US-based travel management company Altour is stepping up its efforts in the UK to expand its ‘independent contractor’ business.
Under the IC scheme, Altour provides support to individuals who want to run their own TMCs.
Nigel Parkinson, general manager of Altour UK, says it is targeting agents who feel undervalued by their employer and want to go it alone.
“Potential ICs are people who are sat in other TMC organisations who are working really hard, building up customer loyalty, but feel they are undervalued, or not paid enough, or they don’t get on with their boss,” he said.
“We can provide office space, GDS support, hotel and airline deals, management information and back office support which can help them set up on their own.”
Parkinson said the concept was similar to homeworking for leisure agents, but with Altour most ICs work from an office and employ a team, instead of working alone.
Altour has new offices in central London with space for new ICs, or can help source office space elsewhere in the UK.
“We work with ICs who have offices of their own and we connect them up remotely,” said Parkinson.
Altour has recently taken on a new sales person, Jane Agar, and is looking to join the Guild of Travel Management Companies next year.
It currently employs a total of 40 people in the UK, which includes its in-house TMC, run from its London offices in St Paul’s.
It handles a total corporate travel spend of £28million in the UK, of which around 60% is handled by ICs.
Established in 1991, Altour has a travel volume of over $800 million in the US.
Parkinson joined Altour from Carlson Wagonlit Travel where he served as director account management UK.
By Bev Fearis
