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We share the highlights, sights and sounds from Lake Bled in this very special Insight.

Conference Special

The Travel Network Group - Championing the Independent Travel Market

Corporate Travel Solutions

Gary Lewis, Managing Director of The Travel Network Group, gave a passionate and inspiring speech at the opening session of the ‘Shaping Your Future’ conference in Slovenia.

Speaking at the Lake Bled event, he outlined the four pillars of the group’s strategy to help members increase sales and profitability. Talking about the first pillar, ‘Scale’, he told delegates: “For us to deliver the best commercial deals to our members we need a growing and diverse membership, touching all parts of the travel market, will help us to negotiate with our business partners,”

He said the scale of membership comes from the range of different membership propositions starting with Worldchoice, Worldchoice Plus and TTA, supported by the homeworking brand - Independent Travel Experts - and luxury franchise brand Adeona Travel. As well as Corporate Solutions, the group’s business travel offering. The Travel Network Group now has 840 members and is seeing organic growth across its seven membership models, the conference heard.

The second pillar is making sure members are able to take advantage of ‘Opportunities’ created from changing markets and regulation, demonstrated by the group’s development of Honeycomb and ATOL Angel – which have been put in place to meet the industry’s dynamic packaging and regulatory changes.

Delegates heard from Bill Pickering, Head of Projects, about how Honeycomb offers 20 business partners under the groups ATOL, and now has 400 members using it each month. New accommodation providers and Eurostar have also just been added to the system, which will increase the number of suppliers significantly. Bill said: “We want to make it the best dynamic packaging system in the industry.”

Another of the ‘Opportunities’ for members comes from the range of membership models, and Helen Burgess, Membership Director, told the conference about how the group can help businesses ranging from start-ups, to those with ambitious growth

02 Contentsinsight 02 Welcomeinsight

05

09 16

08

02-03 Welcome from Gary Lewis

04 A Tribute to Colin Heal

05 Customer Service Secrets with Andrew McMillan

06 The outlook of travel in 2013

07 Lake Bled

08-09 Its all about you and Shaping Your Future

10 Green shoots of recovery?

11 Invent the future with Travelport

12 Is ditching the brochure the right thing to do?

15 A view from the top – CAA and Tax Advice

Contents

Editorial input was provided by Alexis Coles-Barrasso and Laura Greaves. Many thanks to all the members that helped with the magazine. We would like to hear from you if you have any interesting content for the next magazine. Get in touch with Marketing on: marketing@thetravelnetworkgroup.co.uk.

Explore Your Inner Strength – Billy Gammon‘s Story16

Shaping Your FutureGary Lewis opened the conference to all delegates in Lake Bled.

03 insightWelcome from Gary Lewis

plans. Members can move between the membership models to get the best fit for their business.

Replacing the ABTA licence with a TTA membership for the managed services membership model has enabled Worldchoice Plus to attract high street and large online players to benefit from the TTA ATOL solution and provide 100% financial protection.

The third strategic pillar identifies the ‘Solutions’ The Travel Network Group provides for its membership models, including the payment solutions ACAS and TAPs, supplier failure cover, credit card facilities, licence to trade and offers financial protection to customers.

For the fourth strategic pillar, ‘Growth’, the group has recruited a new Marketing Director, Si Prentice, who was introduced to delegates with a video message. Gary told delegates: “We absolutely believe that you know how to close a customer sale, but we should be seen by you as an asset to help bring in a customer and you close that sale – we should be able to deliver unique product for you, with added value, product with benefit plus benefit plus benefit. “We must get you exclusive, differentiated product so it is hard for the customer to get another price and product elsewhere that compares.”

To deliver the growth strategy for members, the group will offer a range of marketing benefits, including advertising in traditional media such as The Daily Express, data segmentation, marketing workshops and mobile app technology. The advantage of national newspaper advertising is that members can reach customers in a way that

they may not otherwise do. “It has been trialled and tested, and we have seen some significant results,” said Gary.

Database segmentation is advocated by Terry Leahy, former CEO of Tesco, who talked about how successful it was for the supermarket giant, helping sales to “go off the scale”, commented Gary.

“We can do what Tesco does well and bring this to you the member,” he told delegates. He said trials of data segmentation had boosted year-on-year sales in one Wigan store by 47% and in a Sheffield branch by 35%.

Delegates heard from Bill Pickering, Head of Projects, about how Honeycomb offers 20 business partners under the group ATOL, and now has 400 members using it each month.

“It is all due to understanding the product and personalising it to that member - and Wigan and Sheffield are very different markets,” he added.

Closing his presentation about the four pillars, Gary outlined the new values-based programme that he and his senior team had introduced in to the business around STEPs: Supportive, Target-Focused, Entrepreneurial, Passionate. “We love this industry – its passion and energy – and we have to display that on your behalf to deliver the commitments we make to you,” he told the conference.

02 Contentsinsight 04 Tribute to Colin Healinsight

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Tribute to Colin Heal

Gary Lewis told the conference: “Colin was instrumental in us choosing Lake Bled for the conference, and he was very excited about coming to Slovenia. He was a great advocate of our conferences, always showing a great deal of enthusiasm for the event. Colin had many friends both in the company and across the industry. He will be missed greatly by all who knew him.”

Colin originally trained as an industrial chemist working in the oil industry and then spent a great deal of his career with the RAF. He was awarded the MBE in 1966; the OBE in 1976 and The Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal in 1977 for his services to the RAF.

Following his retirement from the RAF, Colin went on to have a long and successful career in the travel industry. He retired as Chairman of Worldchoice in 2012 and, in recognition of his significant contribution to the company, was made Lifetime President of Worldchoice. It was at this time that the parent company rebranded its corporate name to The Travel Network Group.

On 18th September 2013 there will be a Memorial Service for Colin’s many friends and colleagues organised by The Travel Network Group.

It was with great sadness that Colin Heal, Lifetime President of Worldchoice, passed away at the conference.

Colin had many friends both in the company and across the industry. He will be missed greatly by all who knew him.

Colin Heal with his wife Valerie at the Welcome Party at Lake Bled in May 2013

05 insightCustomer Service Secrets

Customer service guru shares secrets with conference

Speaking at the conference in Lake Bled, Slovenia, the customer care expert also shared his experiences gleaned from his 28 years at John Lewis.

His session kicked off with a clip from the Royle Family sit-com, with the characters discussing an incident in John Lewis.

“If you’re going to wet yourself anywhere, you will want to wet yourself in John Lewis,” says Barbara Royle.

Andrew quipped: “That was my proudest moment in 28 years at John Lewis!”

Looking at the example of Virgin Atlantic, he said: “They have a distinctive corporate personality in a commoditised market.”

And with Harley Davidson, he outlined how the motorcycle manufacturer revamped its image, to the extent that people even have the logo tattooed on their bodies.

He hailed First Direct, showing an advertisement with customers praising the call centre staff, and commented: “Loyalty and advocacy are critical. If people love you, they will come back to you for everything.”

Ritz-Carlton’s mantra “Welcome, Wanted, Remembered, Cared For” was also praised by Andrew, especially as it was so easy for staff to recall and take on board.

Another mantra he shared with delegates was John Lewis’s approach to recruitment: “Hire on attitude…fire on attitude”,

noting that recruits who did not show the right attitude could be removed after six weeks.

His advice to sales staff at the shops was: “Do what you think is right” and saw his team produce “intangible” reactions from customers such as: “John Lewis is more than just a shop, it is like home”.

He rounded off his presentation with two examples of John Lewis’s famous customer care ethic. The first was an assistant who used his tie to help a customer secure her car boot after she’d brought too many items to fit inside…and the second was a mum who went into labour in the shop, and ended up calling her son John Lewis in gratitude for the help she received.

“It’s a good job she didn’t go into labour in Dorothy Perkins!” commented Andrew.

During his time at John Lewis, Andrew used a simple graph to divide typical workers up into four groups, based on their attitude and energy levels.

Staff could be the ‘walking dead’, ‘spectators’, ‘cynics’ or ‘players’.

He told a workshop break-out session at the conference that it was a useful device for managers to use when talking to staff who were underperforming.

Responding to a question about how to deal with such staff, he advised: “You need to be 100% truthful and 100% kind.”

He admitted it was difficult to start such a conversation but if such an image is a familiar sight on staff noticeboards, then it’s easier to start with “You’re in the ‘walking dead’ box today!”

Managers can try to help staff overcome problems but if nothing improves after several such conversations, then dismissal is the only option.

“If you do not deal with it…the other people in your team know about it, so it reflects really badly on you,” he told the workshop.

When asked about how to measure performance, he

advocated employee surveys, although these would not suit a small agency of about eight staff or fewer.

Mystery shopping exercises are also useful, Andrew said, but admitted they could be expensive options for small companies. Instead, he suggested customer focus groups and SWOT analysis, involving clients in a debate about the agency’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

All it would cost is the prices of some beers or coffees, and pizza or sandwiches, he added.

Customer care expert Andrew McMillan hailed the likes of Virgin Atlantic, Ritz-Carlton, Harley Davidson and First Direct in his inspiring presentation to The Travel Network Group.

Responding to a question about how to deal with such staff, he advised: “You need to be 100% truthful and 100% kind.”

02 Contentsinsight 06 The Outlook of Travel 2013insight

He told the conference that the market has been in decline but there is now strong evidence of improvement and the outlook is reasonably optimistic. “Last year was hit by distractions such as major High Street failures, the Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics and wet weather, but consumers are now looking to spend more,” he said during the event at Lake Bled in Slovenia.

Whilst the total market is showing a 2% decline overall package sales have grown by +2% illustrating positive demand. It is largely being driven by growth for all-inclusive holidays, which now account for 1 in 2 bookings. Although the cruise market is not doing so well, despite its investment in new ships and great value for money offers, Martin commented.

For summer 2013, average revenue is up 3%, with Tunisia seeing the most growth, with it now outselling any of the Spainsh Costas, Portugal and Italy. Lanzarote, Mexico, Croatia and France are also performing well. The top fallers so far this summer have been affected by capacity cuts, and include Turkey, Cyprus and the Costa Blanca.

In terms of booking channels it’s Direct that is growing slightly ahead of the High Street. But during times of uncertainty, such as when Thomas Cook was receiving its negative media coverage, bookings through the High Street grew significantly. “Family bookings are bucking the negative trend and continue to grow, and families have reacted well to the message about the importance of booking early,” he said. “More early bookings mean

there will be less need to discount in the coming months, although this could reignite the debate about school term-time holidays.”

Martin outlined how ‘A Preferred Partners’ program will be introduced and rolled out over the rest of the year to allow the Group to drive sales towards those suppliers that provide it with the most compelling proposition overall. He urged members to support it.

Martin concluded: “ The continued development of Honeycomb will be pivotal in our commercial plans and with its’ ability to enable members to manage their own margin we intend to secure more unique product content and this will ensure we pro-actively embrace the changing market place.”

Family bookings buck negative trend The outlook for travel in 2013 is looking better than 2012, according to Martin Andrew, Group Commercial Director.

To order brochures or to find out more call

0800 988 5800 or visit www.titanagents.co.uk

Edwina, Craig and everyone at Titan, wish to express their genuine appreciation for this award and your continued support throughout 2013.

THANKS A MILLION!

THANK YOU FOR VOTING TITAN TRAVEL THE BEST TOURING OPERATOR

07 insightLake Bled

Lake Bled: The Best Kept Secret Talking to the delegates at the Shaping Your Future Conference in Lake Bled, the most common words to describe this little gem were “Breathtaking”, “Beautiful”, “Enchanting” and “Incredible”. Only a short flight from the UK and about 25 minute transfer from Ljubljana airport, Lake Bled really is Europe’s best kept secret.

The emerald green lake is the focus of this historic small town, with hotels and restaurants dotted around its shores. Bled is surrounded by the Julian Alps and features a medieval castle clinging to the rock face and a picture-postcard church situated on a tiny island on the lake.

Bled is Slovenia’s most popular resort, drawing everyone from honeymooners lured by the over-the-top romantic setting to families, who come for the swimming, hiking, biking and adventure activities.

Ljubljana is serviced by:

Easyjet - London Stansted-Ljubljana

Adria Airways - Manchester-Ljubljana (Adria is Slovenia’s national carrier)

Wizz Air - London Luton - Ljubljana

It is also possible to transfer from Venice Marco Polo (approximately 3 hours). Our transfers were provided by M Tours.

Delegates stayed in The Grand Hotel Toplice, the Golf Hotel and the Park Hotel, all operated by Sava Hotels & Resorts, and were treated to lake view bedrooms.

Top 10 things to do in Lake Bled

1. The LakeWalk around the lake (approximately 6km).

Swim in the summer months. The temperature of the lake reaches up to 25°C in the summer and gets ice covered in winter.

2. Bled Castle According to written sources, the oldest castle in Slovenia, first mentioned in 1011.

The castle terraces offer spectacular views of the lake and the island, down the Dežela area with Lesce and Radovljica and over to the mountain ranges of the Karavanke and the Julian Alps.

3. Gondola Ride on the Lake With the sunshine beaming on the lake this really is the only way to see the beauty Lake Bled has to offer- Gondolas depart regularly from the shore of the lake.

4. Bled Island & ChurchThe lake surrounds Bled Island, the only natural island in Slovenia. There are 99 steps leading up to a 17th century church. Traditionally it is considered good luck for the groom to carry his bride up the 99 steps on the day of their wedding before ringing the bell and making a wish inside the church.

5. Tobogganing Nestled in the hill side this exhilarating attraction gives you the opportunity to see the lake whilst whizzing down the hillside.

6. White Water Rafting Just a short drive from Bled you will find numerous companies offering the chance to experience white water rafting. With breath taking scenery and crystal clear waters this really is the best way to see this fantastic country, however not for the faint hearted!

7. Cream Cake!The Famous Bled cake is a must when visiting Lake Bled, with its light sponge and tantalizing soft fluffy cream, be sure to grab a piece before you leave!

8. GolfWith a variety of Golf courses around Slovenia be sure to book your round of golf whilst in resort the perfect place to tee off!

9. HikingHiking in and around Lake Bled will showcase the natural and picturesque scenery this area has to offer, there is an abundance of coffee shops and bars around the Lake should you get thirsty on your hike!

10. Vintgar GorgeThe 1.6 km long Vintgar gorge is graced by the Radovna with its waterfalls, pools and rapids. The educational trail leads you over wooden bridges and Žumr’s galleries, and ends with a bridge overlooking the mighty 13 m high Šum waterfall.

02 Contentsinsight 08 Conferenceinsight

Headline SponsorsThe Travel Network Group is proud to have had the following Business Partners headlining at the conference:

Business Partner Forum: A2BTransfers, All Leisure Group (formerly Page & Moy), All of America, APT Touring, Atlantic Holidays, Attraction World, Balkan Holidays, Bedsonline, Bedswithease, Cox & Kings, Destinations of the World, Explore Worldwide, Fred Olsen, Funway, Getabed, Great Rail Journeys, Holiday Autos, Hurtigruten, Insight, JTA Travel Group, Keycamp, Kirker, Leger, Mark Warner, Medhotels/Flexible Trips, MSC Cruises, North America Travel Service, On Holiday Group, Regent Seven Seas, RCCL – Azamara, The Holiday Team, MedHotels & TrustTrips, Thomas Cook (Tour Ops), Totalstay, Travelcube, USAirtours, Viking River Cruise, Wendy Wu, Western & Oriental, YouHotels.

Event SponsorsC:1 M:19 Y:100 K:0R:255 G:204 B:0Hex: #FFCC00

C:65 M:57 Y:56 K:34R:81 G:81 B:81Hex: #515151

C:22 M:100 Y:54 K:7R:185 G:30 B:83Hex: #B91E53

C:85 M:48 Y:35 K:10R:41 G:108 B:132Hex: #296C84

You all made it one of the most successful conferences ever seen so enjoy below some of the most memorable sights and scenes of a wonderful conference at the truly breathtaking Lake Bled.

It’s all about YOU!A spectacular venue. Wonderful guests. An unforgettable experience.

09 insightConference

Shaping your future Travel Awards 2013

Best Accommodation Provider – Bedsonline

Best Ancilliary Products Provider – Holiday Extras

Best Car Hire Operator – Holiday Autos

Best Cruise Operator – Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

Best Long Haul Operator & Best Luxury Operator – Kuoni

Best Short Haul Operator – Classic Collection

Best Touring Operator – Titan Travel

Best Short Breaks Operator – Superbreak

Worldchoice Member of the Year – Bridget Keevil, Travelstop

TTA Member of the Year – Helder and Celia Lemos Gallivant Travel Agency

Trade Friendly Operator & Best Consolidator – Travel 2

ITE Member of the Year – Alan Hughes

Business Travel Agent of the Year – Supersonic Travel

All the winners at this years event are honoured below with our heartfelt congratulations to all this years winners and a big thank you for all your hard work and support!

One of the most eagerly anticipated events at the conference are the Travel Awards and this year’s event was one not to be missed.

02 Contentsinsight 10 Green Shoots of Recovery?insight

When it comes to your travel business, we’re here to support and guide you.

Our team of experts provide specialist advice to our travel clients to help them grow and structure their businesses in a tax efficient way and for the benefit of the individual stakeholders.

Our specialist services include:

Licensing (ATOL, ABTA, IATA)•

VAT (TOMS and Agency VAT)•

Corporate Finance (Fundraising to Flotations)•

International (Offshore Structures)•

Employment Incentives Schemes•

Corporate restructuring and recovery•

Research and development tax credit claims •

Contact us For more information, please contact Andrew Burnham on 0207 429 4100 or email at andrew.burnham@mhllp.co.ukwww.macintyrehudson.co.uk

MHA Macintyre Hudson is the trading name of Macintyre Hudson LLP, a limited liability partnership, registered in England with registered number OC312313. A list of partners’ names is open for inspection at its registered office, 201 Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 1LZ. Registered to carry on audit work in the United Kingdom and regulated for a range of investment business activities by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. An independent member of MHA, a national association of UK accountancy firms. UK member of Morison International with independent member firms worldwide. The term “partner” or “partners” indicates that the person (or persons) in question is (or are) a member(s) of Macintyre Hudson LLP or an employee or consultant of its affiliated businesses with equivalent standing and qualifications. Partners and directors acting as administrators or administrative receivers or receivers contract as agents and without personal liability. Further information and links to the respective regulators and appointed individuals’ qualifications can be found via our website www.macintyrehudson.co.uk.

Are we seeing green shoots of recovery?

Andrew Burnham, head of the travel and leisure team at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, explained how the economy “fell into the bath tub with a bump” in 2008.

He showed the picture of GDP growth since then, which has mirrored the shape of a bath tub, and now there are signs of the economy getting out of its prolonged dip.

In 2012, GDP growth was 0.2% and inflation was 2.8% - but earnings growth was still lagging behind at 2.1%. However, consumer spending power is on the up, at 1%, and business investment rose 4.9%, although both figures need to be stronger, said Andrew.

Asking if there are any green shoots of recovery, he told delegates: “There are some strong signs coming through.”

He pointed to the revival of bank profits, a booming stock market, the housing market picking up, a rising rate of mortgage lending, the growth of the service sector, increased business confidence and the fact that the US economy is “taking off”.

However, threats remain, such as European bailouts, the Chinese “debt bubble”, the equity market bubble,

interest rate increases and another four years of austerity measures.

But in the longer term, there are “stronger numbers coming through”, he added, saying average earnings growth will be above inflation for the first time in many years.

The GDP growth forecast for 2014 onwards is above 2% while exchange rate changes could favour the revival of short breaks in Europe.

The recession has meant the loss of 9m holidays but the situation could have been worse as people still prioritised travel in many cases, he explained.

“The future is looking brighter and we are seeing signs of what could be a strong recovery,” he told the conference.

There are signs that the UK economy is climbing out of the ‘bath tub’ recession, members heard at The Travel Network Group Conference.

11 insightInvent the Future

Travelport boss: ‘Let’s invent the future together’

He told The Travel Network Group Conference in Slovenia how the Millennial Generation - those who are now in their teenage years - are called digital natives because mobile devices and social media channels are second nature to them.

“By 2025, they will be 75% of the workforce,” he said.

Simon, who is the UK & Ireland managing director for Travelport, urged agents to start as soon as possible with the latest technology, as they will be better off in the long term.

“Let’s invent the future together,” he said, echoing the conference theme of ‘Shaping Your Future’.

He bombarded the audience with breathtaking statistics about the exponential growth of the internet, mobile devices and social media.

In the past 10 years, the world has seen the invention of Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Groupon - and travel has been affected by non-travel brands such as Microsoft, which established Expedia.

A third of the world’s population is now online, he said, with much of the growth coming from emerging economies.

There are more smartphones than PCs and notebooks, and in the UK, smartphone penetration has reached 73%.

He asked delegates to hand their mobiles to the person next to them, so they could

experience the sensation of ‘nomophobia’ – the fear of being without a mobile device – which apparently affects more and more people nowadays.

People check their devices as much as 150 times a day and 87% of business travellers sleep with their mobiles.

Turning to the Facebook phenomenon, he said one in nine people are now on the social networking giant, and 42% of all content is travel-related.

Tour operators are switching onto the potential of social media, with Thomas Cook and TUI shops integrating such channels into their new shop designs, while Thomas Cook is monitoring social chatter online 24/7.

Another potential game-changer for travel is the development of Google Glass, which streams social media data in front of users’ eyes.

It could mean that people going to an airport will see where there is a car parking space, or get departures information, or retail offers, all on the screen before their eyes.

“All this makes information more fragmented so it is an opportunity for agents to put this all together in a meaningful way,” he advised delegates.

He outlined Travelport products which can help agents to do this, such as a new app, launched as a prototype for The Travel Network Group members to help customers with their trips.

Other products include Universal Desktop which helps agents compile their own point-of-sale system.

“As for investment, we are talking about hundreds of pounds, not thousands - it is all about a state of mind,” he said.

To see his presentation at the conference, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzuKU7ytFdo

Simon Ferguson, the boss of Travelport in the UK and Ireland, urged agents to use technology in a compelling way - and not to be scared of it.

People check their devices as much as 150 times a day and 87% of business travellers sleep with their mobiles.

In a video broadcast to delegates at The Travel Network Group Conference in Slovenia, he explained how the move came about because of a lack of storage space in his Guernsey premises.

It means that customers have to speak to staff, who have years of experience and knowledge.

Then, when the clients get home, there is a personalised brochure which has been emailed to them.

“It means they will not book elsewhere,” said Fred.

“We have lost the bookings that do not matter, so we have fewer bookings but the value per booking is up - our overheads are down and income is up.”

He told the delegates how much the agency has changed since its formation in Guernsey 20 years ago, with branches now added in Bristol, Oxford, Bromley and Jersey.

“We see changes every six months - such as zero commission from the airlines, reduced commission, fees, the internet - so we have to change,” he said.

“We’ve had to react to SARS and 9/11, and we’ve changed our shop fronts and interiors a lot.

“Every cell in your body changes every seven years - so we all have to adapt and embrace change.”

Other travel agents from The Travel Network Group also shared their experiences and tips for success on video at the conference.

They included Claire Body, an Independent Travel Experts homeworker, who is just 18 months into her new role.

Using expertise from her previous position with a ski tour operator, she has managed to turn over £275,000 in her first year.

She works with her local dry ski slope as an affiliated travel agent, and organised an open day which attracted 300+ people.

“I am still reaping the rewards from that,” she told delegates.

She has secured a slot with BBC Radio Bristol to talk about travel, giving her great exposure, and also hosts get-togethers, such as a joint Collette Holidays/RHS gardening event.

Her efforts have paid off as she has recently won the Travel Weekly Homeworker of the Year Award.

Another great case study came from Alan Hughes, an ITE homeworker of 13 months, from North Wales.

He’s taken his business mobile, visiting homes and offices to see clients, and as a result, his business is growing.

Alan is also seeing success thanks to branding himself as ‘Travel Boy’ and keeping his profile up on social media channels (@alantravelboy).

Cannon Travel, a Worldchoice agency with branches in Hoddesdon and Ware, attributes its success to its staff’s knowledge, expertise and service.

Kevin Brooks said his agents have at least 20 years of experience and the agency has a “great reputation” locally.

“We push our name out there locally, with the papers, events

and charities,” he told delegates in a video.

One example of the great service his firm offers is the fact that they worked for 18 months to win back £2,000 for a client who had been let down by a tour operator.

The agency has been doing well at the bottom end of the market, with day trips, and at the top end too, with tailormade itineraries.

Kevin is also seeing a return for the middle section of the market, the mums, dads and two kids, who appear to be coming back to travel agents.

Daniel Ox, of TTA member Como Street Travel, is also strong in the luxury, niche end of the market, with his Ocean Florida and Winged Boots brands.

“We want to focus on our customer journey, selling an experience rather than just a holiday,” he said to delegates in a video.

He advised agents to capture as much data as possible about clients, which helps lower marketing costs in these days of email campaigns.

Ditch the brochure? Right said FredDropping brochures from your agency can boost the value of your bookings, according to Fred Eulenkamp, of TravelSolutions.

02 Contentsinsight 12 Ditch the Brochure?insight

“We have lost the bookings that do not matter, so we have fewer bookings but the value per booking is up - our overheads are down and income is up.”

For more information please call 020 8846 2666 or visit agents.hurtigruten.co.uk

Hurtigruten clients are:

• Usually 50+ years and 35+ years for the Winter and Explorer products• Not necessarily cruisers• People who like to be close to wildlife and scenery• People who want a relaxing experience• Experienced travellers• Adventure seekers• Touring clients• Not price driven and are still booking holidays

From the magnifi cent Norwegian fjords to the ice-fi lled bays of Antarctica, Hurtigruten is renowned for its comprehensive and adventurous voyages to some of the most remotely beautiful and dramatic coastlines on the planet.

From winter’s magical Northern Lights to the perpetual daylight of summer’s spectacular Midnight Sun, Norway is a fascinating destination to visit all year round. For those looking to experience lands further afi eld, we offer a choice of expedition voyages to the frozen lands of Svalbard, Greenland, Antarctica as well as a selection of European voyages that embrace the rich maritime and cultural traditions of the continent. And through programmes of enlightening, exciting and pre-bookable excursions the true diversity of the lands, histories and cultures can be fully appreciated.

WHAT AGENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT HURTIGRUTEN

The mesmerising Northern Lights Antarctica – the great white continent Spitsbergen – kingdom of the polar bear The unique culture of Greenland

“We love working with Hurtigruten and have built up a great relationship with the UK Sales Team and overseas Reservation Staff over the years.

We have very successfully escorted Northern Lights groups for the past 6 years and always receive fantastic feedback from the clients. In fact quite often, they go on to book other departures with Hurtigruten.

We fi nd Hurtigruten so easy to sell, it is such a niche product and with the fantastic television programmes on recently such as ‘Penguin – Spy in the Huddle’ and the Joanna Lumley Northern Lights documentary, we have found that Antarctica and the Aurora Borealis bookings are growing rapidly.

We hold at least two promotional events each year where Lucy Hone, our Hurtigruten Rep comes down and puts on a great presentation and we mailshot our clients with regular offers and updates.”

Hannah, Travelworld

“We were an agent that did about 1 booking a year with Hurtigruten.

Meeting our rep Lucy and talking about the Northern Lights changed all that. With her help and support we put a group together and took 31 people on a short break. Since then as our knowledge of the product has grown so have our bookings!

Diane Denney, Somewhere2travel2

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15 insightCAA & Tax Advice

Speaking at the group’s conference in Lake Bled, Slovenia, Andy Cohen - head of ATOL at the CAA - said the association is dealing with some offenders already.

“They cannot walk off scot-free - that has an effect on your business,” he told delegates.

News about the cases has not been released yet but he said the details will come out in the trade papers in the future.

“We tae ATOL breaches very seriously,” he commented, adding that the CAA is prosecuting an individual for not having an agency agreement in place.

His comments came as he updated delegates on ATOL legislation, and praised the trade for its efforts with the ATOL certificate.

He also played a CAA video about ATOL protection, which is available on YouTube, and has so far been viewed more than 500,000 times.

More changes are on the way, however, he said, thanks to the Civil Aviation Act, which means there will be a consultation on bringing airlines into the scope of ATOL protection.

Also, the Package Travel Directive review is due out in June or July and will clarify the scope of protection from the European Commission.

Damon Wright, Director of VAT services for the travel sector team at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, outlined the long-running Med Hotels case with HM Revenue and Customs.

And he said that HMRC is now looking beyond bedbanks and at other agency models instead.

Other issues which are causing some confusion include the dilemma of travel agent discounts, with Damon citing a TUI case which involves an EU principle that VAT is due on the price paid by the consumer.

“I suspect the TUI case may go all the way to Europe but the Revenue will fight it,” he told delegates.

The problem of VAT when organising conferences, events and associated travel is another problem, causing those involved to jump through hoops, said Damon.

“It is being discussed with HMRC and further clarification is needed from Europe,” he added.

VAT on debit and credit card fees is also the subject of cases involving the NEC and SEE Tickets, but a decision is expected soon.

The redraft of the EU Package Travel Directive, due by July, may see more transactions caught up in TOMS, while the entry of Croatia on 1 July into the EU will make a difference to accounting, he told delegates.

Finally, yet another grey area is that of an EU challenge to B2B TOMS in some member states, and a decision from the court is awaited, said Damon.

Andy Cohen CAA on ATOL reform

VAT expert outlines TOMS issuesA tax expert updated delegates from The Travel Network Group about some of the long-standing thorny issues surrounding VAT and TOMS (Tour Operators Margin Scheme).

The Civil Aviation Authority has assured The Travel Network Group that it will act against those who flout ATOL rules.

The problem of VAT when organising conferences, events and associated travel is another problem, causing those involved to jump through hoops, said Damon.

16 insightBilly’s Story

In an emotional final video, he highlighted the motivational work of Nick Vujicic, who has no arms or legs...yet he says ‘be thankful’.

He also entertained delegates with tales of his two epic rowing challenges – the first across the Indian Ocean and the second to the Magnetic North Pole.

Inspired by his father being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Billy decided to “step off the conveyor belt”, leave his advertising career and embark on the team challenge to row across the Indian Ocean…a feat completed by fewer people than have been on the moon.

The foursome rowed for 82 days, two hours on, two hours off and finally arrived in Mauritius in second place.

They raised £350,000 for prostate cancer and raised the profile of the disease, with initiatives such as a free testing programme, which has so far saved eight lives.

His next challenge, to row with a team of six to the Magnetic North Pole, seemed to be doomed to failure when they hit a wall of ice just two miles from their destination.

But not to be deterred, they dragged their boat over the ice to reach their goal.

Billy then outlined his six pillars of success, urging agents to see change as an opportunity and not to be scared of it.

Other key pillars involved motivation and the will to succeed; teamwork; turning risk into reward; and daring to dream.

He also outlined the six Ps: Prior Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance!

We are always looking for members’ stories... if you would

like to feature in our Insight magazine please email the Marketing Team:

marketing@thetravelnetworkgroup.co.uk

Explorer Billy Gammon brought The Travel Network Group’s conference to an inspiring close with his dramatic talk about perseverance, dedication and teamwork.

Explore YOUR inner strength

Pictured: Billy telling his rowing tales at conference

His next challenge, to row with a team of six to the Magnetic North Pole, seemed to be doomed to failure when they hit a wall of ice just two miles from their destination.