Business advice

The agents who are securing new business during the pandemic

Even during travel’s toughest year, agents have been working on marketing and customer service to secure new clients, discovers Abra Dunsby.

How to use digital marketing to drive short-term bookings

Simon Jones, managing director at Digital Visitor, explains how agents can utilise marketing to drive short-term bookings.

How to get the most out of working with influencers

To influence or not to influence; that’s the question for travel brands, says Farhad Divecha, managing director and founder of AccuraCast, who offers advice on working with influencers and measuring their effectiveness.

How to negotiate with your commercial landlord during the pandemic

With the government announcing an extension of the ban on commercial evictions until 30 June, Chris Barkley, senior associate, real estate at London law firm Goodman Derrick LLP, offers tips for travel agency tenants on negotiating with landlords on rental arrears.

Advice for those currently facing early retirement

Michael Middleton, a financial advisor and director at retirement experts Pro-Vision Lifestyles, explains the options and offers advice to those facing early retirement due to the pandemic.

Have you paid too much tax during the pandemic?

Many travel agents could be due a tax rebate due to lack of earnings. Tommy McNally, founder of TommysTax.com, explains how agents can go about claiming their tax refund.

How to make it as a homeworker

We speak to three homeworkers to find out what it takes to be successful and to glean their tips for others considering a career move

How Vamoos travel app's latest launch can improve the customer journey

With two new platform developments, the Vamoos travel app is allowing agents to add a whole new level of service to the customer journey. Madeleine Barber speaks to chief executive Alistair Luxmoore to find out more

30 Under 30: Meet Luke Judd

Luke Judd, Cazenove+loyd’s digital marketing manager, tells Madeleine Barber about his rollercoaster 2020 and how he’s finding his feet in a new role

Careers advice: How to upskill on an apprenticeship or training programme

Have you considered training staff via a government-funded apprenticeship? Abra Dunsby speaks to some of the companies and apprentices taking advantage of training for their insights

Careers advice: Tips for applying for and landing travel jobs during the pandemic

Barbara Kolosinska, director at C&M Recruitment, offers tips for applying for jobs in the current climate.

Careers advice: How to become a part-time lecturer or teacher

The economic impact of the pandemic has left many in the travel industry wondering how they can supplement their income until travel resurges.

Lecturing about the travel industry at universities or teaching at colleges part-time are both good options, also enabling travel professionals to add another string to their bow.

Here we speak to three people with experience of lecturing and teaching students to hear their stories, and share their advice with others in the travel industry considering doing the same.

Why analysing customer insights is critical to restoring trust in travel

Tony Wheble, chief executive and chairman of review and customer insights platform Feefo, explains how to instil trust in customers and use their feedback constructively.

Webinar: How to improve customer service with Vamoos

Highlighting the new Vamoos features and latest developments, this TTG webinar looks at how the travel app can help agents and operators improve their customer service

Advice for agents on making it through the crisis

Jonathan Wall, managing director at Elman Wall, on how travel agents can continue to stay in business until international travel resumes.

Four travel professionals on how they created podcasts during the pandemic

Want inspiration for starting a podcast in a pandemic? Abra Dunsby speaks to the travel professionals who made it happen, highlighting their hints and tips.

Peakes Travel Elite's Claire Moore reflects on the highs and lows of January

Claire Moore of Peakes Travel Elite looks back on last month and discusses her wins, from virtual events to government support.

30 Under 30: Meet Kelly Joannides

Advantage Holidays’ trading and product executive Kelly Joannides talks to Madeleine Barber about her successes in the travel industry, how she got to where she is now and her plans for the future

Five things to consider when claiming from your Business Interruption insurance policy

Jonathan Cole, solicitor at Goodman Derrick LLP, offers an update on claiming your Business Interruption insurance based on recent High Court rulings.

The 2021 marketing trends every travel business should be paying attention to

Anthony Rawlins, chief executive of Digital Visitor, reveals trends and insights from the company’s recent whitepaper that will help you market effectively in the current climate and beyond.

Five agents share their homeschooling hacks and hilarity

From methods of motivation to how to get creative with homework, five travel agents share their top tips for making homeschooling work – as well as the times they’ve had to laugh or think outside the box when it hasn’t

How an Instagram post helped this homeworker win back vital business

After being tagged in an Instagram post homeworker Maureen McKenna ended up booking holidays for more than one hundred people. She talks to Abra Dunsby about the post’s success and how it helped her through the pandemic.

Three travel professionals discuss their recent cruise sale successes

While the cruise industry is certainly not out of the woods yet, with a restart date for ocean cruising further delayed by new national lockdowns across the UK, the vaccine roll-out has led several cruise specialist agencies to report a flurry of fresh bookings and enquiries.

So what’s selling well and how can agents make the most of renewed interest? Here three different agency spokespeople share their success stories, as well as their hopes and predictions for the cruise industry.

Latin Routes on helping travel agents get through the pandemic

Latin Routes has used downtime due to the pandemic to reduce its costs and help other agents improve their businesses. Abra Dunsby hears from company director Jess Baines.