubai (14-17 June). Fundraising page: http://www.justgiving.com/Oliver-Broad 

Well done all and the best of luck!

AITO unveils further engaging speakers at its Dubai conference

AITO Operators and AITO Specialist Travel Agents have added more expert speakers to their summer overseas conference programme (Dubai, 14 -17 June 2013)

Hosted by by the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Emirates and Sofitel, the conference will offer the agent and tour operator members of AITO the opportunity to meet up and to discuss the biggest issues currently affecting the travel sector.

The conference will focus on three key themes - the retail environment, how best to maximise the unique benefit of relationships between AITO Tour Operators and AITO Specialist Travel Agents and a careful analysis of consumer aspirations for travel in 2013 and beyond.

The programme features an array of interesting speakers, including:

Hossein Johari Tehrani (pictured) - the Managing Director of one of Dubai’s most successful and longest established travel and logistics management groups, Agent Elect. He will talk about his in-depth understanding of both international and local market trends – and highlight how the independent sector can learn from this knowledge.

Originally born in Tehran, Iran, Hossein spent time living and studying in the UK before moving to Dubai in the mid 1980s, where he began his career in the travel industry. Prior to the inception of Agent Elect, Hossein also managed Airline Affairs for the Dubai National Air Travel Agency, where he was responsible for the development and negotiation of all commercial and operational aspects of 60 plus general and passenger sales agents.

Radha Patel - Associate Director of The Futures Company, a global strategic insight and innovation consultancy. She will offer insight into the current and future consumer landscape, reflecting on her personal experiences working with tour operators and travel agents and her recent research about the impact technology will have on travel in the future.

Jeff Strachan - Marriott International's Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Middle East and Africa, who will talk about how Marriott International is re-energising its core brand. He will also reflect on the start of his career in 1992 when he worked as a resort representative for the AITO operator, Keycamp, compared with his current global role at Marriott.

Kerry Baggott - lifestyle journalist at ITP, one of Dubai's biggest publishing houses, will present a fascinating insight into what life is really like in Dubai and offer destination selling tips. While on the surface Dubai is an incredibly Westernised and an easy place to visit, there are still strict rules and regulations, and tourists need to be aware of these unwritten rules. 

Evo Hannan - a Dubai-based teacher who will reveal exactly how he turned a struggling art department in an English speaking private school into a thriving success by applying business strategy – and how independent travel companies can use the same techniques to revitalise their businesses.   

Sustainable tourism – the good, the bad and the life-changing

By Rachel Jelley, Product Manager and Responsible Tourism Manager at Sunvil Discovery

Working for a tour operator for the past decade has opened my eyes to the complex – and, at times, narrow-sighted - world of the tourism industry. I have learnt that life is not black and white, that the development of a tourism product can have profound positive and negative impacts and that tourism must be tailored to suit the requirements of individual destinations.

I have seen how some countries perceive tourism as the answer to all of their problems, envisaging thousands of visitors, jobs for construction workers and tourism providers, economic diversification and international awareness. I have observed how poorly-planned and accelerated tourism development can result in bankrupt half-built hotels, tourism demand without the necessary accompanying infrastructure, problems of seasonality and unengaged and frustrated local suppliers and residents.

I have also witnessed the passion and enthusiasm that a local hotelier or guide has for their destination and how their stories can enrich a visitor’s holiday experience and memories. How a farmer has managed to diversify his source of income and safeguard his future by inviting guests into his home. How tourism jobs have stopped young people leaving villages and towns in search of employment. How tourism has led to the preservation and restoration of historical attractions, increased local pride and how, for example in the Azores, conservation of cetacean species has led to the creation of a new, thriving and highly-regarded whale-watching industry.

The more I speak to people in the places that Sunvil features, the more I realise how fragile are the attractions of a destination – natural, physical and man-made. Destinations, and the people who live and work there, are not mere toys which we, as tour operators, can play with, mould as we desire and then dump on the arrival of a new present. We need to take care of our destinations, to help develop them sensibly and sustainably and to protect them for generations to come.

It is not easy. Tour operators are businesses - we need to sell holidays to survive and we need to sell the holidays that our clients demand. Do clients demand sustainable tourism products? Some do, but they are in a minority. But does that mean that we should not make small changes to ensure that our holiday programmes become more sustainable? If anything, I believe that it means that we should do much more. We should allow our customers to have the holiday of their dreams in the knowledge that we, as operators, have chosen sustainable products and that we ensure that local people are earning a fair wage and not being exploited.

We cannot change the world as individuals, but we can make a difference - and this, to me, is what sustainable tourism is about. It is about small changes which, when added together, can make a significant difference to a host community and to the protection of natural resources.

All too often I think that we, as an industry, get caught up in the terminology of ‘sustainable tourism’ and are scared by a subject about which we feel unsure. We often put it into a pigeonhole believing it to be a niche product when, in fact, it is relevant to every tourism business and should be integrated into our day-to-day operations.

We must challenge ourselves to make the change! For example, during my time as product manager, I have increased my selection of owner-managed properties and hotels that offer the chance to sample local cuisine, and have placed greater emphasis on educating my clients about the local culture, visitor attractions and traditionally-produced souvenirs. This in turn has helped to increase the economic benefits that my clients generate for our destinations. Sunvil works very closely with destination tourist boards to develop sensitive tourism products which promote local produce and traditions, and we encourage our suppliers to utilise the tools developed by The Travel Foundation and the Travelife Sustainability System to improve their environmental and social performance - and to save money. Small changes - but every bit counts.

We can challenge ourselves to run a marathon and climb a mountain, so why not challenge ourselves to make one change or addition to our holiday programmes this year that will benefit the destinations in which we operate?

Guest experiences can be enhanced through the adoption of sustainable business practices and from the passion and care exuded by local suppliers, agents and representatives. This, in turn, generates repeat business and improved reputation through word of mouth. As a product manager, there is no greater reward than that of guest satisfaction and the knowledge that your suppliers are happy to work with you and to welcome your guests.

This article recently appeared in AITO and AITO Agents' regular column in Travel Bulletin (www.travelbulletin.co.uk).  

AITO FAM trip report: Travel Club Elite discovers China with Wendy Wu

By Elaine Barnes of the Birmingham-based AITO Agent, Travel Club Elite

Fam trip report: discovering China with Wendy Wu

FAM trips and personal holidays are a very important sales tool for all of the staff at Travel Club Elite. Within the team, we go on 8 to10 FAM trips every year and we try to ensure that everyone in the office has the chance to experience one. Our Managing Director recognises that it is vital for everyone in the company to experience the holidays that we offer; that way, we can all pass on our knowledge to customers and colleagues.

One of our most recent FAM trips was an eight-day visit to China in November 2012 with the AITO operator, Wendy Wu. So, what did see, do and learn about the destination? The trip kicked off in Shanghai – ‘the Paris of the East’ – with a visit to the exotic Yu Gardens. ‘Yu’ in Chinese means ‘pleasing and satisfying’ and it certainly was – it felt like a little oasis in the centre of busy city. The gardens have an interesting history too, built for the parents of Pan Yunduan, a government officer of the Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644).

We moved onto Shanghai’s Old Town - a perfect combination of gardens, temples, old architecture, civil culture, business, souvenirs and food – and then strolled along the banks of Huangpu River, taking in buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. I was in awe of the huge spectrum of buildings, which were particularly magnificent during our evening cruise. Although the city has crowds, traffic and commercialism, I will always remember the night view and the building structures that this city is famous for.

We then flew to Guilin - considered to be the pearl of China's thriving tourist industry on account of its natural beauty and historic treasures. The strangely-shaped hills, together with crystal-clear waters and wonderful caves, make the city a very appealing destination.

    

The Reed Flute Cave was a highlight – it’s a spectacular cave created by water erosion and boasts a variety of stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations. Its name comes from the verdant reeds growing nearby, with which locals make flutes. Be warned - you will be hounded by sellers in and around the caves. We also took a Li River Cruise in Guilin, meandering slowly past villages, water buffalo and rice paddies, with school kids and fisherman floating by on bamboo rafts.

              

Another flight then took us to the former ancient capital of Xian, which included a visit to the Muslim Quarter. It offers authentic locally-made Muslim food, including steamed stuffed buns of Jiasan. Xian is a ‘must see’ – totally authentic, oozing with culture and no Nandos or McDonalds to spoil the landscape!

We also witnessed the Terracotta Warriors here, figures created 2,000 years ago to accompany Qin Shihuang into the afterlife. This did not disappoint - it felt like entering a sacred house where hushed whispers of awe filled the air. Although I researched the Warriors, I didn’t expect them to be life-size. I was also surprised to see that excavations are on-going, with archaeologists still painstakingly dusting away at the many broken pieces of pottery. Over 7,000 soldiers, horses and chariots have been unearthed and restored so far. 

                                          

Next, we took a morning flight to Beijing, China’s capital city. One of the obvious highlights was a visit to Tiananmen Square in the city centre, including the Forbidden City, the world’s largest palace complex. The Last Emperor was filmed here and the history behind it is fascinating.  Our tour guide explained how the Emperors lived here together with hundreds of staff, at times treating them very cruelly.

Finally, the best part of our trip was saved until last - The Great Wall - one of the wonders of the world. I was so excited to walk the wall, which has been on my bucket-list for many years. Our climb up to the first section was gruelling, but worth it. The sight of the wall snaking along the mountains was glorious. I took time away from the other tourists to find a peaceful spot in which to absorb this famous sight.

It was then time to say farewell to China.  My journey was over too soon and, before I knew it, we were being pampered by the BA crew once again. Thank you Wendy Wu!

This article recently appeared in AITO and AITO Agents' regular column in Travel Bulletin (www.travelbulletin.co.uk).  

AITO Agents 'go blue' for Just a Drop fundraising campaign

 

AITO Agent, Colchester Travel, marked World Water Day (22 March) by dressing up in some blue sparkling attire and holding a charity cake sale for clients!

 

This fundraising activity is part of AITO Specialist Travel Agents’ campaign to raise £20,000 over six months in aid of Just a Drop. These funds will enable three villages in Uganda to be provided with boreholes, supporting and improving the lives of over 6,000 people.

 

All 120 AITO Agent members are organising an array of local fundraising events and activities from January to June 2013 in order to reach the target.

Image shows (left to right): Sharon Penszor, Paul Bennett and Fiona Coburn.

AITO Agents set for five-star FAM trips in Sri Lanka and Italy

 

 

Members of AITO Specialist Travel Agents will enjoy FAM trips to Sri Lanka with AITO operator If Only and to Southern Italy with AITO operator Classic Collection Holidays

The top five AITO Agents in AITO’s All Stars incentive scheme 2012 will enjoy a trip to Sri Lanka (7-15 May) courtesy of specialist operator If Only. Participants - from Beaver Travel, RB Collection, Deva Travel, Travellers World and The Travel Bureau - will enjoy highlights including a visit to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, a climb to the top of the Sigiriya Rock and a safari in the Yala National Park, boasting the highest density of leopards anywhere in the world.

The AITO All Stars scheme recognises those AITO Agents who have achieved the best results when selling holidays offered by AITO operators.

Further AITO Agent members will enjoy a FAM trip to Southern Italy with Classic Collection Holidays (24 to 29 April), exploring Sorrento, the Amalfi coast and Ischia. Guests will include Cockermouth Travel, RB Collection, Scott Travel, Bakewell Travel, Millington Travel, Westoe Travel and Feherty Travel. 

Chairman of AITO Agents, Oliver Broad, says: “It’s great to reward some of our members with these fantastic AITO operator-led FAM trips, especially those who achieved the greatest sales in the AITO All Stars scheme last year. The trips will not only educate the agents about these two beautiful destinations, but also bring together those in similar positions around the UK to discuss how agents can strengthen their position in the market place.”