With US borders open once more, TTG Travel Heroes mentee agencies Key Holidays in Romiley and Destina Travel in Hagley are feeling positive about the future of travel.

“I’m feeling totally upbeat and glass half-full at the moment,” says Jonathan Cunningham, director at Key Holidays. “[The past 20 months have been] horrible for all agents, but we’re definitely looking to the future now and we’re incredibly excited about new routes and destinations opening up, and getting our supportive clients out where they want to be with their loved ones.”

In the past few months, the agency has seen “a really healthy increase in sales”, says Cunningham.

“Half-term was really good for us – we almost ran out of stock in Tenerife and Cyprus. We are certainly seeing a big increase in requests for winter sunshine too, including to Madeira.”

He adds that clients who book are also spending more. “They’re booking better rooms than they ever have done and more bucket-list trips. Having been told what they couldn’t have for 20 months, people are excited the world is open again.”

While long-haul is proving slower to return, Cunningham says progress continues to be made as borders reopen. “Hopefully by early spring, Australia will fully open too and the world will become what we want it to be again. We’ve already seen an increase in 2023 reservations for the US and look forward to more routes opening and confidence returning.”

The team have been busy on social media posting offers and travel updates, and recently received a substantial Maldives enquiry on Facebook.

“We are looking to grow our social media presence and will run selective offers related to areas that the Travel Heroes sell,” says Cunningham, adding that the agency is planning a marketing push, sending out mail shots and calling clients to encourage more bookings and offer support. Communicating with clients by Whatsapp has also been successful over the past year, and this is something the agency will look to continue. 

POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Cunningham says the TTG Travel Heroes – Nick Hughes, sales director for tour operations B2B Europe at Gold Medal; Sarah Weetman, head of sales at Travelsphere and Just You; and Jamie Louizou, managing director at AmaWaterways – have been “very supportive”, and while the campaign is now coming to a close, he adds that the relationships forged will continue to flourish.

“All the markets the Heroes sell we support, and we’re very grateful for their help. We’ve loved meeting them and strengthening our relationships with them. Even though the Heroes’ campaign is over, it’s not the end for us as we’re looking to work more and more with them.”

Cunningham says a dream of his is to host a Travelsphere or Just You trip with his wife. “We’ll be very proactive with this when the time is right and confidence returns,” he says.

While there will undoubtedly be bumps in the road ahead, Cunningham is looking forward to what the future will bring, and says there are positives to take away from the tough period.

“We’ve seen a huge amount of client loyalty. The vast majority have supported us and moved their holidays from last year, to this year, to next year.

“We have seen a lot of new faces too, who used to book online and who now want that blanket wrapped around them, with the financial protection and support we offer. Some have come to us through the work we’ve done on social media, while word of mouth has been massive.”

He adds: “We have got a great team and fantastic clients who are an extension of our friends and family. We’re very lucky that they keep coming back to us to look after them.”

Cunningham says the pandemic has also taught him “not to take anything for granted”, and that, while there will inevitably be hurdles, the industry’s resilience will continue. “We’re doing the best we can right now. We will get back way past the levels we were doing before [the pandemic]. We know the demand is there. The journey ahead is exciting to be a part of.”

CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE

Sam Tyers, head of leisure sales at Destina Travel, echoes Cunningham’s zeal and says sales have also increased for the agency over the past few months. “We came off furlough early and went back full-time in September, which was quicker than we thought. September and October were really busy months.” 

Popular destinations include Dubai and the Canaries for winter sun, with plenty of last-minute bookings coming through, while Spain, Greece and seacation cruises were popular over summer. The agency also has a cruise booking to the US departing shortly, for which Tyers says she has been holding the client’s hand.

Destina Travel’s tour operation business is also doing well, with long-haul bookings coming in for Christmas and New Year, including to South Africa.

Tyers predicts that the next few months might be “quieter” as we head into winter and uncertainty around Covid cases grows, but remains hopeful that consumer confidence will return fully next year. “It’s going in the right direction, and everyone that’s travelled with us has had a great time.”

Two members of her team recently returned from trips abroad, which has also helped boost confidence among clients. “Hayley travelled to Portugal and Abigail was in Fuerteventura. Abi got a blog out and Hayley is doing hers now. It’s good to have the stories out there on Facebook and on our website. It will help with [customer] confidence.”

The team have also been busy asking customers who have booked with them to provide reviews on Google and Facebook, and so far they have a 5/5 rating. “We’ve proactively been asking clients to review us in the past three months and have had great results,” she says.

A revamped website with live offers, regular newsletters with updates about the shop, as well as slots in the local paper and on local radio discussing travel updates and restrictions have all helped to keep the agency in the minds of clients, both old and new.

Tyers is equally grateful for the support of the Heroes, who are “always there if [she needs] them,”?and have helped her keep up to date with trends, marketing and travel updates. With a coffee morning with AmaWaterways in the pipeline, and a virtual event with Travelsphere and Just You pencilled into the diary, Tyers agrees that the Travel Heroes partnership will continue long into 2022 and the years to come.

She is confident that a new dawn for the travel agent lies ahead. “We’re noticing clients coming back to us from years ago. They want the service now and they realise they’re not getting it online. “We’re going to see the return of the traditional agent – those little touches we offer stay with people and will bring in new clientele too.”