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Going Places launches Personal Travel Advisers service
Going Places has become the first major agency chain to launch a Personal Travel Advisers service for people with busy lifestyles.
Under the umbrella brand ‘Going Places at Your Place’, the advisers will meet clients at a suitable time and place to discuss travel needs and arrange their travel.
Currently there are six advisers – four in England, one in Wales and another in Scotland – but a spokeswoman said there were plans to have a good geographical spread across the UK.
“We are going live today and depending on how it goes, we hope to have one for every patch,” she said.
Known as PTAs, the advisers are former GP shop staff with at least five years experience.
Working from home, they will not be paid a salary but will earn commission.
“We are being very careful about the kinds of people we recruit. These people have been specially selected because of their agency experience and because of their ability to get business.
“They’ve been given laptops and will be able to book holidays across the whole range of brands, including Tradewinds, Cresta, Airtours Far and Away and Prestige. The service is really for people looking for something a bit special, for example group bookings or weddings and honeymoons.”
Gillian Perkins, Scotland’s first PTA, said: “Many of us simply don’t have the time to go into our local travel agency or spend hours trawling the internet, especially when you are a busy working mum.
“This new service makes the whole process much simpler. I can come to the customer’s home, work, any place or anywhere at a time suitable for them. The service can even be provided over the telephone or by email if the customer prefers.
“The idea is that PTAs will soon become an essential addition to people’s lifestyles in the same way that personal trainers or wedding coordinators have become.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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