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Chapter 11: The Travel Trade Sector Article from WTTC Human Resource Centre publication Article:
…Personnel evaluation programs which include rewards, recognition, personal and professional development, generate higher standards of performance, enhanced customer service, and increase company profitability. Key words: Canada, travel trade, evaluation, travel counsellors, award recognition, customer service “The Counsellor Excellence Program has been beneficial to us when hiring new employees. Particularly it helps pinpoint and define characteristics that UNIGLOBE looks for in employees - professionalism, dependability, and a high focus on customer service.”
UNIGLOBE Travel (International) Inc. is the world’s largest single brand travel franchise organization with 1,100 locations in more than 20 countries. Operating under a well recognized brand name, UNIGLOBE travel agencies, cruise-only outlets, home-based agents, and e-commerce operations specialize in providing travel services to small to mid-sized corporate accounts and to leisure travellers. Since its inception in 1979, UNIGLOBE has striven to set the standard in the travel industry for professionalism and reliability by providing support, education, and a company code of ethics for UNIGLOBE family members. The UNIGLOBE mission is to become the largest and most profitable travel organization in the world that sets the standard for professionalism and reliability to the consumer. To accurately evaluate its travel agency personnel, the program development department at UNIGLOBE in conjunction with a taskforce of agency owners, managers, and counsellors developed the Counsellor Excellence Program in 1995 and a similar program in 1997 for managers. These comprehensive programs are based on a set of industry wide criteria and performance levels which took a total of two years to develop: one year in research and development, and one year to test pilot the program. The goals of the program are to:
Upon completing the program, managers and travel counsellors alike are evaluated against the defined criteria. UNIGLOBE Head Office verifies the information to
determine which counsellors and managers achieved the rigorous requirements to earn an Award for Excellence designation. There are three levels of designations for travel counsellors to strive for which are identified by a
bronze, silver, or gold pin. Managers receive a platinum pin with a precious stone for their achievement. IMPLEMENTATION: Pilot tested in 1995 on 85 travel agencies in the UNIGLOBE Western Canada region, the Counsellor Excellence Program was subsequently expanded to all UNIGLOBE agencies in 20 countries worldwide in early 1996, with the first Award for Excellence presented in Fall 1996.
Staff reaction to the announcement of the program was one of enthusiasm, as this was the type of program they had been asking for. Hence, buy in was easily obtained as it gave staff clear goals to strive for and achieve. Although it is up to each agency to decide whether they will participate, UNIGLOBE’s head office strongly recommends participation. Of eligible managers (those that have been with UNIGLOBE for at least one year and are in compliance with system standards) 75%-80% participate in the program.
Final implementation: At the 1996 Regional Fall Conferences, the first 100 pilot travel counsellors were recognized for the UNIGLOBE Counsellor Excellence Awards in the bronze, silver, and gold categories. Evaluation booklets, based on performance against the defined criteria, are completed for all counsellors that have participated in the Counsellor Excellence Program. The booklets are submitted to regional personnel who collect, synthesize, and verify the information to determine which counsellors achieved the rigorous requirements to earn an Award for Excellence designation. Award for Excellence designations are awarded each year at similar ceremonies with the number of recipients changing every year. Each region provides UNIGLOBE’s head office with the name of the counsellor who achieved the highest number of points in their respective regions. In 1996, 18 counsellors were nominated for the first system wide 1996/97 UNIGLOBE International Counsellor Excellence Award given to the top performing travel counsellor in the system. This person was announced at the UNIGLOBE International Convention in New Orleans in June 1997. The process continues and now is a highly anticipated and an integral part of the UNIGLOBE convention. In addition, UNIGLOBE also has a program for managers who work to achieve the platinum manager pin. After the pilot test, a survey evaluated the Counsellor Excellence Program. From the feedback, some of the program’s criteria was changed to better reflect UNIGLOBE’s benchmarks. Revisions and/or updates are still made annually, as appropriate. When implementing the program in the remaining UNIGLOBE offices throughout the world the same process was used; however, some of the criteria were adapted to reflect/accommodate specific countries.
After less than two years, a system wide program was introduced, tested, and implemented, resulting in over 100 awards for bronze, silver, or gold achievement levels. The company considered these to be excellent results, since the program has very rigorous standards and performance levels. UNIGLOBE regards its Counsellor Excellence Program as an effective win-win program. Tangible and real benefits are easily identified for everyone involved, and the customer benefits from enhanced service. The counsellors and managers have a clear understanding of which skills, knowledge, and expertise they must demonstrate to excel and obtain performance bonuses. Individual agency management have a well-defined tool for staff training and evaluation. The company as a whole benefits from the improved productivity, performance, and heightened morale that flows from success and satisfaction on-the-job. Since developing the program, other travel agencies have asked to purchase UNIGLOBE’s Counsellor Excellence Program. The program is presently not for sale, however this may be reviewed in the future. The program continues to be extremely successful with numerous counsellors and managers gaining recognition. UNIGLOBE’s annual system wide sales volume is
nearly CAN3 billion, and the company has been voted number one travel franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine for 11 years. WTTC Human Resource Centre COMMENT: Although this successful UNIGLOBE system was implemented by a large international corporation, the small operator can still benefit by applying the same four steps: (1) communication; (2) buy in; (3) needs assessment and education; and (4) systematic monitoring on a small scale basis. Education and needs assessment are readily available through local tourism/business institutions, and the other three steps can be implemented internally by even the smallest organizations.
Chapter 11 Suggested Web Sites: 1. Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) CITC is a non-profit membership organization for individual Canadian travel professionals. It is comprised of seven provincial / regional institutes and a parent national organization. As the educational wing of the Canadian travel industry, CITC promotes its professional designations CTC (Certified Travel Counsellor) and CTM (Certified Travel Manager). CITC sponsored activities include seminars, workshops and conferences which are open to students and employees in the Canadian travel industry. The organization also plays a major role in consumer awareness through active participation in trade shows, through brochures such as Scam Watch and via its complimentary consumer newsletter - The Inside Track. CITC is a major publisher and distributor of travel related textbooks to travel agencies as well as travel and tourism educational institutions throughout Canada. CITC and the Association of Canadian Travel Agents (ACTA) co-own the ACCESS (ACTA/CITC Canadian Educational Standards System Inc.) program which is the federally recognized standards body for travel counsellor and travel manager certification in Canada. This site offers a handy map for locating chapters provincially, and offers links to cross country seminar programs, distance learning programs, professional
development programs, industry partners, and publications (for order). 2. Association of Canadian Travel Agents (ACTA) The Association of Canadian Travel Agents’ (ACTA) web site explains the association’s commitment to ensuring that consumers have professional and meaningful
travel counselling by providing effective leadership in five key strategic areas on behalf of the retail travel industry members. ACTA accomplishes this through: (1) Advocacy and Lobbying federal and provincial governments and national and multi-national corporations to insure a positive environment exists for travel retailers to provide service to travel consumers; (2) Communications
and Public Relations to government and travel industry partners to insure they are aware of the importance of the retail travel sector; to the general public to insure they are aware of the benefits of using ACTA member retailers for their travel needs; and to members and non members to better equip them to manage their businesses; (3) Research which is relevant and meaningful to members and partners to enable them to better manage their businesses and work more effectively together; (4) Facilitate or Deliver Education and Training to further professionalize the retail travel sector and add greater value to travel consumers; and (5) Membership Development to insure the greatest participation rate of the retail travel community in ACTA and maximum impact for businesses and consumers in Canada.
3. The Canadian Transportation Agency The Canadian Transportation Agency’s mission is to administer transportation legislation and government policies to help achieve an efficient and accessible
transportation system by education, consultation, and essential regulation. This site offers access to the many regulations and acts governing air, rail, and marine transportation. The Acts and Regulations link offers access to many documents including the Canada Transportation Act.
4. Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) The Airport Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) exits to support association members in the pursuit of a safe, leading edge, and competitive Canadian air
transport industry. Objectives include the promotion of safe and reliable air transportation of people and goods, and consultation and cooperation with all government and regulatory authorities seeking the advancement and
improvement of commercial aviation. The association promotes and advocates the commercial air transport industry by encouraging a regulatory framework that recognizes enterprise and imagination in providing safe and competitive
air transport services. Through its membership, the association promotes professional operational standards and sound business practices, and informs the public about the industry and its views. This site offers the viewer
access to news releases, association reports, membership benefits, information on learning how to fly aircraft, and includes links to other air transport organizations. 5. Office of Consumer Affairs The Office of Consumer Affairs is Industry Canada's window to consumers in the marketplace. The Office works to create a fair and efficient marketplace that
supports and advances the interests of Canadians as consumers. Through research, analysis, and the coordination and distribution of information, the Office works to protect consumers. By typing tourism as a keyword in the sites search option, the viewer gains access to discussion and analysis papers focused on current consumer travel and tourism issues, fraud, and numerous consumer quarterly reports - all relating to travel and tourism. A publications link offers materials on travel and tourism related law issues, communication, and marketing challenges.
6. Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) is an association representing the tourism locales and operations to which people travel, either for business
or pleasure. Members represent many sectors of the tourism industry including accommodation, attractions, events and conferences, tourism services, travel trade, and transportation. Tourism and tourism-related organizations and
associations not destination specific are also represented (i.e.: national associations, provincial/territorial tourism industry organizations, provincial/regional sector associations). Members of the association voice opinions
and concerns influencing government actions and policies. Association membership offers benefits, discounts, and the ability to be directly involved in governmental decisions effecting travel and tourism. This web site is part
of Government Canada’s ‘strategis’ site, offering an overview of TIAC membership benefits, contact information, and industry links. 7. Baxter Group The Baxter Group has a wealth of information for the consumer, student, and travel agent alike. Visit their educational web site, travel trade site, trade shows/exhibitions, consumer travel site, and personnel guide on-line! When looking for up-to-date news on the travel trade industry or trying to locate a travel agency in Canada, look no further than Baxter.Net. Baxter Publications Inc. is the largest publisher of travel trade magazines in Canada; its major publications being: Canadian Travel Press, Travel Courier, and the Personnel
Guide to Canada's Travel Industry. Canadian Travel Press and Travel Courier are weekly travel trade magazines; they have the largest audited national circulation in Canada. Personnel Guide is a semi-annual directory that lists all the participants in the travel industry (e.g. hotels, car rental companies, travel agencies, and tour operators) together with their respective personnel where applicable.
CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS A publication with comprehensive and focused information on the travel industry. Canadian Travel Press is a great resource for senior travel counsellors, agency owners, and managers. From destination information to the latest breaking technological developments, Canadian
Travel Press is one publication at the leading edge of the travel industry. The web version of Canadian Travel Press is available at: http://www.travelpress.com/ctp/ TRAVEL COURIER An informative publication that has specific travel news, trends and developments. Travel Courier is the perfect companion for the front-line counsellor. The condensed quick read style editorial of Travel Courier also includes product and personnel information, industry events, familiarization trips, agent incentives and much more. The Internet version of Travel Courier is available at: http://www.travelpress.com/tc/ PERSONNEL GUIDE TO CANADA'S TRAVEL INDUSTRY An important resource for travel agents everywhere. The complete travel-trade directory of all travel industry participants, from travel agencies to
suppliers and associations. This guide is the Yellow Pages of the travel industry. Available in book form, CD-ROM, and on the Internet at: http://pguide.baxter.net/ TRAVEL NEWS SERVICE (TNS) Baxter Travel News Service group provides late breaking travel related news stories from around the world. This means getting up-to-the-minute information
on travel destinations, pricing, currency values, special deals, and trouble spots to be avoided. Available through Sabre, Galileo, and Worldspan, and on the Internet at: http://www.travelpress.com and http://www.travelbestbuys.com/tns/
8. Uniglobe.com, Inc. Uniglobe.com, Inc. is a leading provider of on-line travel services for leisure and small-business travellers, offering state of the art on-line travel booking. The site has one-stop shopping for airline tickets, cruises, car rentals, hotels and vacation packages, and access to travel information, travel merchandise, and award winning customer service. Uniglobe.com trained travel agents provide customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number and email. As a part of the Uniglobe group of companies, Uniglobe.com was formed in 1995 to give consumers a choice of researching and purchasing their travel on-line in a
professional manner equal to that experienced over the past 20 years through locally owned Uniglobe travel offices. Site links include access to investment opportunities within the company, site advertising opportunities,
customer service questions and feedback, access to news articles featuring Uniglobe.com, and a handy agency locator link offering the viewer the ability to locate one of the 1,000 plus independently operated UNIGLOBE travel
agencies. An employment opportunity link and franchising link offer specific information on opportunities within the company. 9. Thomas Cook Travel The modern tourism industry was created from the inspiration and dedication of one man, Mr. Thomas Cook. From the beginnings of a successful one-day rail
excursion at a shilling a head from Leicester to Loughborough on 5 July 1841, he built an international organization and launched innovations that have become accepted industry practice. Today, Thomas Cook is one of the world's
leading international travel and financial services groups and serves over 20 million customers a year. It provides services to its customers at 1,800 locations in more than 25 countries and employs over 20,000 people. To learn
more about the history of tours, this site offers a historical timeline of the development of the world’s first tour company. Click on a date in the posted timeline to read about major events in Thomas Cook's history, or read
through the life of the company chronologically. The site links directly into the now worldwide Thomas Cook travel company. 10. Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) SITE is a worldwide organization of business professionals dedicated to the recognition and development of motivational and performance improvement strategies of which travel is a key component. The society recognizes the global cultural differences and practices in developing these strategies, and serves as a networking and educational opportunity for its members. This official web site for SITE offers links to incentive related publications, books, as well as research and statistics. Gain access to the society’s In-Site newsletter delivered on-line, and visit a SITE chapter link offering information on activities and events happening throughout the SITE network. Check-out the Industry Links for immediate access to countless web sites relating to incentive travel.
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