ARTAC DIAMOND REGION OCTOBER 2006 MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON

Transcription

1 ARTAC DIAMOND REGION OCTOBER 2006 MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, 19TH OCTOBER 2006 at hrs PRESENT; Roget Cook Blanche & John Dawling Allan Wintrop June Raitt Gabi & Frank Birbeck Gill Rabbie Lucia & Bernard Kaye Katy & Dinos Savvides Isabelle & Tony Casper Jeff Hyams Tony Radstone Alan Driver ALAN COOK TRAVEL DAWLING TRAVEL FOURWAYS JUNE RAITT TRAVEL RENDEZVOUS TRAVEL RICHARDS TRAVEL RICKMANSWORTH TRAVEL SABRA TRAVEL SWIFTSURE TRAVEL THERMALIA TRAVEL TRAVEL CORPORATION WORLDCHOICE TRAVEL APOLOGIES: Shirley & Ken Howlett, CASTLE TRAVEL

2 THE MEETING commenced with a PRESENTATION by Anna Maria Baccanello from AZURE HOLIDAYS who are based in Chester. She distributed the 2007 Brochures, hot off the press and she emphasised that they were a small Tour Operator, established 5 years ago by Gloria (ex ITC, Elegant Resorts, Carrier) with total commitment to the Independent Travel Agents. Their product varied from the CARIBBEAN, which is 60% of their business, to MEXICO, SOUTH AFRICA, SEYCHELLES, MAURITIUS, MIDDLE EAST, INDIA, SRI LANKA and THE MALDIVES. Azure offer Top Class Holidays at very competitive prices. They will always look at price matching and offer 12.5% commission (Top Producers will get 13.5% next year). Anna was very complimentary about the sales staff, who are all specialists and had enormous expertise, supervised by her M.D. Gloria, who actively participates in the office and is very much hands on. After Anna's enthusiastic talk about her Company, she introduced Annette Quinn, Director of ESSENTIAL DETAIL, a Hotel Marketing Company in London. She chatted about 10 Caribbean properties featured in the Azure brochure for clients looking for Romance, Hideaway or Stylish Living Holidays, or those thinking about an

3 Exclusive Inclusive or Relais & Chateaux Vacation. Everybody enjoyed her talk and found the accompanying slide show fascinating. Tony then thanked both of them for their passionate and informative presentation. After a short break, the Meeting continued. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING were proposed by June and seconded by Blanche. TREASURERS REPORT Frank reported that there was 6,719.41p in the Bank. Gabi advised everyone that the procedure of Invoicing Companies 3 months before their Presentation was working well. DUBROVNIK TRIP Katy gave everyone their Air Tickets and after a short briefing of the programme, promised to Members the Full Itinerary by Monday. Members participating there said they were really looking forward to going and thanked Katy for all her efforts in putting the weekend

4 break together. CHRISTMAS PARTY Katy asked Members for their opinions about the Diamond Region Annual Party. Everyone present preferred to attend after Christmas early in January and Katy suggested looking into prices and dates at Sopwell House Hotel, which was agreed. THE REGIONS Diamond have lost Kingsbury Travel and south Weller travel both closed. Tony advised that Worldchoice are budgeting for Membership of 420 for the next year. Members wished to minute that they would like to know HOW OTHER CONSORTIA ARE FARING WITH REGARD TO THEIR NUMBER OF MEMBERS MCC REPORT Tony reported that he spent 2 days in Peterborough with Key Personnel at Worldchoice as a Member of the newly formed MEMBERS CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL. Tony advised that the important issue about TOUR OPERATORS

5 CUTTING THEIR COMMISSION was discussed in depth, Tony felt we should reduce the number of business partners ACAS is being replaced by an In House System early next year. INTERNET EXPLORER have introduced an upgraded version but several GDS have advised that its installation will result in parts of the GDS failing to work. Their advice is do not install this upgraded Internet Explorer. WORLDCHOICE TRAVEL OFFICES 72% of their business comes from 15 Tour Operators. Tony emphasised once again how important it is for us to support those Companies who support us. THOS COOK HOLIDAYS will price-match anything on their Web Site but Agents should be aware that they will get a reduction in their commission (12% to 8% and 10% to 5%). Members were reminded everyone to complete their TARGET TRACKER FORMS. Many Agents will received 20% reduction in their Membership Fees. With regard to the TRITON SEARCH, Tony felt is is improving but generally among the Members present, those that have looked at Rooms and Fares, thought they were uncompetitive. RAMESES. It was reported that one of our Members has been

6 offered TABS for Free and other Members wished to know why they should sign up with TRITON if TABS could be obtained for nothing! It was mentioned that between the 3 Consortia making up the TRITON GROUP, we account for 2 Billion of business. CONFERENCE - 11TH MAY VILLAMOURA, PORTUGAL. Tony asked those present if anybody was considering attending and 4 members said they would be going. The Programme has yet to be finalised but the Dinner on Friday evening would be hosted and the Business Sessions would be conducted on Saturday and Sunday. Worldchoice are pushing the brand and material, such as Window Stickers, will be available shortly. Tony raised the point, via WORLDCHOICE, that we should only invite PREFERRED OPERATORS to our REGIONAL MEETINGS. Much discussion then took place between Members who felt this was not viable and Gill emphasised that if we only did this, we would find it almost impossible to have Sponsored Meetings. GETABED have been unable to get an Appointment with anyone at Peterborough but some of the Agents in the Diamond Region use them very successfully and have invited them to give a Presentation at our Meeting in January, which was approved by Members.

7 Everybody felt that the Meeting with VIRGIN HOLIDAYS was a complete waste of everybody's time - we are still awaiting a telephone call to answer some of the points raised at the Meeting almost a year ago. A lot of the Tour Operators on the Preferred List still undercut the Members at every opportunity and yet they are still expected to support them. WORLDCHOICE has produced a LUXURY "COFFEE TABLE" BROCHURE, the cover of which we can customise to our own offices, or get Sponsorship for. The front inside page is an article introducing your Agency, and the inside is a standard format, not offering actual holidays but more a lifestyle brochure, advertising certain resorts and areas, all of which are bookable through our own Preferrrdd Supplier. The approximate cost is 350 for 1500 and those interested should contact Tracy at Membership Services. WORLDCHOICE CRUISE CLUB For 500 Worldchoice will produce 4 mailings a year to 500 of your Cruise Clients, offering a cross section of deals and information on Cruising. ANY OTHER BUSINESS RENDEZVOUS TRAVEL has negotiated a Net Agreement with GULF AIR on both seat sale and IT Fares. Any Diamond Member wishing to book should contact Frank/Gabi and will be charged just 20 per ticket for administration cost. Katy reported that although JOY TRAVEL in Ealing and Northolt ceased trading at least 4 years ago, their Northolt branch has been turned into an Internet Cafe and Bucket Shop Travel Agency. However, it is still sporting the WORLDCHOICE LOGO on its awning, despite Katy informing Peterborough on at least three former occasions and it being reported on the Diamond Region's Minutes of their Meeting on the 21st July 2005! The Meeting closed at hrs.

8 FUTURE MEETINGS 16th NOVEMBER th DECEMBER th JANUARY 2006 TRAVELPACK AMATHUS HOLIDAYS GETABED