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knowledge
ttglive.com
Abta 2008 review
October 6-9 ■ Gran Canaria ■ ttglive.com/abta
The Travel Convention
So how was the Travel
Convention for you?
Abta’s Travel Convention was a roaring success again this
downturn is like a pit-stop, and that those
companies that make the best repairs will be
year. Olivia Hemmings caught up with TTG’s 15 Roving
the ones that succeed] will be used in my
Readers to get all the goss from the business sessions,
future team talks,” he says.
networking opportunities and the glitzy social events
The Generation Game session was also a
big hit, and the most useful for Keith Relf
from Bookable Holidays. It explained the
I
t’s not every day agents get the chance purchasing habits of different generations,
to rub shoulders with the industry’s and the need for different selling techniques
elite, quiz them on hot issues affecting for each. “I now have a greater understanding
business, and swap contacts with peers of how to sell to them, and what products
and suppliers over tapas, sangria and salsa. and holidays they will go for,” he says.
Last year, our team of Roving Readers were A popular masterclass was Cruising for
charged with getting the lowdown from the Value, which emphasised the need to sell
business sessions, masterclasses and social cruises as a value-for-money product.
events at Abta’s convention in Tenerife. The “One tip for selling all-inclusive or full-
outcome was such a success that this year we board was to break down the total cost to a
got together with event hosts Abta, Avro and daily value. Customers can see how much
they get for their money,” says Tracey
Selmes from Yorks/First Choice.
Delegates also enjoyed the business session
by Henry Stewart, founder and chief executive
the Gran Canaria Tourist Board to take even of training company Happy, which advocates
more frontline agents to Gran Canaria to get a happy work environment to breed success.
their feedback from the event. For Ryan Inman at Cruise Thomas Cook,
Ben Poole, of Traveltalk, says: “To be able Stewart’s presentation gave him lots of ideas
to listen to quality speakers was inspiring. I on how to motivate his team, while for Lisa
was overwhelmed with the superb organisa- McEwan from First Choice, it inspired her to
tion and professional tone of the event.” start thinking “outside the box”.
“I learned a lot from ‘Mr Happy’, such as
not being afraid to try something new and
BEST PRESENTATIONS. the power of empowerment,” she claims.
One of the most impressive and memorable
speakers, according to Chris Iphofen from SOCIAL HIGHLIGHTS.
First Choice, was Malcolm Preston from
PricewaterhouseCoopers. Another convention highlight was the
“He was very upbeat and I learned lots opportunity to hob-nob with some of the
from him. His Grand Prix analogy [that this industry’s big cheeses. Claire Hall from Hays
46 24.10.2008
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