Train your staff or pay the price – that’s the message from the panelists taking part in the Travel Agents’ Day big debate during Arabian Travel Market (ATM).
“This panel will discuss why now, more than ever, travel agency owners and managers should be investing in staff training and career development,” said panel chair, ITP Business Publishing senior group editor Gemma Greenwood.
“Now is the time when the travel agencies that survive the current economic environment will be the ones that boast the most skilled workforces.
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“Staff with good product and destination knowledge, strong customer service and relationship management skills, not to mention those who are IT savvy will save the day, but without training and encouragement, their skillsets and ultimately, the success of the agency will suffer.”
Greenwood, who launched the region’s leading travel trade title, Arabian Travel News (ATN), more than three years ago – a magazine that has driven the news agenda and challenged the industry to strive to improve - also stressed the importance of motivating staff during this difficult time.
“Look after your agents and give them goals and career-enhancing opportunities and they will re-pay you handsomely by working to their best abilities,” she added.
ATN’s panel session entitled The Skills Gap: Agency Managers Who Don’t Train Staff Will Pay The Price, will take place at 12.30 on day three (Thursday May 7) of Travel Agents’ Day at ATM.
Panelists will include Dubai Travel and Tour Agents’ Group (DTTAG) manager Leo Fewtrell and TRS Consulting director Sundar Vasudaven, who have long championed the training of travel agents in this region and are currently approaching the Dubai government to discuss agent training possibilities.
Joining them are experienced travel trade professionals, Fabian Fernandes, the general manager of Alpha Travel and Tours and Kanoo Travel manager UAE and Oman Sunil D’Souza, as well as Oman Tourism’s Mark Senior – the king of trade fam trips and training initiatives.
The panelists are also hoping that a representative from Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) will join them.
Travel agents are encouraged to take part in the panel session where healthy debate and an exchange of ideas as to how agent training and career development can be enhanced for all agents working in this region, will be encouraged.
Travel agents are also reminded that ATN will be handing out special agent passports on Travel Agents’ Day, which will give them the opportunity to win a raft of top prizes, from weekends away to a home entertainment system.
Agents must collect their passport with their copy of ATN on Travel Agents’ Day and go to the stand of each participating sponsor where they answer a simple question about their product or service and receive a stamp.
When their passport is completed, agents must hand in the passports to ATN staff or at the ATN or ITP stand, which will then be entered into the prize draw.
The prize-giving ceremony will take place on the Travel Agents’ Stage at 4.45pm.
For more information on the panel session or the passport scheme, contact Gemma Greenwood by emailing gemma.greenwood@itp.com
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