Business opportunities and forward bookings: top trends from the Vertical Travel Group conference
Ilaria Grasso MacolaBusiness opportunities for agents, as well as the launch of a new tour operator and overall travel trends were all topics explored during the Vertical Travel Group conference over the weekend.
Chief executive Peter Healey and managing director Yvonne Leslies welcomed homeworkers to a three-day cruise onboard MSC Virtuosa as they announced the travel group’s latest developments, including the launch of a new tour operator.
TTG picks out some of the conference’s key takeaways…
’IMMENSE OPPORTUNITIES’
Founder Peter Healey told delegates on Saturday (22 April) there are “immense opportunities” for growth in the sector post-Covid, as he announced this year the group would target an annual revenue of £100 million in the UK alone. The chief executive’s words were later echoed by business development director Damian McDonough, who told agents to ride the “travel wave.”
NEW TRAVEL TRENDS
Brits have resorted to booking their holidays well in advance after being squeezed out of the current market by European tourists. Healey told TTG consumers come into the marketplace hoping to reserve a particular hotel at a particular time but they soon find their preferred choice is not available and therefore have to book for the next year.
THE FUTURE OF TOUR OPERATORS
According to the chief executive, more tour operators will follow in Saga’s footsteps, bypassing the trade and selling directly to customers. To stop his members from depending on a handful of operators, Healey announced on Saturday the launch of Vertical’s newest in-house tour operator, Instant4Agents. The new brand will expand the existing portfolio to include more destinations, hotels and flights.
EARNINGS, NOT NUMBERS
Business development manager Damian McDonough told TTG on Sunday (23 April) that agents doubling their earnings was more important to Vertical than the number of members present. Numbers have nevertheless gone up by 40% to just under 200, with plans to grow to 250 members by the end of this financial year.
KEEPING THEM HAPPY
Managing director Yvonne Leslie told TTG on Saturday that Vertical’s main priority was to keep their existing homeworkers happy by providing the best back office and marketing offer possible as well as launching recruitment campaigns and new products such as the new tour operator Instant4Agents as well as a booking download software for agents.
BRING IT ON
The Vertical Travel Group is ready to take on all the challenges that lie ahead, according to Leslie. The managing director – who founded the group alongside Healey 30 years ago – told TTG that problems don’t scare her as – after Covid – members can face anything.
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